172 SMALL ANIMALS AND INSECTS. [Chap. II 



it does not licat excessively in hot weather nor cool snddenly, as do board 

 hives. The natural warmtli of the bees is retained, whicli is particularly 

 conducive to their healtli and prosperity. Hence there should be no wince- 

 esif(ir>/ ventilation by leavini,' an 'open space,' as has been reconiniended by 

 6ome, 'all around the bottom of the hive.' Especially in damp, chilly 

 weather, bees will breed faster and gather more honey in straw hives than 

 in board hives, according to ini/ experience. One reason for their gathering 

 more honey, probably, is because the young brood comes to maturity faster, 

 consequently there are more ' laborers in the field' in the early honey sea- 

 son. Tliis liive combines all the 7'eal advantages of every patent hive that 

 lias come to my knowledge, Avliilc it obviates all tiie objections and retains all 

 tlie good qualities of ' the old-fashioned straw hives.' 



" Tlie less a farmer botiiers himself with patent hives and bee-palaces, and 

 the less he tries to counteract nature, the better he will be oft'. I am heartily 

 sick of ' patent bee-hive-,' and it is time to al)andon them." 



223. Taking Honey, ami How to Keep the Bees from 8ti[i.?ing.— "When bees 

 are alarmed for the safety of their stores, they immediately rush to the cells 

 and fill their sacks with honey, apparently to provide against any contingency 

 that might arise. "When in this condition, they are perfectly harmless, never 

 volunteer an attack ; consequently, to tame bees, or render them docile and 

 easily driven or handled, simply take advantage of this peculiar instinct. To 

 confine them closely to their hive, rap repeatedly on its sides for a few min- 

 utes; this alarms them, and they will gorge themselves with honey, when 

 they can be handled and controlled at pleasure. But we have adopted the 

 following plan, which we find best adapted to our nse, and recommend it to 

 others, with the assurance that it will give satisfaction: Take clean cotton or 

 linen rags, such as are used in the manufacture of paper ; make a nice roll of 

 these, about an inch in diameter, and from six to twelve inches long ; Avrap 

 this pretty tight, either with narrow strips or shreds torn from cloth, or, what 

 is more convenient, use wrapping yarn of some kind ; prepare a number of 

 Buch rolls, and keep on hand in some box, or any dry place, near the apiary, 

 together with some matches. When you wish to open a hive or perform any 

 operation, set fire to one end of a roll of rags; it makes quite a smoke, with- 

 out any blaze. Upon opening the hive, blow the smoke vigorously among 

 the bees for a minute or two, which terrifies them, without doing any perma- 

 nent injury; they immediately rush to the cells and fill their sacks with 

 honey, when you can proceed to lift out one comb after another, and perform 

 any operation M-ith perfect impunity, without any fear of being stung, unless 

 by those from other hives near at liand. Should there be some, however, 

 that would show signs of battle, blow a little more smoke upon them, and 

 repeat it from time to time until the close of the operation. Toward the 

 close of the honey season, when they are rich and increased in stores, they 

 are harder to control than at any other season of the year ; when this occurs, 

 put a small portion of tobacco or a few grains of sulphur in your roll of 

 rags; this renders the smoke more pungent, and will easily subdue the 



