No. 4.] BEE KEEPING. 417 



stitch in time will save a great many more than nine in this 

 case." Phrasino- the proverb to suit the bees, the love of 

 honey is the root of all evil. Generally, robbing may be 

 traced to honey spilled or left carelessly where bees can get 

 at it during a time of scarcity or honey famine. The differ- 

 ence between preventing any access to lionej^, and stopping 

 the riot when an apiary is in an uproar of robbing, may be 

 likened to that of })utting out a match and a conflagration. 



Robbing may be detected by the high-keyed, angry tone 

 of the bees, and their ([uick and nervous flight. Great ap- 

 parent uproar and confusion among the bees is sometimes 

 occasioned by the young bees swarming out for their daily 

 play spell. Beginners often mistake this for robl)ing ; but 

 the mild and joyous hum of the bees, and the absence of 

 fighting about the entrances, should serve to distinguish be- 

 tween the two. "Wlien we discover the hive that is being 

 attacked, we sliall probably find bees fighting at the en- 

 trance, and heaps of dead around the alighting board, while 

 others are trying to gain admittance through cracks about 

 the hive. Thc}^ are likely to be cross, and to sting promis- 

 cuously, causing injury to stock and annoyance to passers-by. 



To prevent rol)bing, we nuist never have honey about in 

 any form, the taste of which may start the craze. Avoid 

 opening hives as much as possible during periods of honey 

 scarcity. Keep all colonies strong if possible, and, when 

 honey is not coming in, contract the entrances of the weaker 

 swarms to the width of one or two bees. Lastly, and most 

 important of all, keep only "civilized" bees. Here is an- 

 other reason for improving stock. A small nucleus of Ital- 

 ian bees or of the other improved races will successfully 

 defend their hives under conditions in which a moderately 

 strong swarm of black bees would be overpowered. 



If robbing has begun, innnediately contract the entrances 

 of the hives attacked to the width of a single bee, and throw 

 a handful of Avecds over it, to further confuse the enemy. 

 If robbinsf bees are numerous, it is also well to smoke them 

 vigorousl3\ In cases of persistent robbing, the plan of 

 exchanjrinir the OTcati'r i)art of the frames of the two hives 

 concerned is sometimes to be recommended. 



