26 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



STINGS. 



Bee stings are rarely serious unless received in great numbers. 

 The pain is not long continued, and the swelling which (except on 

 seasoned veterans) usually follows rarely remains for more than a 

 couple of days. A little honey smeared over the injured spot will 

 afford as much relief as anything. If you fail to appreciate your 

 appearance after a sting or two on the face tr}- to console yourself 

 with the thought of the amusement it gives those who look at you, 

 then grin — but not when anyone is looking. 



CAUTIOX. 



Avoid handling bees on cold or wet days or on very windy days; 

 Do not go prjnng into the brood nest of big colonies when they are 

 busy piling up a surplus. Interference at such times is needless and 

 detrimental, besides, a populous colony, for instance, one that is filling 

 the body and several supers, is a difficult thing for anyone but a skilled 

 bee-master to pull to pieces, and he rarely does it if it can be avoided. 



In handling combs alwaj's keep them "edge up." Do not turn 

 them over "flat ways" or you may find them breaking from the 

 frames. 



Keep your colonies strong. This is old advice but good. Unless 

 the}' are strong they will not give the best results. Vigorous queens 

 will do more towards giving strong colonies than any possible fussing 

 of the beekeeper. For Rhode Island it has been found that best 

 results follow when the colonies are re-queenetl in August with 

 queens which were reared in late Juh" or early August. Also the 

 colonies are not so populous then as earlier and finding the old queen 

 is easier. 



UMTIXG BEES. 



Wlien honey is being gathered freely the bees of different colonies 

 ma}' be put t(jgother -without any precaution, but at other times it 

 may be necessary to get them into quite an uproar with smoke 

 before uniting them. The uniting may lie done b}' setting one hive 



