50 



THE BOOK OF BEE-KEEPING. 



wear a veil, but not gloves, as they make you very clumsy, 

 and so irritate the bees. When intimidating bees with subjugating 

 cloths— the easiest and readiest method — do not lay the cloths about 

 in the sun, but when not required place them in the tin box ; the 

 sun will remove the effects of the subjugator if exposed to its rays 

 for any length of time. It is advisable to occasionally wash the 

 cloths in plain water (the subjugator will act as soap) ; after 

 drying they can again be sprinkled, and are then as effective 

 as fresh ones. These cloths are used dry, so that the honey is 

 never contaminated with the odour as with carbolic acid cloths. 

 In spring, before the honey flow sets in, or in autumn, after 

 the honey flow has ceased, bees become very troublesome when 

 a hive is opened ; the attractions of a honey feast thus exposed 

 are irresistible to the " 



occupants of the neigh- 

 bouring hives, who will 

 at such times make a 

 perfect onslaught on 

 the exposed colony, a 

 free fight, as well as 

 plenty of stings to the 

 apiarist, being the re- 

 sult. To obviate this, 

 a tent was introduced 

 by A. J. Root, of Ohio, 

 which is of sufficient 

 size to cover colony 

 and manipulator right 

 over when it is impera- 

 tive that a hive should 

 be opened at such 

 times, which very effec- 

 tually prevents the 

 intrusion of strange 

 bees into the opened hive. 



Root's Manipulating Tent. 



This tent is made to fold up into 

 a very portable package for convenience when not in use. It is 

 made by taking four sticks of some tough wood, such as ash, 

 about Sift, long, and fastening them together like two letter X's, 

 with a screw just where they cross. A piece of strong, fine 

 cord, makes the ridge, and the same cord unites the sticks at 

 the tops. A mosquito-net bag is made, having the same de- 

 scription of cord along its lower four edges, and down each of 

 the four comers ; this is slipped over the sticks and secured 

 at the bottom corners by loops or rings, sewn on to this bag, 

 and slipped over screwheads at bottom of sticks. When thus 

 looped tightly, they bow the sticks, which should be scraped 

 thinner at this point, at the top, to allow of room for the 

 operator. 



