Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-04-21
Transferring Bees.


would say, first, that if he is sufficiently
interested in bee culture to wish to
transfer to movable comb hives, and to
give to the business the time and atten-
tion necessary to secure good results,
he should at once purchase one of the
manuals on the subject, and subscribe
for one or more of the magazines de-
voted to apiarian interests. The man.
ual would give detailed system Of bee
management, safe to follow, including
the points on which he seeks informa-
ton, and reading of it is indispensa-
BILE to an understanding of the discus
sions in the magazines. In the latter
discussions, essays and details of prac-
tice of many successful apiarians, and
he will learn that questions about the
best hive and the best way of doing
many things, including transferring,
are still unsettled. A broad shallow
hive lis thought best for surplus comb
honey, while bees winter better on a
deeper frame.
Transferring can be done on any
warm day during flow of honey, but
the season of fruit bloom is considered
the best time, as there are then less bees
aud honey in the hives than later. A
bellows smoker is indispensable in the
apiary. For transferring, long, thin
knife is needed wing or soft brush
for brushing bees from combs; saw
and other tools for taking the old hive
to pieces board fifteen to twenty
inches wide, properly supported, for a
table, and materials for fastening the
combs into the frames. This may be
thin strips CT wood, half an inch wide
and little longer than the depth of the
frames. with some fine wire or strong
twine to fasten their ends together when
placed in pairs on each side of the
frames, with the transferred combs be-
tween. | have found thorns thrust
into the comb through holes previously
punched or bored through tho frames
very satisfactory. If this way of fas-
tening is adopted, the holes should be
about two inches apart on all sides Of
the frames.
A beginner will probably get along
better by driving the bees first. To dc
this proceed as follows: Blow a few
puffs of smoke through the entrance,
Then set the hive a few yards away
bottom up, and over it place box O.
about the same size. 1t need not Fl
closely. Now drum on the hive fifteer
or twenty minutes. By this time thC
queen and most of the bees will have
clustered in the box. Set this on th,
old stand with the edge raised hal
inch for entrance and ventilation. N
other swarm should stand very near
, Carry the hive with the few adherrini
bees into a convenient room. This j
to prevent robbing, and may not b
necessary when bees are working YER
actively, Pry off one side of the hive
or split it open at such place as, fror
the construction of the combs, will Civ
the best opportunity to get them witt
out breaking. If the grain of tn
wood runs up and down, side can b
be very easily taken off by splittin
a the two boards in which are the heaC
; of the nails close to one side, havin
first cut the combs from their attacl
IL ments to it.
. Now remove a comb and place it c
70 board or table. a few thicknesses
% cloth under it will lessen the danger
crushing the comb. Lay the frame {
~ and cut the comb so as to make tig
." fit, and spring the frame on. Fill v
'' cant corners with smaller pieces al
. fasten with the thin sticks, or thorn
and place in the new hive. BY raisir
the edge of the board with the frar
on it the comb can be got into an u
y right position before fastening witho
= falling out of the frame. Proceed
the same way with the remaini
combs, brushing all adherring bees il
y the new hive, as well as any which m
% have clustered on the floor or about
old hive. Be careful to save all
is. working brood, rejecting all drc
Of comb aud brood, and very black a
,d0 imperfect combs. 1t is not mater
os that the combs should be in the sa
10 position in the frame as in the old hi
,re except that the honey should be at