70 



THE FliACTIOL BEE GUIDK. 



Other hand, it is not easy to carry 

 about, and when midges are 

 Avorrying one's face, it is exasper- 

 ating to be unable to get at them 

 with the fingers. Net and elastic 

 are used round the crown of the 

 hat, and from the rim down are 

 two pieces of wire cloth i8" x 7", 

 joined at the ends by two pieces 

 of netting 4" x 7", allowing the 

 veil to fold flat when not in use. 

 The veil is carried down a few 

 inches more with netting, which 

 may be either tucked under the 

 coat or caught round the collar 

 by elastic. 

 131. Use of Cloves — Among experienced bcc-kcepers gloves 

 are held in ill-repute, as clumsy and unnecessary things. Some 

 will almost go so far as to hold that nothing that is accom- 

 plished with the aid of gloves can properly be called bec- 

 keei^ing. During many years it was impossible for anyone 

 who covered his hands to qualify as an Expert under the Rules 

 of the Irish Bee-keepers' Association, and, quite wisely, under 

 the existing Rules, a candidate for the Association's Expert 

 Certificate is penalised at his examination, if he resorts to the 

 use of gloves during manipulations. Nevertheless, gloves, 

 tho' they be " clumsy things," are in some cases indispen- 

 sable ; and, tho' they be sneered at by veterans, are often a 

 source of confidence, and, as such, a valuable assistance to 

 beginners (169). 



Fii; 55 

 WIRE CLOTH "VEIIj. 



" There are coiLstilutions that cannot endure stings without much 

 pain and inconvenience, and occasionally even positive danger. There 

 are ladies, and strong men also, to whom a 100 per cent, hypodermic 

 injection of formic acid, accompanied by the angry buzz of a vicious 

 bee, is alway a hateful experience ; and there are many who will agree 

 as to the clumsiness of gloves, but who would not dare, without such 

 protection, to engage in the practice of bee-keeping at all." — Irish Bee 

 Journal. 



It would be absurd to dissuade such persons from bee-keeping 

 for no other reason than that they manipulate with gloves. 

 It must, however, be said that some of the most delicate opera- 

 tions, such as picking a queen off the comb, and wing clipping 

 (212), cannot be carried out as neatly, nor always as success- 

 fully, with gloves ; and that, generally speaking, the wiser 

 course is to discontinue the use of gloves as soon as possible. 



