AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 169 



are still, and must continue to be, as important to all 

 bee-keepers, whether novices or experts, as they were 

 when first penned. I have already given each a promi- 

 nent position at the close of some of the preceding 

 chapters, in order the better to impress them on the 

 mind of the reader : — 



1. Bees gorged with honey never volunteer an attack. 



2. Bees may always be made peaceable by inducing them 

 to accept of liquid sweets. 



3. Bees, when frightened by smoke or by drumming on 



their hives, fill themselves with honey, and lose all disposi- 

 tion to sting, unless they are hurt. 



4. Bees dislike any quick movements about their hives, 

 especially any quick movement which jars their combs. 



5. Bees dislike the offensive odour of sweaty animals, and 

 will not endure impure air from human lungs. 



6. The bee-keeper will ordinarily derive all his profits from 

 stocks strong and healthy in early spring. 



7. 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. 



8. A moderate increase of colonies in any one season will, 

 in the long run, prove the easiest, safest, and cheapest mode 

 of managing bees. 



9. Queenless colonies, unless supplied with a queen, will 

 inevitably dwindle away, or be destroyed by the bee moth, 

 or by robber bees. 



10. 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 performed 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 — Keef your stocks strong. If you cannot 

 succeed in doing this, the more money you invest in bees 

 the heavier will be your losses ; while if your stocks are 

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

 bee-keeper, and may safely calculate on a generous return 

 from your industrious subjects. 



