178 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



or three minutes. The community thus stifled fall from 

 their combs into the pit — destroyed, but not killed. To 

 put them out of misery a kettle of boiling water should be 

 poured upon them, which causes instant death. 



"We are no advocates and patrons of this plan of destroy- 

 ing bees. "We do not use the pit, or ever attempt to put to 

 death whole swarms of bees. We think it bad policy to 

 do so ; butwe cannot agree with some sentimental folk who 

 hold up the practice as one of inhumanity. It is not 

 more cruel to destroy bees for honey, than it is to knock a 

 calf on the head in order to get milk, or to drive the pole- 

 axe into the brains of a bullock with a view to get beef. 

 And what about cutting the throat of a sheep for a bit of 

 mutton ? There is nothing in the destruction of the lives 

 of bees more cruel and inhuman than there is in the 

 destruction of the lives of cattle, sheep, and fowls. There 

 has been given to man a power over the inferior creatures, 

 the proper use of which is an advantage and blessing to 

 the human family. 



