94 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



lifts up the frames. And we never can admire Mr. 

 Root enough for dealing thus gently with his bee- 

 people. But we would not advise the novice to 

 try this, as a person has to be on very intimate terms 

 with bees to be able to pat them on the back with 

 grass and impunity. However, this is an ideal to 

 work toward. The nervous beginner almost in- 

 variably uses too much smoke, and this makes his 

 little dependents unhappy. The breathing of 

 smoke is hardly a pleasant experience for us, and it 

 seems to be still more distressing to the bees. We 

 remember once how, in the enthusiasm of our novi- 

 tiate, we inadvertantly smoked the bee-man in- 

 stead of the bees in our misguided efforts to help, 

 and the result was a blueness of the atmos- 

 phere which rendered more smoke superfluous. 

 Every beginner ought to get at least one head- 

 ache from the fumes of the smoker to teach him 

 charity and care. 



There are several reasons why the hive must be 

 opened, aside from the fun one derives from the 

 experience. First, the brood needs to be examined 

 occasionally to see that it is all right, and in the fall 

 the brood-comb must be examined to see that there 

 is enough honey stored within it to winter the bees. 

 Second, during the swarming season to find and 

 remove the queen-cells. Third, to hunt for the 

 queen to be sure she is present and active, or per- 

 chance to find her and clip her wings. Fourth, to 

 take off supers filled with honey. A warm day 

 should be selected for opening the hive for whatever 



