MANIPULATION OF COLONIES 
587 
Fig. 14.—Shaking bees out of a super. 
they are quietly let back into place, using 
sufficient smoke to drive the bees away so 
they will not be crushed as the hive parts 
come together again. The operation shown 
in Figs. 5, 6, 7 , 8, 9, 10, 11, is then repeated 
with other hives, taking from 30 to 60 sec¬ 
onds per hive. At no time has the opera¬ 
tor lifted but a part of the dead weight. 
When the supers are held at an angle the 
load is on the fulcrum point of contact- 
while the hand sustains only a small part 
of the weight. 
Fig. 12 shows the method employed 
when supers are apparently well filled and 
ready to come off. The top super is re¬ 
moved and leaned up against the leg of 
the operator. The middle super that has 
been filled can now be taken off; but be¬ 
fore doing so a second examination is 
made as shown. It is set off, when the bot¬ 
tom super may also be removed if ready. 
If so, the top super is put back, the idea 
being to confine the bees to as small a 
super capacity as possible as the season 
draws to a close, in order to make the bees 
finish their work. 
Fig. 13 shows a slightly different pose 
from that indicated in Fig. 8. While the 
position of the operator is somewhat 
cramped, it is true, yet it is much easier 
than tearing down the hive, super by super, 
and replacing. 
In Fig. 14 is a case where the season is 
closing abruptly. The bees have only par¬ 
tially begun work in the top super. To 
leave it on would mean that all the supers 
would have honey in, and none of them 
quite completed. Accordingly the bees are 
shaken out of the top super when it is. 
moved. If there should be some good rains 
and warm weather, the season may take 
another start. In that case a super cover 
temporarily placed between the top super 
and the two below is removed, when work 
will be resumed in the third super. If it 
could be known that the season was draw¬ 
ing to a close, the top super should be re¬ 
moved in the first place. 
HOW TO PUT ON ESCAPE-BOARDS. 
Some beekeepers have an awkward way 
of putting on escapes. They will pull the 
