172 
THE HIVE AND rlONEY-BEK. 
outside frame, set it carefully on end, near the hive,* 
when the second one may be easily moved towards the 
vacant space, and lifted out. After examination, put it in 
the place of the one first removed ; in the same way, 
examine the third, and put it in place of the second, and 
so proceed until all have been examined. If the bees are 
to be removed, they must, of course, be shaken oft’ on a 
sheet, as previously described. If the comb first taken 
out will fit, it may be put in the place of that last taken 
out ; if it will not fit, and cannot be made to do so by a 
little trimming, the frames must be slid on the rabbets 
back to their former places, when this first comb may be 
returned to its old position. 
The inexperienced operator, who sees that the bees 
have built some small pieces of comb between the outside 
of the frames, and the sides of the hive, or slightly fastened 
together some parts of their combs, may imagine that 
the frames cannot be removed at all. Such slight attach- 
ments, however, offer no practical difficulty to^ their 
removal.f The great point to be gained, is to secure a 
single comb on each frame ; and this is effected by the 
use of the triangular comb-guides. 
If bees were disposed to fly away from their combs, as 
soon as they are taken out, instead of adhering to them 
with such remarkable tenacity, it would be far more diffi- 
cult to manage them ; but even if their combs, when re- 
* If the frames, as they are removed, are put into an empty hive, they may l-e 
protected from the cold, and from robber-bees. 
t If sufficient room for storing surplus honey is not given to a strong stock, in 
its anxiety to amass as much as possible, it will fill the smallest accessible places. 
If the bees build comb between the tops of the frames, and the under side of the 
spare honey-board, it can be easily cut off, and used for wax. If this shallow 
chamber were not used, they would fasten the honey-board to the frames so tightly, 
that it would be very difficult to remove it; and every time it was taken off, they 
would glue It still foster, so that, at last, it would be well nigh impossible, in 
gottlng it off, uot to start the frames so as to crush the bees between the combs. 
