54 BEE-FARMING. 



bee hums about your face never attempt to strike it, for 

 if you do so a companion will soon be found to take up 

 the quarrel, until in a short time you will be surrounded 

 with an angry buzz. We have invariably found, when 

 you are thus attacked, it is better to leave the vicinity of 

 the hives for a short time, and to hide in a bush, or, if 

 there are no bushes close by, lie down with the face to- 

 wards the ground, and cover the ears, &c. with both hands; 

 in a few minutes the angry insects will retire to the hive. 



An old bee-keeper, more than two centuries since, 

 wrote as follows : — " If thou wilt have the favour of thy 

 bees, that they sting thee not, thou must avoid such things 

 as offend them ; thou must not be unchaste or uncleanly; 

 for impurity and sluttiness (themselves being most chaste 

 and neat) they utterly abhor. Thou must not come 

 amongst them smelling of sweat, or having a stinking 

 breath, caused either through eating of leeks, onions, gar- 

 lic, and the like, or by any other means, the noisomeness 

 whereof is connected with a cup of beer. Thou must 

 not come puffing or blowing unto them, neither hastily 

 stir among them, nor resolutely seem to defend thyself 

 when they seem to threaten thee ; but softly move thy 

 hand before thy face, gently put them by ; and lastly, thou 

 must be no stranger to them. In a word, thou must be 

 chaste, cleanly, sweet, sober, quiet, and familiar ; so will 

 they love thee and know thee from all others. When 

 nothing hath angered them, one may safely walk along by 

 them ; but if he stand still before them in the heat of the 

 day, it is a marvel but one or other spying him will have a 

 cast at him." The question now arises — If bees are so 

 vicious, how must I work amongst them ? Well, we 

 think the following rule may be relied upon. Bees when 

 terrified will immediately fill themselves with honey from 

 the comb ; when the honey bag is filled they become quiet 

 and harmless. When bees are swarming it is generally 



