220 Ladies' Dress. 



is proof against the bees' sting, and so may be used for gloves 

 or other clothing. Some apiarists think that dark clothing is 

 specially obnoxious to beeg. It is certainly true that fuzzy 

 woolen, and even hairs on one's hands are very irritating to 

 bees. Clothes with a heavy nap should be rejected by the bee- 

 keeper, and the Esaus should singe the hair from their hands. 



For ladies, my friend, Mrs. Baker, recommends a dress 

 which, by use of the rubber skirt-lift or other device, can be 

 instantly raised or lowered. This will be convenient in the 

 apiary, and tidy anywhere. The Gabrielle style is preferred, 

 and of a length just to reach the floor. It should be belted 

 at the waist, and cut down from the neck in front, one^third 

 the length of the waist, to permit the tucking in of the veil. 

 The under-waist should fasten close about the neck. The 

 sleeves should be quite long to allow free use of the arms, and 

 gathered in with a rubber cord at the wrist, which will hug 

 the rubber gauntlets or arm, and prevent bees from crawling 

 up the sleeves. The pantalets should be straight and full, and 

 should also have the rubber cord in the hem to draw them 

 close about the top of the shoes. 



Mrs. Baker also places great stress on the wet "head-cap," 

 which she believes the men even would find a great comfort." 

 This is a simple, close-fitting cap, made of two thicknesses, of 

 coarse toweling, l The head is wet with cold -water, and the cap 

 wet in the same, wrung out, and placed on the head. 



Mrs. Baker would have the dress neat and clean, and so 

 trimmed that the lady apiarist would ever be ready to greet 

 her brother or sister apiarists. In such a dress there is no 

 danger of stings, and with it there is that show of neatness 

 and taste, without which no pursuit could attract the attention, 

 or at least the patronage, of our refined women. 



TO QUIET BEES. 



In harvest seasons, the bees, especially if Italians, can almost 

 always be handled without their showing resentment. But at 

 other times, and whenever they object to necessary familiarity, 

 we have only to cause them to fill with honey to render them 

 harmless, unless we pinch them. This can be done by closing 

 the hive so that the bees cannot get out, and then rapping 

 on the hive for four or five minutes. Those within will fill 

 with honey, those without will be tamed by surprise, and all 



