APPLIANCES, AND HOW TO USE THEM. 169 



the nether garment pressing upon them, in their turn become 

 besiegers, and apply their tiny bayonet to some purpose, and to 

 the discomfort of the manipulator. There are many ways to 

 check these unpleasant intrusions. Some put on a pair of bike 

 pants ; others tie the pants closely around the neck of the foot. 

 When looking at your bees it is not always convenient to run and 

 change your pants, nor is string always available. When a bee- 

 keeper is manipulating he is always fairly well clad, especially on 

 the lower extremities. He should always be adorned with at 

 least boots, socks and pants. Therefore the most handy and con- 

 venient way tr> protect your shins from those little crawling bees 

 is to pull your socks over the leg of your pants ; you are the'n 

 made invulnerable. 



Now, what I have advocated so far is protection to be used 

 by the "lords of creation," who are trying to become lords of the 

 bees. But the masters of the lords of creation are as good bee- 

 keepers as their lords, or, if not, many of them are as anxious to 

 become so. Most of the protections I have named are as applic- 

 able to lady bee-keepers as they are to men. There are dresses 

 made specially for ladies. I have never seen one worn, and, 

 therefore, I cannot tell if they give sufficient protection. Ama- 

 teur bee-keejiers, both men and women, should be fully pro- 

 tected. But each article of protection should be discarded in 

 turn. First learn to work with unprotected hands, next unpro- 

 tected arras, followed by working with an unveiled face, that is 

 with the veil thrown back over the head ready to be brought into 

 requisition when required. 



