1888 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



495 



Qim 0WN ^nm^' 



CONDUCTED BY KBNEST R. BOOT. 



FACE AND HEAD TKOTECTION FROM BEES 

 IN HOT WEATHER. 



Wp S there was so much matter for this de- 

 ^Ilb) partment in this issue, the subject of 

 ^pr swarming, as it has occurred in our 

 -^^ own apiary during tlie last few days, 

 is mentioned elsewhere. I therefore 

 discuss only the subject as above. 



Every bee-keeper who runs for honey, 

 piobably has occasion to make use of veils, 

 either all the time or occasionally. The 

 necessity of using them will depend very 

 largely upon the race of bees used. If they 

 are selected pure Italians — gentle, and 

 good honey-gatherers, the head protection 

 will not require to be used very often, if we 

 except shaking oft' combs ; but if, as is the 

 case with a great many bee-keepers, the 

 bees are hybrids, or perhaps have a little 

 dash of Cyprian or Holy-Land blood among 

 them, a veil will be quite indispensable at 

 least a part of the time. Our bees are so 

 very gentle that they rarely volunteer an 

 attack. I never wear a veil, and the boys 

 seldom do. But, mind you, I prefer to wear 

 one when I am handling Cyprians. They 

 have such a straightforward sure-shot way 

 of inserting their weapons that one really 

 has no time to avert the attack from his 

 face not protected. 



Some time ago I mentioned to you the bee- 

 hat and bee-veil which 1 like the best. 

 Since that time, Mrs. L. C. Axtell has de- 

 scribed her face wear in the apiary. In 

 order that the reader may more clearly un- 

 derstand, we have illustrated her bee-bon- 

 net. The following is the engraving, to- 

 gether with her letter relating to it. 



Denr Mr. Root:— I send you by to-rtay's mail my 

 bee-bonnet, as I thoug'ht you could fret a better idea 

 of it to see It than a photo would convey. 



MRS. AXTETjL'S bee-hat. 



Now, don't make fun of it, even if you would not 

 like to wear it. It has already been worn nearly a 

 season. If tarlton were sewed to it instead of cal- 

 ico, it would be cooler; but bees stin^ me so much 

 around my neck that 1 prefer somethinff thicker. I 

 tuck the frill into the neck of ray dress, and fasten. 

 The loose piece on top, I sew tightly over the front; 

 but as it pi'ojected out so far, 1 turned it back to 

 send by mail. 



One year I sewed a piece of wire cloth into my 

 sun-bonnet, which made me a very good face pro- 



tector. Old ladies of (iO or TO have one or more of 

 those bonnets in the house. We have used the 

 cheap chip hats, and have some in use for our help 

 now, but they soon draw down out of shape. 



Tarlton veils, our help runs through them so fast, 

 and get holes in them so soon, that they get so 

 many stings we do not try to keep them any more, 

 except for Mr. Axtell's use in the hottest of 

 weather. Mrs. L. C. Axtell. 



Roseville, III., April 30, 1888. 



From Mrs. Axtell's description in a former 

 article, one might imagine that the head 

 wear was not attractive in appearance. At 

 any rate. Miss Dema Bennett, in an article 

 elsewhere, thinks we get a fair idea by look- 

 ing at P. Benson's pictures. But after all, 

 Mrs. A.'s head-dress is not so very unbe- 

 coming on the individual pictured— do you 

 think so, Miss Beiniett V But for most peo- 

 ple the cloth hat and veil would be more be- 

 coming, perhaps. 



A VEIL WITH HOKSE-HAIR-NETTING FRONT. 



There is a great difference among bee- 

 keepers as to what kind of facing is best for 

 veils. Mrs. Axtell, Mrs. IlaiTison, and I be- 

 lieve Mrs. Chaddock, prefer the wire cloth. 

 John C. Capehart prefers an oval glass front. 

 We here at the Home of the IIoney-Bees 

 prefer Brussels netting. But our friend L. 

 Stachelhausen, of Selma, Texas, uses faced 

 netting, skillfully woven from horsehair. 

 Friend S. sent its one. As the veil is a 

 rather novel one, we had our artist make a 

 picture of that also. 



stachelhausen's bee-veil, with horsehair- 

 netting FRONT. 



Ilis letter of description is as follows : 



Mr. R<><>t:—¥ov many years I have tried different 

 veils; but the kind I use now gives me the most sat- 

 isfaction. The face, I make (or, rather, my wife 

 does the work) of horsehair, by hand. This face is 

 sewed in a bonnet-like veil, but could as easily be 

 sewed in one which can be fastened to a hat, like 

 yours; but 1 prefer my construction. These horse- 

 hair faces are the best to see through, much better 

 than Brussels net, especially if black horsehairs on- 

 ly are used. Another advantage is, that the veil is 

 stiff, and keeps many years. If you leave it out in 

 the open air all the time, the cotton cloth may rot; 

 but the face of horsehair will remain as good as 

 ever. 



The making of these faces is a laborious and slow 

 work; iuid niy wife says that a dollar for such a 

 veil would not be too much; but she is willing to 

 make them for that amount. 



Selma, Texas. L. St.\chelhau8EN. 



