2 BEE-KEEPING, A FASCINATING PURSUIT 



under given circumstances in order to get along well. One who 

 loves and understands bees seldom has trouble on account of 

 stings. The sting is a weapon of defence, seldom of offence, and 

 the bee-keeper must know the liberties they will resent (Fig. 2). 



Fig. 1 . — A bee-keeper who makes pets of his bees. 



Of course there is a difference in the disposition. Some bees 

 are crosser than others, and, perhaps, there are bees which one 

 would hardly care to cultivate as pets. The author has at differ- 

 ent times had a great many colonies of Italians, Crosses, and 

 Blacks. Some have been gentler than others, but he has usually 

 been on friendly terms with all. The practical bee-keeper will 



