No. G. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 353 



surface of liueu or cottou is best. Light-colored clothing is better 

 than black or dark. 



BEE VEILS. 



The novice is likely to fear stings so much as to desire to be clad 

 in a bee-proof armor. But that is not very pleasant on a hot day. 

 With light-colored cotton or linen clothing there is little fear of 

 stings elsewhere than on the hands or face. The favorite point of 

 attack seems to be the eyes. Some wear sting-proof gloves, but 

 after some experience the inconvenience of gloves on a hot day 

 is generally considered worse than the stings. Ladies, however, 

 sometimes wear gloves to avoid the unpleasant feeling of having 

 the hands daubed with bee-glue. Most bee-keepers prefer to wear 

 a veil. 



Any veil v/ill do that will keep out the bees and at the same time 

 not interfere with the sight, lilack is the only color for a bee-veil. 

 A light-colored veil may not only interfere with the sight, but may 

 injure it. The thinner the stuff the better, only so it is strong 

 enough. 



A good bee-veil may be made of an open cotton material called 

 bobbinet or cape-net. It is about twenty-one inches wide. A piece 

 is cut off a little longer than the circumference of the brim of the 

 hat over which it is to be worn, and both ends are sewed together. 

 This makes a bag open at each end. A hem is made at each end 

 and a rubber cord run through it, the cord being short enough to 

 make a tolerably snug fit on the crown of the hat. When the 

 veil is put on, take hold of the lower edge at the front, and draw 

 it down quite tight, pinning it fast to the suspenders or clothing with 

 a safety-pin. Silk tulle will make a nicer veil, but it is more ex- 

 pensive, and it tears more easily. It works nicely to put a face- 

 piece of silk tulle in the veil of cheaper material. 



TREATMENT OF STINGS. 



When a bee stings you, in nearly every case the sting is left in the 

 flesh and the poison sac with it. If you will quietly watch a sting 

 thus left, you will see that it is constantly moving for a considerable 

 time after the bee has left. While thus moving, the little muscles 

 are accomplishing two things; one is to drive the sting further into 

 the flesh, and the other is to pump more poison into the wound. 

 You will readily see that the first thing to be done, then, is to get out 

 the sting. If you take hold of it in the usual way to pull it out, 

 you will squeeze the poison sac and squeeze more poison into the 

 wound. Instead of that, take the thumb or finger nail and scrape 

 out the sting. 



23—6—1901 



