BEEKEEPING IN TASMANIA. 3 
with the entrances in different directions, and more hives can be placed on the same 
amount of ground than in single rows, also the groups can be placed some distance 
from each other. It is advisable not to place the hives facing the south. 
Hanpuine Bess. 
The sting of the bee is an important factor in preventing the over-production 
of honey, as there are so many persons who have an unreasonable fear of getting 
stung. Still there are few people to whom the sting of the bee gives more dis- 
comfort than just the sharp pain at the moment. The pain and any swelling 
usually becomes less and less after a little while, and the seasoned beekeeper usually 
takes little notice of the sting, except to remove same. To reduce the effect of @ 
sting to a minimum it should be removed as quickly as possible by scraping it off 
the skin with the finger-nail, or, if both hands are engaged, rubbing it off against 
the clothing. 
A number of remedies can be suggested to neutralise the effects of a sting. 
The blue-bag is quite a popular one. I am not quite sure that yellow or green 
would not do as well. Ammonia is certainly more effective, but is more likely to 
irritate the bees and cause more stings. Applying a saturated solution of washing 
soda is the writer’s usual remedy. For the average person the best thing is to 
remove the sting as quickly as possible, and think no more about it. 
How to Mage a Starr. 
In beekeeping this depends a good deal upon whether the beginner is taking 
up bee culture as a business or as a side issue to some other occupation. Uf it 1s 
intended to adopt it as a chief calling, a good plan would be, if at all possible, for 
the prospective beekeeper to go as a working pupil to an established. and: up-to-date 
apiarist for at least one season, even if a premium had to be paid for that season, 
as the experience gained would be less costly in all probability than the experience 
gained by failure. When the above is not practicable, then a start could be made 
with two or three hives, and as experience was gained by practice, also taking 
advantage of the knowledge gained by reading, and, where possible, visits to the 
apiaries of practical men, the number of hives can be quickly increased to what 
the circumstances or the ability of the beekeeper warrant. Right here I would 
say every: opportunity should be seized to personally consult an apiarist of some 
standing. Much may be learned in this way, there being a kind of freemasonry 
among beekeepers, and if asked’ for, most of them will willingly give a novice the 
benefit of any knowledge he possesses. en ; : 
Everybody handling bees requires two things to start with, viz.: A smoker and 
a bee-veil. A good black-net veil will cost about 3s. 6d. to 49. A smoker, accord- 
ing to whether made of brass or tin, varies from about 6s. 6d. to 15s. Prices for 
all kinds of apiarist’s requirements have increased very much in the last three or 
four years. A rather cheaper veil than the above can be obtained of a white net 
with a black face piece; the all-black is the best. Ther- are two kinds of smokers— 
the straight and the bent nozzle. The bent nozzle is to be strongly recommended, . 
as the burning fuel is not likely to fall out when the smoker is directed on to the 
frames in a downward direction. Dry decayed wood or bark makes the best fuel, 
as it causes a good volume of cool smoke and does not foul the smoker with tar 
or soot to such a degree as old sacking or rags do; though, excepting this, old chaff 
or other bags make good fuel, but they must be decayed enough to tear up’ readily, 
and be quite dry. ; 
There are two or three ways of making a.start—(1) full colonies, (2) swarms, 
(3) nuclei. 
