8 
in the ease of the first cross, and are cyen harder to subdue with smoke 
than are pure blacks. Other races need not be considered here as they 
are adapted to special purposes, and the skill of the bee master, the 
conditions of climate. flora. etc..and the particular line of production to 
be followed, should decide whether 
their introduction is advisable or — 
not.! 
The second essential to enable 
one to avoid stings is to have a 
good smoker at hand whenever the bees are to be handled. 
Any way of getting smoke of any kind into the hive and 
about it may answer the purpose, but for ease and effec- 
\ tiveness in keeping bees under control nothing will take 
N@ << the place of the modern bellows smoker (tig.1). A good 
Fic. 1.—The Bing- gne lasts years, and its cost is so slight ($1 to $1.25 for the 
ham bee smoker. : > = ° 
medium sizes) that the expenditure may be considered 
one of the wisest that can be made in fitting up an apiary. 
A yeil (fig. 2), made of black bobinet or Brussels net, to draw over the 
hat, and a pair of gloves, preferably of rubber, may be used at first. 
But whoever has fairly peaceable bees and learns even a little about 
their ways will soon discard the gloves, unless, indeed, he be exceed- 
ingly timid, or one of those to whom a bee 
sting would be a dreadful affliction. The 
veil can be safely dispensed with if the 
gentlest bees are kept. 
Simple and convenient hives, employ- 
ing the Langstroth principle, and with 
stories and frames interchangeable and 
so constructed as to reduce propolization 
to a minimum and to insure straight 
combs, will much facilitate the avoidance 
of stings. 
The use of the bee escape (fig. 3) in 
removing surplus honey greatly reduces 
the risk of being stung during this oper- 
ation, for it saves much manipulation of 
combs and shaking and brushing of bees. 
This useful device is fitted into a slot 
made in a board the same size as the top of 
the hive, and the whole, when slipped in F 1a. 2.—Bee veil. 
between the brood apartment and an upper 
story or super will permit all of the workers above to go down into the 
lower story but not to return to the top one, so that in one night it is 










1For a fuller discussion of this subject, see ‘‘ The Honey Bee: A. Manual of Instruc- 
tion in Apiculture,” by Frank Benton, M. 8., Bulletin No, 1, new series, Division of 
Entomology, U. 8. Dept. of Agriculture, 1896, Chap. I, pp. 11-18. 
