154 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
hives, I shall describe one which may be used with almost 
any hive, by those who have sufficient confidence to man- 
age bees. 
About the season of natural swarming, what I • shall 
call a forced swarm, may be obtained from a populous 
stock,* by the following process. Choose that part of a 
pleasant day, when many bees are abnoad, and if any are 
clustered on the bottom-board or outside of the hive, puff 
among them a few whiffs of smoke — that from spunk is 
best — so as to drive them up among the combs. The bees 
will go up more readily if the hive is tipped back, or ele- 
vated by small wedges, about one-quarter of an inch above 
the bottom-board. Have in readiness a box — which I shall 
call the forcing-box — whose diameter is about the same 
with that of the hive from which you intend to drive the 
swarm. Lift the hive from its bottom-board without the 
slightest jar, turn it over, and carefully carry it oft’ about 
a rod, as bees, if disturbed, are much more inclined to be 
peaceable, when removed a short distance from their fami- 
lial- stand. If the hive is gently placed upside down on 
the ground, scarcely a bee will fly out, and there will be 
little danger of being stung. The timid and inexperienced 
should protect themselves with a bee-dress, and may 
gently sprinkle the bees with sugar-water, or blow more 
smoke among them, as soon as the hive is inverted. After 
placing it on the ground, the forcing-box must be put over 
it, and every opening between it and the hive, from which 
a bee might escapef, should be stopped with paper, or any 
convenient material. The forcing-box, if smooth inside, 
♦“Driving succeeds best in warm weather, and with populous stocks; for if 
the combs he not worked down to the floor-hoard, the bees are apt to collect in the 
open 6pace instead of ascending into the upper box.” — B kvan. 
t In my own practice, I use a box, the inside edges of which are beveled, to 
facilitate the ascent of the bees, and the back hinged, so that it can be opened for 
seeing the queen as she goes up with them. The few bees that may escape, even if 
not full of honey, are too bewildered by their change of position, to make any attack- 
