THE JOY OF IT 7 



ments, as that is offensive to them. One is more likely to be 

 stung when perspiring freely, and persons whose perspiration 

 has an offensive odor will have more trouble with the bees. It is 

 important that the bee-keeper avoid jarring the hive or any 

 quick, nervous movement. Even a slight jar causes unnecessary- 

 excitement in the hive. 



One who is much with the bees can, if he will, soon come to 

 know and avoid the things that are distasteful to them, and to 

 perform tlie operations necessary to bee-keeping with little 

 danger of being stung. 



Fig. 4. — Just for the joy of it. 



The Joy of It.— The nature-lover who does not keep bees is 

 missing a good thing. There is a charm about lying in the gra::3 

 beside the hive and watching the stream of workers bringing in 

 the harvest of honey and pollen at the height of the season, when 

 the colony ig in a fever of excitement. Then to know something 

 of the wonderful system of government, by which the thousands 

 of insects composing a colony are able to work together har- 

 moniously, with never a shirker among the bevy of toilers, is a 

 most interesting study. At times the beekeeper is seized with 

 a desire to see what is going on inside the hive, to visit a colony, 



