ITALIAN BEE KEEPIN&. 15 



The gloves used in Italy are made of the thickest white wool 

 knitted in the ordinary way. I have used mine for years, and have 

 often had them covered with angry bees, but they cannot sting 

 through them; and, moreover, when they have tried they do not 

 leave their stings in the wool, but fly away unhurting and unhurt. 

 Whereas when I employed thick English leather hedging gloves, 

 they often stung me through them, and always left their stings in 

 the leather, not only entailing the death of every bee that stung 

 the gloves— for they die after leaving their stings— but after a 

 time, when such coverings were used, the aooumulated venom of so 

 many stings attracted the other bees, and they always scented from 

 afar the hand of an enemy in the venomed glove ; whereas wool gloves 

 are not open to the SEune objection, as they can always be washed. 



Having put on the gloves, the coat sleeves must be tied over them 

 round the wrists, so that no bees can crawl up the sleeves. The 

 legs of the trousers should also be tied round the boots. The 

 other article of dress necessary is' a black veU, made of a piece 

 of ordinary black net about a yard long and two feet wide. The 

 two long edges are sewn together, and then the two ends are bound 

 round with elastic bands; one of these ends with elastic is put 

 round close to the ribbon of any hat, and then the hat and veU are 

 put on ; and the lower elastic band is arranged close under the shirt 

 collar, and the coat may be buttoned across the neck and chest. 



Thus airayed, no man cam be stung, for the bees don't sting 

 through ordinary cloth clothes. This I know from long experience, 

 and I always take swarms and honey wearing a pair of loose white 

 duck trousers and an alpaca coat over a cotton shirt. I am obUged, 

 by the excessive heat of Italian summer weather, to dress in this 

 manner, but I have never been stung through these garments. 



Teansfbeing Combs from Old to Giotto Hives. 



Supposing that at least eight frames, with end pieces, have been 

 made as directed, a site for the hive fixed, and the dress to take the 

 bees prepared, then the next thing to do is to put bees into the 

 hive. There are two ways to begin with, viz., to transfer combs 

 and bees from an old-fashioned hive, or to take a new swarm as 

 soon as it has alighted and settled, and put it into the new hive. 

 When once you have a hive or two, artificial swarms may be 

 made. 



In Italy, and perhaps in England, it is rather difficult to get a 

 hive of bees to begin with, as the contadini or peasants, who gene- 

 rally keep them, are very superstitious about selUng a hive of bees, 

 as they say a hive sold brings iU-luck to buyer as well as seller. 

 Possibly because, if the hive is not taken far away, the bees will 



