EXAMINING HIVB3. 



25. 



CHAPTEE IV. 



Examining Hives 



BEE DEESS — SMOKE — EXAMININO A SKEP— 

 . HANDLINa COMBS. 



■DITTO A PEAME HIVE: 



Sefobe explaining how the beea are to be managed, it is well to describe^ 

 how the bee keeper is to be made master of the situation : for at first 

 Ms favourites will be more disposed to resent his interference than after 

 he has acquired the method of deftly performing the necessary operations. 

 of the apiary. With the novice, the more complete the protection the 

 greater the calmness under unexpected difficulty, so that we would recom- 

 mend such to dress thus : Gloves of indiarubber, like those used by- 

 photographers, and which are Uned, for 

 those consisting of rubber exclusively, 

 although less clumsy, are too troublesome 

 to put on and take off. To the gloves 

 should be added gauntlets of calico about 

 Bin. or Bin. wide, carrying an elastic band, 

 which, passing over the coat cuff, abso- 

 lutely saves the hand from all danger. 

 In chilly weather especially bees are likely 

 to fall on the ground and crawl up the legs 

 of the operator and administer stings under 

 pressure, so that a string round the trousers 

 may not be without its advantages. To 

 protect the face make a veU in the form 

 of a bottomless bag by joiuing the ends of 

 l^yds. of coarse leno; run in an elastic at 

 the top, about ISin. long, so that it may 

 clip round the hat as in Fig. 25. The veil 



passing over the shoulders and buttoned under the coat will enable us 

 -to laugh at the assaults of the enemy, if the hat-brim be only broad 

 enough. We generally carry ia our pocket a bee-veil made of fine silk net. 



Fig. 25. Bee Teil. 



