94 
saw and hatchet cut an aperture in the tree and 
remove the honey. Pails, hives, &c., can be drawn up 
and let down by means of small ropes ; when this mode 
is practised there must be limbs convenient for the 
operator to stand or sit upon. When this is not prac- 
ticable, the tree must be cut, and in doing this select 
the best place for the tree to fall without breaking. If 
there are any large limbs on the tree, and you can have 
these strike the ground first as the tree falls, it will, 
many times, take much of the shock from the body of 
the tree. But should tliey be in a hollow limb, as is 
often the case, it is better to fell the tree so the limb 
they are in, will not strike the ground. When the tree 
is felled you must provide yourself with a large hand- 
ful of hay or straw, and ignite it and put it as near as 
possible where the bees are coming out from the tree — 
the fire will destroy many of them and the smoke will 
subdue the remainder. Yon can then cut out enough 
of the tree to take out the honey. Should you design 
saving the bees, no fire or smoke must be used. Alter 
the tree is felled, let them get quieted dowrn ; then with 
a fumigation pipe give them smoke enough to keep 
them quiet. The tree may be sawed above and below 
where the swarm is, and this piece may be taken to the 
house; and if too late in ^he fall to transfer, set it up 
in some well-protected place until spring, when they 
can be transferred into a movable frame hive, — the 
same as from an old-fashioned box-hive. 
T1IE ITALIAN BEE. 
During the last few years speculation and excitement 
have run high in relation to the probable advantages of 
the Italian or Ligurian bee over the common kind. 
