232 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



CROSS COLONIES. 



Sometimes the bees have seemed very cross, and a 

 little observation has shown these bees to proceed from 

 a particular part of the apiary, and really from only one 

 hive. A careless observer might have said all the bees in 

 the apiary were cross. I have had a few colonies so cross 

 that merely walking by the hive was the signal for a gen- 

 eral onslaught. Truth obliges me to say that I have 

 sometimes been so bady stung by one of these, w^hen 

 working at them, that I have taken refuge in inglorious 

 flight, glad to get a respite and scrape out the stings. 

 Just why there should be one or two of these in a year 

 in such marked contrast with others I cannot say. The 

 only remedy I had was to kill the queen. 



DRESS FOR THE HOTTEST WEATHER. 



During the principal part of the honey-flow, a prom- 

 inent element of hardship is the endurance of the heat. 

 Sometimes the heat really has made me sick, so that in 

 spite of a press of work, I have been obliged to give up 

 and lie down for an hour or more. At such times you 

 may be sure I am not very warmly clad. One straw hat 

 and veil, one cotton shirt, one pair cotton overalls, one 

 pair cotton socks and one pair shoes, comprise my entire 

 wearing apparel (Fig. 83). Before noon, shirt and 

 pants are both thoroughly wet wath perspiration. 



SPONGE-BATH AT NOON. 



In this heated condition, I sponge myself ofif with 

 cold water before dinner, put on dry pants and shirt, and 

 hang up the wet ones in the sun to be put on next day. 

 I am sure that by this refreshing change, I am able to do 

 more work. It might be thought that applying cold 

 water all over the body when every part is dripping with 

 perspiration might make me take cold. I have never 

 found it SO', even if followed up every day. The body is 



