IGNORANCE OF BEE-KEEPERS. 195 
safely imitated by experts, who, by securing the queen, can 
make the bees hang in large festoons from their chin, with- 
out incurring any risk of being taken by the beard. 
“ Such was the spell, which round a Wildman’s arm, 
Twin’d in dark wreaths the fascinated swarm; 
Bright o’er his breast the glittering legions led, 
Or with a living garland bound his head. 
His dextrous hand, with firm yet hurtless hold, 
Could seize the chief, known by her scales of gold, 
Prune ’mid the wondering train her filmy wing, 
Or o’er her folds the silken fetter fliag.” 
394. The ignorance of most bee-keepers of the almost un- 
limited control which may be peaceably acquired over bees, 
has ever been regarded by the author of this treatise as the 
greatest obstacle to the speedy introduction of movable-frame 
hives. Such ignorance has led to the invention of costly 
and complicated hives, all the ingenuity and expense lav- 
ished upon which, are known, by the better informed, to be 
as unnecessary as a costly machine for lifting up bread and 
butter, and gently pushing it into the mouth and down the 
throat of an active and healthy child. 
_We have before us a small pamphlet, published in Lon- 
don in 1851, describing the construction of the ‘‘ Bar and 
Frame Hive’’ of W. A. Munn, Esq. The object of this in- 
vention is to elevate frames, one at a time, into a case with 
glass sides, so that they may be examined without risk of 
annoyance from the bees. Great ingenuity is exhibited by 
the inventor of this very costly and very complicated hive, 
who seems to imagine that smoke ‘‘ must be injurious both 
to the bees and their brood.”’ 
395. In opening a hive, little danger may be feared 
from the bees that are exposed to the light, unless quick 
motions are made, as they are completely bewildered by 
their sudden exposure, and removal from the hive. 
It is not merely the sudden admission of light, but its 
introduction from an unexpected quarter, that for the time, 
