434 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
from their frames, practically making them into a 
swarm (page 258). Throw down the condemned 
bees at the entrance, and, when they are running in 
freely, pour the rightful owners upon them. Stirring 
together with a card will make an amicable union 
the more certain. It is, perhaps, less troublesome to 
shut up the stock to be strengthened to a few frames 
by a division-board, covering their portion of the 
hive carefully by the quilt, the remainder of which 
is turned back for a reason presently apparent. The 
condemned bees are now poured into the unoccupied 
part, and as many combs, containing some honey — 
and, if convenient, brood — given as may be needed 
for clustering. The residue of quilt is put over 
them, with a corner kept raised by a bit of stick, 
to permit them to draw in, and to furnish a tem- 
porary flight-hole. After two days, the condemned 
bees will have become a small stock in fairly 
normal condition, when, the undesirable queen and 
the division-board being removed, the combs of the 
two lots may be alternated with very little risk. 
In reference to alternation of combs, Mr. Simmins 
gives the following excellent advice : “ The hives to 
be operated upon should first have the whole of their 
combs fully exposed to the light, and each seam of 
bees divided by drawing the frames so far apart that 
none hang from one to the other.” It is better to 
unite in the evening, to use smoke in fair amount, and 
to handle the combs with considerable gentleness. 
If empty hives are at command, it may be preferred 
to first instal the “ condemned,” as previously described, 
but in one of these placed by the side of the home 
