i8 * A Modern Bee-Farm 



careless removal of honey in Autumn similar difficulties are 

 likely to occur, biit in this case they will remain irritable for 

 days or weeks. 



Robbing in the same apiary is sometimes cured by making 

 the attacked hive exchange places with that of the assailants ; 

 carbolic acid in solution, on cloths placed aboiit the front of 

 the unfortunate hive, will put an end to the disturbance ; and 

 where all the stocks in an apiary can be fed up sirnultaneously 

 in the Autumn, there will be no further inclination to rob, and 

 all the necessary work may be completed in comfort. 



Having shown, that the first care of the apiarist is to be 

 cautious, that his bees may always be held well in hand, it 

 will now be desirable to consider under what conditions they 

 may be handled without fear of being stung. We will first 

 note that as a rule, 



Clustering Swarms do not Sting. 



Nearly everyone has noticed how readily a new swarm may 

 be handled ; the bees having no inclination to sting. The 

 reason is not so much that they are full of honey, as is usual 

 in swarming time, but that they ar^ homeless, and have only 

 recently been under great excitement. By the aid of some 

 intimidant, the bees of an estabhshed colony may also be 

 excited and made to fill themselves with honey, when the 

 combs can- be removed at will. It does not happen, however, 

 that all the bees rush to the cells ; I have -frequently noticed 

 that many do not attempt to do so, but these may be already 

 loaded, though the state of excitement is so soon communicated 

 to all that none, as a rule, attempt to retahate when the hive 

 is examined. 



When necessary to look into a fixed-comb hive (commonly 

 called a "skep") first drive a few puffs of smoke in at the 

 entrance from a bellows smoker, as illustrated, which is of 

 the " Bingham " pattern. Give the sides- of the hive several 

 sharp raps, then turn it up in a line parallel with the combs. 



