i^o. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 351 



live coals from the cook-stove. When this is not convenient, a 

 match may be touched to shavings, cotton rags, or rotten wood. A 

 very convenient thing is to have some rags that have been soaked 

 in a solution of saltpeter and then dried. Perhaps no fuel is better 

 than sound hard wood, cut in pieces one-quarter to one-half of an inch 

 square. The only objection is the trouble of preparing. Fine chips, 

 gathered from the chip-yard, are good. A great variety of things 

 may be used, and one may be controlled largely by the dilii(tulty 

 or ease with which the various things may be obtained. Amocg the 

 many things that may be mentioned are, cotton rags, corn cobs 

 chopped line, leaves, planer shavings, peat, greasy cotton waste that 

 has been thrown away along the railroads, hard-wood shavings from 

 the turning-lathe, pine needles, etc. 



Whatever be the fuel used, it is important that it be very dry, 

 even if you have to bake it in the stove-oven. If it is at all damp, 

 the fire will not keep good without constant blowing, and inky drops 

 will fall from the muzzle of your smoker. 



ANGER OF BEES. 



Do not make the mistake to think that because smoke frightens 

 the poor little bees you will use it unmercifully. Try to avoid 

 arousing their anger. One thing that bees pointedly resent is rough 

 jarring of the hive or quick motions. If you open a hive slowly 

 and gently, j'ou may, by using slow movements, lift out frame after 

 frame without a veil or smoke, and if the bees are Italians and 

 honey is coming in at the time you need have little fear of a sting. 

 Go to the hive at a time when no honey is coming in, lift the cover 

 with a snap, and roughly lift out the frames, and the probability 

 is that you will beat a hasty retreat, for a number of bees will 

 make a bee-line for j-our hands and face and leave their stings there. 



So it is wise for ;you to be somewhat gentle at all times in dealing 

 with the bees. Sometimes even a quick motion of the finger in point- 

 ing at them will draw a sharp attack. While you may get along 

 without any smoke by being careful, unless you have abundant time 

 to spend, it may be as well to give the bees a little smoke, enough 

 to cause them to fill themselves with honey, for when bees have a 

 wellfilled honey-sac they are likely to be good-natured, and then 

 you can work more rapidly. 



As already intimated, bees are of a better temper when they are 

 busy gathering stores. In the cool of the morning or evening they 

 are not so good-natured. If there is a sudden stoppage of the har- 

 vest, and robbers are troubling, you may find them like so many little 

 demons, and the very next day you may find them gentle as flies 

 because the honey-flow has started up again. If not too incon- 



