18 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



anticipated. The bees of hives placed near a peopled 

 thoroughfare, or in a garden in which men, women, and 

 children are often moving about, become as quiet and 

 peaceable as cocks and hens. They become reaUy domes- 

 ticated, and wUl not annoy anybody if they are not first 

 annoyed. Human breath and sweat are very offensive 

 to bees, and hence it is not wise to move amongst them 

 while in a state of perspiration. 



But what about vicious bees and theircourageous attacks? 

 All bees born away from the haunts of human beings — that 

 is to say, in a lonely place — are very apt to attack people 

 going near their hives. Away from their own hives they do 

 not attack anybody; but on seeing strangers (men or cattle) 

 approach their hives, they anticipate molestation, and 

 are not slow to use their stings. Often have we proven 

 that bees once domesticated never become vicious. Bees 

 that are quiet and peaceable in autumn are quiet and 

 peaceable in spring, though they may not have seen any- 

 body near their hives all winter. But bees that are bom 

 in lonely places, and there fly about, wiU fearlessly attack 

 both men and beasts that go too near their habitations. 



How to Tame and Domesticate Vicious Bees. 



Though this properly belongs to the practical part of 

 our book, we may be permitted to say here, that the way 

 to cure vicious bees is to make them acquainted with the 

 sight and form df human beings. A scarecrow or two 

 (what the Scotch folk call "potato bogles"), placed in 

 front of their hives, soon make them all right. The scare- 

 crows can be shifted from one position to another a few 

 times. Some years ago I bought a hive in the country, 

 and placed it amongst some others at home. The bees 

 would not let me go near their hive. A bogle was placed 

 in front of it, and to me it was interesting to watch the 



