284 Bee-keeping, by l< The Times' " Bee Master. 



summer day, takes a rest on a ^leaf just before entering 

 the hive, or comes short of the door of his home by an 

 inch, and is seized by the unclean monster and devoured. 

 The only way of getting rid of this unfeeling destroyer, who 

 sits c seeking whom he may devour/ is to pay a visit to 

 your hives soon after sunrise and an hour before sunset ; and 

 on finding him on his wicked watch, seize him by the hind 

 leg and throw him to as great a distance across your hedge 

 as you well can. But if the ' bee master * be a lady, if I 

 may use the phrase, let her empty on him a snuff-box full 

 of strong snuff, and he will reflect a few days before he 

 returns to his old quarters. I give this prescription to ladies 

 because they do not like to seize the cold-blooded creature 

 and fling him to a respectable distance," page 104. 



The absurdity of the charge against this useful and perse- 

 cuted animal will at once appear when it is remembered 

 that the toad is a nocturnal feeder. Its moist and naked 

 skin will not endure the sun's rays, and it remains shaded 

 till the evening, when the bees are no longer abroad. But 

 supposing the charge of the Bee Master to be true, would 

 that be any justification of the deliberate and wanton cruelty 

 recommended? The toad, like all Batrachians, respires in 

 great part by its moist skin. The application of an extremely 

 irritating poison which would adhere to the surface, and 

 torture the creature until death relieved it from its sufferings, 

 could not be advised by any one of ordinary benevolence, or 

 who entertained rational ideas of man's duty towards the 

 animal creation. 



If any circumstance were wanting to prove the absence of 

 good faith in the writer of this compilation, it would be the 

 unblushing boldness with which he claims as his own discovery 

 methods of proceeding described in the best-known bee books. 

 Thus, when speaking of the wasp attacking hives, page 159, 

 he writes, " I have hit on an admirable plan of keeping him 

 off, well worth disclosing to every bee master. I place at the 

 entrance of the hive a stick of barley sugar, a couple of inches 

 long ; this brings to the entrance a dozen of bees who thank- 

 fully feed on it. There is thus secured an additional guard at 

 the gates." 



This method of proceeding is well known and commonly 

 practised, it has been repeatedly described in bee books, and 

 may be found given at full length in Mr. Taylor's useful manual, 

 page 111, in the edition published as long ago as 1855, and at 

 page 117 of the current edition. As the Bee Master repeatedly 

 mentions Taylor's work as one that he has read, and lays it 

 under heavy contribution, there can be little doubt whence he 

 obtained the original suggestion. 



