42 
CHAPMAN'S IIANDY-BOOK. 
steadily on to your operation table. If it is quite full ot 
pure white honey, and you wish to keep it until you use 
it, you may get rid of the few bees which linger about 
their stores, by removing it a short distance from the 
hive ; cover it over with thick cloths, so as to darken it 
entirely; prop up one side of the hive, so as to leave free 
exit to the remaining bees. They will naturally come 
to the light, and fly straight home to their parent hive, 
so that in a short time you will be left. in undisputed 
possession of your spoil. If the bees cling obstinately 
to the box which you have removed, you may suspect 
that the queen is there. You must then cut out the 
combs one by one, driving them out of the way of your 
bee knife by your smoking bellows, and taking care not 
to crush any of them. When you have got to the last 
comb, you will find all the bees collected about it, and 
on the side of the box. Smoke the bees off this comb, 
remove it, and then shake all the bees with a smart 
blow on a broad board—a japanned tea tray does very 
well. Hold it close to the mouth of the parent hive, 
and you will see what I think is, next to swarming, the 
most beautiful sight which falls in the way of a bee 
practitioner. Gently tap the under part of the tea tray ; 
the bees will not take wing as you might expect; the 
noise will only rouse them from their half torpid state; 
and as at beat of drum, they will march up in straight 
lines to the mouth of their hive, which they will enter, 
making the same buzzing noise with their wings which 
they do when swarming. Now is the time to keep a 
look out for the queen. You may often see her returning 
in triumph to her royal residence in the midst of her 
attendants. I was perfectly amazed at the order and 
regularity which the bees keep under these circum¬ 
stances, when I first accidently hit on this method of 
returning the bees to their hive. And I have since 
delighted very many people with the sight. It must be 
seen to be credited. 
If you find that the box which you remove from the 
stock has some brood in it, cut out the combs till you 
come to those which are thus filled, and then return the 
box to its own place. I never return drone comb, which 
