200 THE BBB keeper's MANUAL. 



any intrusions, are met in their threatening ascent, with an 

 avalanche of nectar which " like a soft answer," most effect- 

 ually " turneth away wrath." Who would ever be willing to 

 use the sickening fumes of the disgusting weed, when so 

 much pleasure instead of pain may be given to his bees. 

 That bees never seem to be prepared to make an instant as- 

 sault from the top of their hive, but only near the entrance, 

 any one may be convinced of, who will put my frames 

 into a suspended hive with a movable bottom which may be 

 made to drop at pleasure. If now, for any purpose, he 

 attempts to meddle with the combs from below, he will find 

 that unless he uses smoke, the bees will be almost, if not 

 quite unmanageable. 



I shall now give some directions, which will greatly assist 

 the Apiarian in his operations. He must bear in mind that 

 nothing irritates bees more than a sudden jar, and that this 

 must, in all cases, be most carefully avoided. The inside 

 cover of the hive, or as I shall term it, the honey-board, be- 

 cause the surplus honey receptacles stand upon it, can never 

 be very firmly attached by the bees : it may always be 

 readily loosened with a thin knife, or better still, with an 

 apothecary's spatula, which will be very useful for many 

 purposes in the Apiary. When the honey-board is removed, 

 its lower surface will be usually covered with bees, and it 

 should be carefully set on end, so as not to crush them. 

 There is not the least danger that one of them will offer to 

 sting, as they are completely bewildered by the sudden in- 

 troduction of light, and their removal from the hive. As 

 soon as the cover is disposed of, the Apiarian should sprin- 

 kle the bees with the sweet solution. This should descend 

 from the watering-pot in a fine stream, so as not to drench 

 the bees, and should fall upon the tops of the frames, as 

 well as between the ranges of comb. The bees will at 



