230 TOBACCO SMOKE OFFENSIVE TO BEES. 



effectually quelled, than smoke. The smoke of tobacco, how- 

 ever, should never be used ; its pungency is too powerful 

 for the bees, and it leaves behind it that unpleasant odour, 

 which is so offensive to them, that they will frequently for- 

 sake their hive, rather than dwell in it. In all operations 

 with bees, the breath should be withheld as much as possi- 

 ble ; to breathe upon bees is the surest method of exciting 

 their anger, and particularly, if the breath be of an offensive 

 character. Some persons attach great importance to the 

 dress, and recommend that the clothes should not be of a 

 dark colour; we however consider this to be founded on 

 mere conceit, for we never knew the conduct of the bees to 

 be regulated towards us by the kind of dress which we 

 might wear at the time. The sole study of the bee appears 

 to be, to get at the hands and face, as being the most vulner- 

 able parts ; but as to the dress, it is of no moment, whether 

 it be a court-dress or a smock-frock, in fact, we should prefer 

 the latter to the former. 



