EXAMINING AND HANDLING BEES. 
CHAPTER IX, 
Nursing the fire in the bee-smoker. 
The smudge material about to be 
packed in. 
At the very beginning of the actual 
work of handling the bees and manip- 
ulating the hive, the beginner should 
learn how to avoid being stung. This 
is not diffieult. 
How to Avoid Being Stung. 
First of all, let the beginner take in 
hand his bee-smoker and see that it is 
lighted so that it will stay lighted. Do 
this by first placing in the bottom of 
the fire-chamber some easily ignitible 
material; apply a match to this and 
then pack in above the flame a mate- 
rial which will make plenty of smoke 
and burn slowly, such as rags, greasy 
waste, or well-dried rotten wood; next 
give several puffs with the bellows to 
be sure that the fire is started, but do not use the bellows so much that a 
blaze is started in the smudge material. It is the smoke, not the flame, that 
- is wanted. It is necessary to make very sure that there is enough smoulder- 
ing fire in the smoke fuel so that it will not go out while handling the bees. - 
Next, protect the hands and wrists with a pair of bee-gloves, and the 
face with a bee-veil. Let the beginner 
wear loose, light-colored clothing, 
avoiding black or fuzzy material of 
any kind, if possible, with the sleeves 
made tight at the wrists, and the bot- 
tom of his trousers tucked in his socks 
or tied about his ankles.. Women may 
well wear overalls or bloomers when 
working with bees. A full but short 
apron may be worn over the overalls 
and a short skirt over the bloomers. 
High shoes and leggings also add to a 
woman’s protection against stings. 
The veil should be so adjusted that 
no bee can gain entrance. See the il- 
lustration on the next page of a bee- 
keeper with his bee-veil, bee-gloves, Using the bellows of the smoker to 
make sure that the fire is well caught 
etc., properly fastened and adjusted. in the smudge material: 
49 
