STOCKING THK APIAEY. 
283 
large knife for cutting out the comhs; vessels for the 
honey ; a table or board, on which to lay the brood- 
combs ; cotton-twine or tape, for fastening them into the 
frames; and water for washing oft’, from time to time, the 
honey which will stick to your hands. Having selected 
the working combs, carefully cut them rather large, so 
that they will just crowd into the frames, and retain their 
places in their natural position until the bees have time to 
ftisten them. It will be well to wind some twine or tape, 
which should be subsequently removed, around the upper 
and lower slats of the frames, as an additional security. 
Small pieces of empty comb may be fastened with melted 
wax and resin (p. 72).* 
When the hive is thus prepared, the bees may be put 
into it and confined, water being given to them, until they 
have time to make all secure ag.ainst robbers. 
When the weather is cool, the transfer should be made 
in a warm room, to prevent the brood from being fatally 
chilled. An expert Apiarian can easily complete the whole 
operation—from the driving of the bees to the returning 
of them to their new hive—in about half an hour, and with 
the loss of very few bees, old or young. The best time 
for transferring bees is about ten days after a swarm has 
issued or been forced from the old hive. The brood will 
then be sealed over, and able to bear considerable ex¬ 
posure. 
Until the feasibility of transferring bees by movable 
fi'ames had been thoroughly tested, I felt irreconcilably 
• Tho Rov. Levi Wheaton prefers to use combs for guides, and conBnos them by 
a tliln strip of wood sprung between the uprights of tho frames, so ns to press against 
the lowor edges of the combs. 
Mr. Wm. \V. Cary, Id transferring, uses strips tbreo-eightbs of an inch wide and 
unc-eigbth thick, cut from any springy wood, and half an inch longer than tho depth 
of the frames. Ho fastens thorn together in pairs, with strings which keep them 
just far onough uiuirt to pass over tho tops and bottoms of the ft-iunes. Two pairs 
will bo needed for each frame, and they must be removed after the combs are 
firudy secured by the be»'8, which will be done in two or three days. 
