TAKING REIN8 IN HAND. 61 



the recollection of the sharp screams of a little " curl 

 pate " that have once or twice pierced iny ears, as 

 she ventured into too close companionship, has indis- 

 posed me to any strong advocacy of the bees. 



My experience enables me to say that hives should 

 not be placed too near each other ; the bees have a 

 very human propensity to quarrel, and their quarrels 

 are ruinous. They blunder into each other's homes, 

 if near together, with a most wanton affectation of 

 forgetfulness ; and they steal honey that has been 

 carefully stored away in the cells of sister swarms, 

 with a vicious energy that they rarely bestow upon a 

 flower. In their field forays, I believe they are 

 respectful of each other's rights ; but at home, if 

 only the order is once disturbed, and a neighbor 

 swarm shows signs of weakness, they are the most 

 malignant pirates it is possible to conceive of. 



Again, let no one hope for success in their treat- 

 ment, unless he is disposed to cultivate familiarity ; 

 a successful bee-keeper loves his bees, and has a way 

 of fondling them, and pushing his intimacy about 

 the swarming time, which I would not counsel an 

 inapt or a nervous person to imitate. 



Gelieu, a Swiss authority, and a rival of Huber in 

 his enthusiasm, says : " Beaucoup de gens aiment les 

 abeilles ; je n'ai vu personne qui les aima mediocre 

 ment / on se passionne pour elles." 



