IRRITABILITY OF BEES. 
285 
in a moment ; throw it over the head, lettiijg the ends 
fall around the neck and shoulders, covering all but 
the face. The hat can come on over it. As for the face, 
whenever a bee comes around in a menacing attitude, 
hold it down — unless he stings at the first onset, there 
is not much risk. 
REMEDIES FOR STINGS. 
Concerning the remedies for stings, it is a hard 
matter to tell which is the best. There is so much 
difference in the effect in different individuals, and the 
different parts of the body, as well as the depth the 
sting reaches, that a great variety of remedies are re- 
commended. 
A person is slightly stung, and applies something 
as an antidote ; the effect of the sting is trifling, as 
perhaps it would have been without anything, and the 
medicine is forthwith extolled as a sovereign remedy. 
I have been thus deceived ; when slightly stung ap- 
plied what I thought cured in one case, when in the next 
the sting might have penetrated deeper, or in some 
other place, and the remedy would seem to have no 
effect. For the last few years, I have not made any 
application whatever for myself, and the effect is no 
worse, nor even as bad as formerly. (This, I am told, is 
because the system is hardened, and now can resist or 
throw off the effects.) Among the remedies recom- 
mended, are saleratus and water, salt and water, soft- 
soap mixed with salt, a raw onion cut in two and one- 
lialf applied, mud or clay mixed pretty wet and 
changed often, tobacco wet and rubbed thoroughly to 
