ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
165 
may be easily and quickly performed. An empty hive, 
with its frames properly arranged, must be in readiness to 
receive the new swarm; and before carrying the parent- 
stock from its stand, a little smoke should be pulled into 
the entrance, which should then be closed with the 
movable-blocks. Remove, now, one or two of the tins 
that cover the holes on the spare honey-board (PI. VIII., 
Fig- 21), and blow smoke into the hive, until the bees 
begin to make a loud humming, when the honey-board 
may be loosened with a knife, and safely removed, care 
being taken to set it on its edge, so as not to crush the 
bees with which its under surface is usually covered. No 
danger need be apprehended from these bees, as they are 
completely bewildered by their sudden exposure to the 
light, and removal from the hive. Any of the large 
“ supers ”* used in my hives, or any other box of suitable 
dimensions, may now be set over the bees, into which 
they may be driven, in the way described on page 155. A 
little more smoke blown into the entrance of the hive, 
will obviate the necessity of much rapping, and materially 
quicken the ascent of the bees.f After they have been 
driver, from the parent-stock, the directions must be fol¬ 
lowed which have already been so minutely described. 
Whenever the bee-keeper learns how to handle safely 
the movable-frames—full directions for doing which will 
soon be given—he may,dispense with the forcing-box, and 
make his swarms by lifting out the frames from the parent- 
stock, and shaking the bees from them, by a quick jerking 
motion, upon a sheet, directly in front of the new hive. 
As soon as a comb is deprived of its bees, it should be re¬ 
turned to the parent-stock. If one or two combs contain- 
• This term is used by Apiarians to designate any upper box placed over the 
train lower-hive. An empty hive, like that in Pi. I„ Fig. 1., or a hive like that ia 
Pi. III., Fig. 2.—if invortod—will answer for a forcing-box. 
t Time will bo saved by arranging (p. 162) to force several swarms at onoe. 
