Thus proceed, till all of the frames of the Controllable Hive are filled, or the comb in the old hive is exhausted. In transferring, very old, black combs should be discarded, even if you do not have your new hive more than half full. Get all the bees, if possible, in the new hive, and when you set it on the stand, close the lower entrance entirely, and let the upper one remain only one-half open, for a few days, until the bees get well located in their new home. Be careful not to crush any of the bees, and take special care not to injure the queen.
As you will probably complete the operation of transferring at about the time that bees will be flying briskly about the other hives, it will be better to put wire cloth over the entrances, to confine the bees you have transferred, and let them remain in the out-building until about an hour before sunset; then set them on the stand and give them their liberty. Keeping them shut up for the time named, gives them a chance to take up the honey which runs from the transferred combs, and which might, if the bees were carried immediately to the stand, incite robbing.
Transferring is by no means so formidable an operation as at first appears. I have transferred a very large number of swarms from the old box hives, without protection for hands or face, and now the bees seldom show any disposition to sting. Yet I would advise beginners to protect themselves, until by practice they become familiar with the work.[12] "Practice makes perfect" is an old and true saying, and it applies to all operations with bees, I assure you. In my first attempts at this work I thought I must be protected, and I would not for the world proceed without a protector, and that of the most invulnerable kind. Now, having had much practice, I feel no necessity for any covering whatever. I trust I have made my method of transferring perfectly plain, so that all who wish may avail themselves of its advantages.
[12] To protect the hands use thick woolen mittens. To such as wish, I will furnish a veil, so constructed as to protect face and neck, price one dollar by mail. When thus protected the most timid can proceed with any work required among the bees without fear of stings.
CHAPTER XVII.
ITALIAN BEES.
THE Italian bee is a native of the Alps, and was first imported to this country about the year 1860. The Italian being a native of mountainous regions and a high latitude, they were reported to be extremely hardy and vigorous. Those who were first to obtain them, were unanimous in their praise of the Italian bee, and fully agreed that it was superior to our native or black bee in very many respects. The good reputation which preceded the introduction of the bee to this country, by time and experience in their care, has been fully vindicated. The pure Italian bees are superior to the natives in the following characteristics: They are more hardy and vigorous, withstanding our severe winters, with ordinary care, better than the natives; they are more industrious than the native bee, being very active in storing honey in cool, windy, or cloudy weather, such as keeps the native bees quiet in the hive.