OQURSERIENDS, THE BEES 
the easier we find it to be to get along 
without any clashing in regard to who 
shall be master. In fact, we take all 
their honey now, almost as fast as they 
gather it; and even if we are so thought- 
less as to starve them to death, no word 
of complaint is made. 
There are a few circumstances under 
which bees seem “‘cross,” and, although 
we may not be able to account exactly 
for it, we can take precautions to avoid 
these unpleasant features by a little care. 
A few years ago a very intelligent friend 
procured some Italians, an extractor, 
etc., and commenced bee culture. He 
scon learned to handle them and suc- 
ceeded finely. When it came time to 
extract, the whole business went on so 
easily that he was surprised at what had 
been said about experienced hands being 
needed to do the work. 
He had been in the habit of doing this 
work as directed, toward the middle of 
the day, while the great mass of the bees 
were in the fields; but in the midst of a 
heavy yield of clover honey, when the 
hives were full to overflowing, they were 
one day stopped by a heavy thunder 
shower. ‘This, of course, drove the bees 
home, and at the same time washed the 
honey out of the blossoms so completely 
that they had nothing to do but remain 
in the hives until more was secreted. 
Not so with their energetic and en- 
thusiastic owner. As soon as the rain 
had ceased, the hives were again opened 
and an attempt made to take out the 
frames, as but a few hours before; but 
the bees that were all gentleness then 
seemed now possessed of the very spirit 
of mischief and malice; and when all 
hands had been severely stung, they con- 
cluded that prudence was the better part 
of valor and stopped operations for the 
day. 
While loads of honey were coming in 
all the while and every bee rejoicing, 
none were disposed to be cross; but 
after the shower all hands were standing 
around idle, and when a hive was opened 
each was ready to take a grab from its 
neighbor, and the result was a free fight 
in a very short time. 
Zn 
O41 
There is nothing in the world that will 
induce bees to sting with such wicked 
recklessness as to have them get to quar- 
reling over combs or honey left exposed 
when they have nothing to do. From a 
little carelessness in this respect, and 
nothing else, whole apiaries have been 
so demoralized that people were stung 
when passing along the street several 
rods distant. During the middle of the 
day, when bees were busily engaged on 
the flowers during a good yield, we have 
frequently left filled combs standing on 
the top of a hive from noon until supper 
time without a bee touching them; but 
to do this after a hard rain, or at a time 
when little or no honey is to be gathered 
in the fields, might result in the ruin of 
several colonies and you and your bees 
being voted a nuisance by the whole 
neighborhood. 
DEMONSTRATING BEES AT FAIRS 
The operator begins his performance 
by stepping inside the cage of live bees 
and shutting the door behind him. He 
then tells the crowd that he is going to 
handle live bees, every one of which is 
armed with a sting, and, if any one 
doubts it, to come forward and he will 
furnish the “proof.” He then proceeds 
to take off his coat and vest and roll up 
his sleeves, take off his collar, and tuck 
down his shirt-band. 
It will then be necessary for him to 
put on bicycle pants-guards, or slip his 
trousers into his stockings. The crowd 
will quickly appreciate this part of the 
performance, because the operator tells 
them the bees will sting if they get inside 
of his clothing. 
With a lighted smoker he opens up 
the hive. After pulling out the frames 
he shows the bees and queen on the 
comb. ‘Then he calls out for everybody 
to wait and see the next stunt, for he is 
going to make a swarm. With a large 
dishpan, which he has previously pro- 
vided, he shakes two-thirds of the bees 
off the combs into this pan. Then he 
takes it up and turns to the crowd, say- 
ing: “The bees are not real mad yet, so 
I'll begin to shake them up to make them 
