OR, MANUAI, OF THB APIARY. . 349 



chamber and escape-pipe of the smoker become filled with soot, 

 they can easily be cleaned by revolving an iron or hardwood 

 stick inside of them. 



CHLOROFORM. 



Mr. Jones finds that chloroform is very useful in quieting 

 bees. He puts a dry sponge in the tube of the smoker, then a 

 sponge wet in chloroform — it takes but a few drops — then puts 

 in another dry sponge. These dry sponges prevent the escape 

 of the chloroform, except when the bellows is worked. Mr. 

 Jones finds that bees partially stupefied with chloroform 

 receive queens without any show of ill-will. As soon as the 

 bees begin to fall, the queen is put into the hive, and no more 

 of the vapor added. I tried this one summer with perfect suc- 

 cess. This was recommended years ago in Germany, but its 

 use seems to have been abandoned. It is more than likely that 

 Mr. Jones-' method of applying the anaesthetic is what makes 

 it more valuable. The smoker diffuses the vapor so that all 

 bees receive it, and none get too much. I should use ether 

 instead of chloroform, as with higher animals it is a little 

 more mild and safe. Our British friends of late are recom- 

 mending carbolic acid in lieu of smoke to quiet bees. By 

 means of a feather the liquid is brushed about the entrance 

 and along the top of the frames, or else a cloth dampened with 

 the acid is placed over the frames. This is also used to fumi- 

 gate the bees for the same purpose. Mr. Cheshire advises a 

 little creosote placed in the common smoker, to make the 

 smoke more effective. There is no question but that this 

 obnoxious substance will quiet the bees ; but it seems to me, 

 from a brief experience, that it is far less convenient than the 

 smoker. With fuller experience I say unhesitatingly that for 

 convenience and effectiveness, smoke is quite superior to any 

 of these substances. 



TO CURB STINGS. 



In case a person is stung, he should step back a little for a 

 moment, as the pungent odor of the venom is likely to anger 

 the bees and induce further stinging. By forcing a little 

 smoke from the smoker on the part stung, we will obscure 

 this odor. The sting should be rubbed off at once. I say 



