HIVES. 
31 
BEST TO USE OLD COMBS AS LONG AS THEY WILL ANSWER. 
their time can be more profitably employed than in 
constructing brood-combs every year. I would also 
suggest that when combs have been once used for 
breeding it is the best use they can be applied to, after 
that, as the cocoons render it unfit for much else than 
a little wax. 
DRIVING AND PRUNING WHEN NECESSARY. 
But when the combs do actually need removing, I 
prefer the following method of pruning, to driving the 
bees out entirely, as has been recommended. It can 
be done in about an hour. As we are comparing the 
merits of different methods of getting rid of old combs, 
I shall give mine here, notwithstanding it may seem a 
little out of place. 
The best time is a little before night. The first 
movement is to blow under the hive some tobacco 
smoke (the best means of charming them I ever found) ; 
the bees, deprived of all disposition to sting, retreat 
up among the combs to get away from the smoke ; now 
raise the hive from the stand and carefully turn it 
bottom upwards, avoiding any jar, as some of the bees 
that were in the top when the smoke was introduced, 
and did not get a taste, will now come to the bottom 
to ascertain the cause of the disturbance ; these should 
receive a share, and they will immediately return to 
the top, perfectly satisfied. When so many bees are 
in the hive, as to be in the way in pruning, (which if 
there is not it is not worth it,) get an empty hive the 
size of the old one, and set it over, stopping the holes; 
