44

42 CHAPMAN'S HANDY-BOOK

steadily on to your operation table. If it is quite full of
pure white honey, and you wish to keep it until you use
it, you may get rid of the few bees that 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 of 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