TRANSFERRING. 
97 
clotli over the top. Drive upon a walk. New swarms may be 
brought home in a box in the cool of the evening after their 
issue, but if hives are left for them, and they are allowed to start 
nevj combs, great care must be used, if moved before the combs 
are finished. 
TRANSFERRING BEES AND COMBS FROM THE BOX HIVE. 
The best time to transfer bees into the movable-comb hive, is 
from the appearance of the fruit-tree flowers until swarming. 
During this season, when the bees are gathering honey, the 
beginner may safely undertake the operation, as the bees will 
promptly repair the combs and often be more prosperous than 
before. They may be transferred earlier, if carefully done, or 
indeed at any time, if the brood is not chilled by exposure to 
the cool air. Yet nothing is gained by disturbing bees in cold 
weather, neither is it safe to transfer for three weeks after a 
stock has swarmed, in which time its queen will generally have 
become fertile. But when a second or third swarm can be hived, 
and set close to the old stock, it is then quite free from bees, and 
may be transferred with but little trouble, and the swarm jarred 
from its hive and united with the transferred stock, making a 
03 
13. Trnnsforrlna: toola. The hook la to looaon the combg from tho top of the hive or gum, whon the aide 
"l 10 * P"®'. 1 0, |; The other la made of n piece of hoop-iron. (2 Inches wide by 20 Inches long) by grinding the 
<n.J bevelling like a chisel, and Is usod to loosen the combs from tho sides of ttio hive. 
good job. Or when an Italian queen is to be introduced, six or 
>scven days after a stock has cast a first swarm, the old stock may 
