368 THE BEE keeper's MANUAL. 



There is, however, one difficulty in managing bees so as 

 not to incur the risk of being stung at all, which attaches to 

 every system of bee-culture. If an Apiary is approached 

 when the bees are out in great numbers, thousands and tens 

 of thousands will continue their busy pursuits without at all 

 interfering with those who do not molest them. Frequently, 

 however, there will be a few cross bees which come buzz- 

 ing around our ears, and seem determined to sting without 

 the very slightest provocation. From such lawless bees no 

 person without a bee-dress is absolutely safe. By re- 

 peated examinations I have ascertained that disease' is the 

 cause of such unreasonable irritability. I am never afraid 

 that a healthy bee will attack me unless unusually pro- 

 voked ; and am always sure as soon as I hear one singing 

 about my ears that it is incurably diseased. If such a bee 

 is dissected it will be found to exhibit the unmistakable 

 evidence that a peculiar kind of dysentery has already fas- 

 tened upon its system. In the first stages of this complaint 

 the insect is very irritable, refuses to labor, and seems una- 

 ble or unwilling to distinguish friend from foe. As the dis- 

 ease progresses, it becomes stupid, its body swells up, and 

 is filled with a great mass of yellow matter, and being una- 

 ble to fly, it crawls on the ground, in front of the hive, and 

 speedily perishes. I have never been able to ascertain the 

 cause of this singular malady, nor can I suggest any reme- 

 dy for it. I hope that some scientific Apiarians will investi- 

 gate it closely, for if it could only be remedied, we might 

 have hundreds of colonies on our premises and in our gar- 

 dens, and yet be perfectly safe. 



A person thoroughly acquainted with the leading princi- 

 ples of bee-culture as they are set forth in this Manual, 

 will never under any circumstances find it necessary to pro- 

 voke to fury a colony of bees. Let it be remembered that 



