1879 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CtJLTUltE. 



so that it becomes desirable to (hive them 

 away for their own safety. For this pur- 

 pose, very little smoke is needed, and it' you 

 are in no great hurry, they will clear out of 

 the way. if you just pat them on the backs 

 gently with a weed or bit of grass. If the 

 1 »ees are disposed to be cross, and to show 

 light, you will readily discover it, the minute 

 you turn up the first corner of the cloth cov- 

 ering, and if it takes smoke to make them 

 beg pardon, give them smoke, but only in 

 small quantities until you are sure more 

 is needed. The top of the hive is supposed 

 to be off, the sheet removed, and yourself 

 down on your knees on the sawdust beside 

 the hive. If it is a chaff hive, you work 

 standing, but lean your body against the 

 hive. With your eye, decide which one of 

 the 10 frames will come out easiest, and slide 

 the rest on the rabbets a little away from it. 

 By sliding two or three on each side, you 

 can have all the room you need to liftoutthe 

 frame without pinching a single bee. Now 

 this taking out not only the first frame, but 

 any or all the frames, is a very important 

 matter, if you wish to do it without getting 

 stung. Suppose you are obliged to pass 

 through a room, witli the floor all covered 

 with babies, creeping about. As you lift 

 your feet and set them down, you will prob- 

 ably exercise some care, for it would be quite 

 a serious piece of business to hit one of the 

 soft little things a blow with the heel of your 

 great, awkward boot. Now I wish you to 

 think it just as serious a matter to mash one* 

 of these little innocents while faithfully do- 

 ing their work in their own home. I know 

 you will say, some of you, that you haven't 

 the time to be so caret' id, but I tell you God 

 holds you responsible for any needless cruelty 

 you may inflict on these dumb friends. Be- 

 sides that, you will make more money, to be 

 human and gentle, than if you smash ahead, 

 regardless of everything except the money 

 you can squeeze out of these little creatures. 

 If you can lift out the frames and put them 

 back without harming a bee, you can get 

 along, usually, without any smoke, if you 

 choose. It is much easier to handle a shal- 

 low frame, without killing bees, than it is a 

 tall one. 



When I see a person opening a hive, I us- 

 ually watch him carefully, to see if he takes 

 care to kill no bees. After the first frame is 

 taken out, it must be placed somewhere. I 

 believe the usual way is to stand it on end, 

 leaning against the side of the hive. Now 

 the corner of the frame that rests on the 

 ground is very apt to be covered with bees, 



and many, many times, after it has been put 

 back in the hive, have I seen the maimed 

 and mashed bodies of the little fellows, writh- 

 ing in their death agonies. Do you blame 

 bees for stinging when they are treated thus? 

 Why will people be so careless and heedless 

 of the comfort and life of the rest of the ani- 

 mated creation? Within the lust year, sev- 

 eral devices have been suggested for the 

 purpose of holding the first frame or frames, 

 that the rest may be manipulated with great- 

 er e:;se. These will be found in the July, 

 Aug., and Oct. Nos. of last year, and in the 

 Jan. No. of this year. While thes;- imple- 

 ments are very handy, without question, 

 they are more machinery to have around in 

 the way. and it takes time to run after them 

 and cany them about. I do not know "but 

 that I should prefer doing without them, 

 but you will probably have different tastes 

 and views in the matter. I have illustrated 

 them, that you may be able to act according 

 to your own judgment. If you decide to 

 stand the first frame on the ground, be sure 

 that you brush or drive all the bees off the 

 corner that is to touch the ground. Be sure, 

 also, that you set the frame at such an angle 

 that it cannot possibly fall over, or be blown 

 down by the wind. On this account alone, I 

 would want wind breaks of some kind, to 

 keep off the prevailing winds. 



If your colony is a small one, and the hive 

 not full, the frames are very easily handled 

 without killing bees; if there is a division 

 board, it can be moved back a little, and the 

 first frame set on the other side of it. All 

 these things can be done very quickly, when 

 you get used to it ; much quicker than you 

 could take out a movable side to a hive. I 

 believe experience has taught this with al- 

 most everyone that has used hives with mov- 

 able sides. 2no matter how sanguine the in- 

 ventor may be, at first, that his hive is the 

 one to prevent danger from stings, in a few 

 years, we find all such hives dropped, and 

 laid aside. 



WHAT BEES STING THE WOBST. 



The general decision is that the pure Ital- 

 ians are, as a rule, the most easily handled. 

 Not only do they sting less, but as they keep 

 their places on the combs without getting 

 excited, when hives are properly opened, 

 they are far less liable to get under one's 

 clothing, than the common bees. A great 

 many stings are received from bees that are 

 in no way badly disposed at all,- simply by 

 their getting pinched accidentally, while on 

 the person of the bee-keeper. Pure Italians 

 may be handled all day, with no such mis- 



