JULY 1. 1915 



527 



Another qucslion for us is, " Shall we 

 wear gloves?" I have pereistenlly declin- 

 ed, i-laiminp: that my hands could become 

 hardened to stings as well as any other; but 

 !Mr. Allen contests that, as a woman's hands 

 are less weathered and tougfhened than those 

 of men doing out-of-door work, the hai'den- 

 ing process comes too high, and he urges 

 ^rlnves. But T am sure the swelling is much 

 less now than formerly, and I scarcely no- 

 tice three or four stings, nor even six or 

 seven. (We have one or two rather unman- 

 nered colonies that nearW always punish 

 us.) So I have rejoiced in my increasing 

 immunity, and scorned further protection 

 than a veil. But now, like Mr. Chadwick 

 (or, perhaps, more like Mrs. Cliadwick), I 

 view tlie sting proposition at a slightly dif- 

 ferent angle, and regret to admit I am still 

 nervous from a recent experience. It hap- 

 pened when Mr. Allen opened one of the 

 hives where I require help with the heavy 

 super. T joined him just as he turned back 

 to the hive, after setting the super off. The 

 smoker was in my left hand ; and as I was 

 about to use it, but before I had a chance to 

 do that or anything else, the bees jumped 

 on me. Only three or four tackled the 

 hand ; but a small dark cloud dropped 

 straiglit to my black-hosed ankles. Forty 

 stings is a conser\'ative estimate. I went to 

 the house, replaced mj^ low shoes with high 

 ones, and came back intending to work; but 

 by that time I was sick and dizzy. Soon I 

 was in bed, my face flaming red, with the 

 color extending well over the body. Strang- 

 est of all, though I scarcely felt the stings 

 by that time, I was suffering almost unbear- 

 able external pain, and soon began shaking 

 with cold. Mr. Allen called a physician ; but 

 by the time he arrived (perhaps half an hour 



after the attack) the worst was over. In a 

 few hours I was up, and that evening I took 

 a long walk. But I am seriously consider- 

 ing a bee-proof uniform. The one pictured 

 by the clever cartoonist of the Baeklot 

 Buzzer, June 1, is rather an inspiration. 



The interesting feature of the occurrence 

 Avas that this was the colony I had boasted 

 of as being particularly gentle. But, you 

 see, it was during the run of bad weather 

 mentioned above, when bees are notoriously 

 ill-natured (and justifiably so, perhaps), 

 though we rather thought that day was near 

 enough fair to open the hive to look for 

 queen-cells. It had been eight days since 

 the last inspection; and to wait another 

 week for Mr. Allen's help might have been 

 too long for good results. 



EAGERNESS LINKED WITH CONTENT. 



We love yoii, dear bees, for your quiet content; 



You murmur and hum through the labor-filled 

 hours 

 At peace with the way the blown grasses are bent 



And the touch of the sun on the flowers. 

 In rhythmical time, like a fairyland chime, 

 Recurrent and smooth as melodious rhyme, 



Your spirit croons calmness to ours. 



And, oh how we love you, brave bees, for your flight! 



Though gauzy your wings for such journeyings 

 long. 

 You flash out and plunge into acres of light. 



Exultant in swiftness and song. 

 A courage that sings — unhesitant wings! 

 Yoii passionate, quivering, unafraid things, 



Wh.it makes you so eager and strong? 



If we all your simple contentment might learn 



When straining hours clamor and press on us so. 



And mount with your ardor where far visions yearn 

 When wearisome hours bring us low, 



Awake and afhrill, life's deep cup we should fill 



With splendid achievement and quiet-wrought will. 

 Serenity, purpose, and glow. 



:iiiiiiniiiiiiniiiii;iiiiiiniiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 



BEEKEEPING AMONG THE ROCKIES — Contiimed from page 524 



brood-nest, will often reveal the limits of 

 the queens to the bees, and they will super- 

 sede her. In other cases these combs are 

 filled with eggs and brood very quickly. 

 Perhaps I would do just as well to uncap 

 (he combs of honey and leave them at the 

 side of the cluster, but I do not think so. 



The danger from spreading the brood in 

 this way is in giving the bees more space 

 than they can keep warm. This must be 

 guarded against. Then it is useless to spread 

 the brood if the bees do not very soon make 

 the brond-nest one compact mass of eggs 

 and brood. 



Perhaps my method is not so much the 

 spreading of brood as making the bees re- 



move the honey from crowded combs and 

 fill them with brood. 



Many succe&sful beekeepers practice 

 methods that are of doubtful value. They 

 get a crop of honey in spite of them, not 

 because of them. The average beekeeper 

 does not have time to test thoroughly the 

 value of all the practices he follows. I may 

 be mistaken in m}' fancied results from 

 disturbing the brood-nest, but I don't thi»k 

 so. There are things tliat do stir colonies 

 to greater activity, and T believe tliis is one 

 of them. The practice of spreading the 

 brood througliout a wliule apiary I do not 

 follow; but the individual needs of each 

 colony are looked after. 



