290 
THE HIVE AND HONEV-liEE. 
No metallic slides are needed for removing surplus 
lioney-boxes. By blowing smoke into them, before they 
are taken off, most of the bees will retreat to the main 
hive, and, if removed early in the morning, or late in the 
afternoon, and placed on a sheet fastened to the hive, the 
bees, attracted by the hum of their companions, will 
speedily leave them, but not until they have swallowed 
all that they can hold. When gorged, they are very 
reluctant to fly, and this is the reason they are so long in 
leaving when boxes are carried from the hive. The 
sooner the bees are driven from them the better, and care 
must be taken to protect them from robbers, who would 
soon carry their contents to their own hives. If any of the 
i'rames contain brood, they may be returned to the bees. 
Should the queen be in the box, many bees will refuse to 
leave it until she is returned to the hive. 
{.3i-d.) Glass vessels, of almost any size or form, make 
beautiful receptacles for the spare honey; they should 
have a piece of comb fastened in them, and should he 
covered with something warm if the weather is cool.* 
(4 th.) If small boxes are used for surplus honey, the one 
shown in Plate X., Fig. 24, the dimensions of which are 
given in the Explanation of Hives, will probably be found 
the siinplefit, cheapest, and best.f 
To remove surplus honey stored in small recejitacles, 
♦ Honey, stored In tumblers just large onuugh to receive one comb, may be 
placed lu an elegant form upon the table. 'While all small receptacles waste the 
time of the bees, the shallow cells, so many of which must be made in any cylin¬ 
drical vessel, require aa large a consumption of tiino and materials for tholr covers 
and bottoms ua those which hold more than twice as much honey. 
t Such a bo.x, which should be furnished either with guides or pieces of comb, 
will hold three store-combs, weighing together over four pounds, and, by removing 
u glass, one may be cut out without disturbing the others. 
If all tho jointsofa box are made air-tight bya molted mixture of wax and reslu, 
the boos will be saved much labor in Btoi)i)tng them with propolis; and, wlien th» 
entran»*e is ohisod and covered with tno same mixture, the honey may bo truns* 
pol led withoiit leakage, even if the combs are broken. Hoxe^ containing houef 
should bo very carefully packed, and llfte«l wilhout the slightest jarring. 
