296 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



"*A man who kept bees in Holborn, wisliinfy to find ont where 

 they worked, sprinkled them all with a red powder as tliey came out 

 of the hive in the morning. As the heath and thyme were now in full 

 bloom, he at once thouglit that Hampstead, being the nearest heath, 

 would be the likeliest place to find his bees. As soon, therefore, as his 

 bees were gone away, he hastened to the heights of Hampstead. The 

 walk was a long and toilsome one, of at least four miles, in a July sun. 

 But he trudged manfully on, soon left behind him Camden and Kentish 

 towns, and at last was refreshed with the soft summer breeze sweeping 

 across the purple and golden bloom of the heath. After a few minutes' 

 rest on the green sward, he began his search, and before long was de- 

 lighted to find there, among thousands of other busy bees, his own little 

 fellows in the dusty red coats, wliich he liud given them in the morn- 

 ing.' Many of the bees m.-ide the journey more than twice in each 

 day, thus piloting themselves through sixteen miles of smoke and dust 

 within the twelve hours. 



"If the hives are taken by water, they should always be placed on 

 the shore at some distance from the bjink, before opening the doors, as 

 they will very probably when returning home, wearied and laden with 

 their burdens, fall into the water before they can reach the hive. If 

 the hives are placed for the season, they should be kept at some little 

 distance from other hives, as if they are weak, their more powerful 

 neighbors will inevitably plunder them." 



FUMIGATION. — The following particular description of the manner of 

 fumigating or stupefying bees will enable any one to practice it. 



Fumigation implies directing certain sn)oke of a stupefying character 

 into the hives, so as to render the bees harmless while their combs are 

 being removed, while at the same time no injury is done to the bees 

 themselves. There are several substances which stupefy ; tobacco is one, 

 but it is apt to give the wax and honey an unpleasant flavor, and we 

 will, therefore, say nothing a'oout it. The best material that can be used 

 for this purpose, is the lycoperdon, or common putf-ball. A fine specimen 

 of this fungus will grow as large as a child's head. It may be found in 

 almost any field where mushrooms grow. It should always be gathered 

 when nearly ripe, in dry weather, and either exposed to the heat of 

 the sun or placed in an oven until it turns brown and leathery. Some 

 always squeeze it flat during tiie drvinu' j)rocess, as it then can be packed 

 easier, and appears to take fire sooiier than if left to dry in any shape it 

 chooses to take. In order to insure its burning freely -when lighted, 

 some re(?t)mmend that when dried, it should be dipped in a very weak 

 solution of saltpetre, and again dried. There are inany ways of apply i rig 

 the smoke, but all ai'e useless unless the fungus is retained outside the 

 hive, and only the smoke permitted to enter, as the bees are sure to fall 

 on the burning mass, and thus many will be killed or maimed. More- 

 over, the operator ought to be able to regulate the amount of smoke 

 poured into the hive. Mr. Cotton, the author of "My Bee-Book," 

 managed it by having a tin box made to fit the nose of a pair of bellows, 

 in which was placed a piece of lighted fungus about twice the size of a 

 hen's eg^. There were two openings in the box, one to admit the nose 

 of the bellows, and the other immediately opposite, from which the 



