290 
THE HIVE AND IIONEY-BEE. 
No metallic slides are needed for removing surplus 
honey-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 tly, 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 c.uc 
must be taken to protect them from robbers, who would 
soon carry their contents to their own hives. If any of the 
frames 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. 
(3rd.) Glass vessels, of almost any size or form, make 
beautiful receptacles for the spare honey j they should 
have a piece of comb fastened in them, and should be 
covered with something warm if the weather is cool.* 
(4th.) If small boxes are used for surplus honey, the one 
shown in Plate XI, Fig. 24, the dimensions of which are 
given in the Explanation of Hives, will probably be found 
the simplest, cheapest, and best.f 
To remove surplus honey stored in small receptacles, 
* Honey stored in tumblers just large enough to receive one comb, may bo 
placed In an elegant form upon the table. While all small receptacles waste the 
time of the bees, the shallow colls, so many of which must bo made In any cylin¬ 
drical vessel, roqulro as largo a consumption of time and materials for their covers 
and bottoms as those which hold moro than twice as much honey. 
t Such a box, which should be furnished eithor with guides or pieces of comb, 
will hold three store-combs, weighing together over four pounds, and, by removing 
a glass, one may be cut out without disturbing the others. 
If all the joints of a box are made air-tight by a molted mixture of wax and res n, 
the bees will be saved much labor in stopping them with propolis; and, when th# 
entrance is closed and covered with too same mixture, the honey may be trans¬ 
ported without leakage, even if the combs aro broken. Boxes containing honey 
should be very carefully packed, and lifted without the slightest jarring. 
