BEE-KEEPING. 37 



be present with coolness and quietness ; the rest is easy 

 if my instructions are followed. During many practical 

 expositions of Apiarian manipulations more than one 

 lady has been courageously present in the manipulating 

 room, by their own choice, without receiving any injury, 

 although thousands of Bees, driven from their hives, 

 were crawling and flying all round, while the spectators 

 behind a glass or gauze screen gazed with astonishment 

 both at the Bees and the ladies. The facility of hand- 

 ling Bees is not of modern origin. A century ago, a 

 Bee-keeper, named Daniel Wildman, who was domiciled 

 in Holborn, astonished London by his performances with 

 these insects. He had an exhibition at Islington, the 

 records of which, although we mustf take them " with a 

 grain of salt," show that he had a considerable acquaint- 

 ance with the fears and dispositions of Bees. It is 

 said he could cause a swarm to settle almost instan- 

 taneously where he pleased, even on his head, remove 

 them to his hand, a window, table, &c., at pleasure. 

 This seemed wonderful ; but the solution was simply 

 possession of the Queen — where she went, there went 

 the Bees ! To keep Bees in a merciful and rational 

 manner it is by no means necessary to undertake all the 

 operations I describe, or even adopt frame hives. If 

 the rudest form of hive, the straw skep, be maintained, 

 it is yet not at all necessary to destroy the Bees to get 

 their honey. Read and master the one chapter on 

 " Driving,'' and the Bee-keeper can rifle their stores, yet 

 preserve their lives and strengthen his stocks for next 

 year, so that they will be able to do double work in 

 reward for their master's humanity. 



" Leave them happy in their copious store, 

 A part they'll give ; and why desire ye more ? 

 And must ye kill ? Mistaken thought — ah ! — shame. 

 No more involve them in sulphurous flame." 



