MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 277 



AXIOMS. 



The following axioms, given by Mr. Langstroth, are just as 

 true to-day as they were when written by that noted author : 



There are a few first principles in bee-keeping which 

 ought to be as familiar to the Apiarist as the letters of the 

 alphabet. 



First. Bees gorged with honey never volunteer an attack. 



Second. Bees may always be made peaceable by inducing 

 them to accept of liquid sweets. 



Third. Bees, when frightened by smoke or by drumming 

 on their hives, fill themselves with honey and lose all dispo- 

 sition to sting, unless they are hurt. 



Fourth. Bees dislike any quick movements about their 

 lives, especially any motion which Jars their combs. 



Fifth. In districts where forage is abundant only for a 

 short period, the largest yield of honey will be secured by a 

 very moderate increase of stocks. 



Sixth. A moderate increase of colonies in any one season, 

 "will, in the long run, prove to be the easiest, safest, and 

 . cheapest mode of managing bees. 



Seventh. Queenless colonies, unless supplied with a queen, 

 will inevitably dwindle away, or be destroyed by the bee- 

 moth, or by robber-bees. 



Eighth. The formation of new colonies should ordinarily 

 be confined to the season when bees are accumulating 

 honey ; and if this, or any other operation, must be per- 

 formed when forage is scarce, the greatest precautions 

 should be used to prevent robbing. 



The essence of all profitable bee-keeping is contained in 

 Oettl's Golden Rule : keep your stocks strong. If you 

 cannot succeed in doing this, the more money you invest in 

 l)ees, the heavier will be your losses ; while, if your stocks are 

 strong, you will show that you are a bee-master, as well as 

 & bee-keeper, and may safely calculate on generous returns 

 from your industrious subjects. 



" Keep all colonies strong," 



