1905 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



423 



tal effort, to step outdoors and lie down 

 beside a busy hive on a June morning and 

 listen to their merry hum. 



The green grass, the sweet-scented clo- 

 ver, and the soothing sunshine have in a few 

 minutes enabled him to return to his work 

 with a heart tilled with gratitude to the 

 "Giver of every good and perfect gift." 



From a mistaken notion tiiat bees are vin- 

 dictive many have been kept from a more 

 intimate acquaintance with these little peo- 

 ple. If one will keep a gentle race of bees 

 like the Italians, and will not irritate them 

 by making quick motions or jarring their 

 hives, he need not fear them. If, however, 

 one is of a nervous disposition, he can, by 

 use of a bee-veil and a pair of bee-gloves, 

 so protect himself that the bees can not 

 possibly sting him, even if he should irritate 

 them unconsciously. 



The writer bought a swarm of bees in an 

 old-fashioned hive, as shown in illustration. 

 but soon purchased an up-to-date hive, and 

 when the swarm came out it was placed in 

 that. The following spring an Italian queen 

 was purchased, and received by mail ; and 

 in a few weeks all of the common bees had 

 died, and the colony was a big bunch of 

 beautiful golden bees as good-natured as 

 could be, as shown by the fact that, during 

 the season, the writer was not stung once. 



An occasional sting, however, is not to be 

 dreaded ; for if one suffers from rheuma- 

 'tism the frequent sting of the bee is often 

 a cure. 



The theory of homeopathy is, "Similia 

 similibus curantur " (like cures like); and 

 as rheumatism is caused by an excess of 

 uric acid in the blood, the curative proper- 

 ties of the sting are in the formic acid which 

 the bee injects into the system. It is home- 

 opathic remedy administered in an allopath- 

 ic way. 



However, the fact is well known that, as 

 a class, those who keep bees are free from 

 rheumatic pains. But should one be fearful 



Swarm of bees in an old-fashioned hive. 



of the slight pain of an occasional sting, the 

 veil and gloves will absolutely protect from 

 them. 



In handling bees a little smoke is puffed 

 into the entrance of the hive, which so sub- 

 dues them as to make the handling of them 

 very safe and easy. 



The little instrument we use is called a 

 smoker, and is made of tin with a bellows 

 attached, and a small fire kept in it of burn- 

 ing rags or planer shavings. 



A few months ago the writer, at the close 

 of the season, took from the one hive 106 

 lbs. of comb honey in little boxes or sections 

 each containing a pound, and felt repaid for 

 the little time required of him. 



Honey is a predigested food, and should 



Bees in a city yard. 



