36 
BEE-CULTURE. 
when they have nothing to do, the dauger its that they will 
do that which is worse than nothing. 
Careless feeding, or honey left where bees can get 
at it, is generally the first incentive to robbery. In a village 
like ours, where there are six hundred hives of bees within 
two miles of the place, it requires caution on the part of every 
bee-keeper to retain peace among the bees and good will 
amongst the neighbors. For if one colony is being robbed, 
the whole neighborhood of bees become excited. I can gen- 
erally tell when there has been a colony of bees robbed in 
my neighborhood; for generally, although one may commence 
the depredations, before it is over, many will participate, and 
they will not be satisfied with emptying one hive, but will 
test the strength of every colony in the vicinity, keeping all 
unusually excited, even pouring into the candy shops and 
penetrating the kitchens and every apartment where there is 
the odor of sweets, much to the annoj’ance of the thrifty 
house-wife in making her jellies and putting up canned fruit. 
It will sometimes require several days for the excitement to 
subside, and will remain for a time susceptible to excite- 
ment; and woe to the qucenless colony at such times when 
the keeper has not thoroughly fortified it by reducing the 
entrances to the capacity merely sufficient for exit and re- 
turn, so that a few sentinels may defend the colony against 
a large army of invaders. When robbery commences, close 
all hives to the least capacity for entrance and exit. If a 
hive is very determinedly attacked, close the entrance so that 
but a single bee can pass in and out at a time. If they pile 
on the hive in great numbers, dash cold water on them ; this 
materially abates their rapacity, and gives them a homeward 
inclination. If they are ungovernable, close the hive en- 
tirely and carry it to a cellar or dark cool place, where it 
should stand two or three days, until the marauding spirit 
has subsided, then set it out on the stand. When this hive 
is moved, those sitting next to it are in danger and should be 
carefully closed. .Before any hive is entirely closed it is ne- 
cessary to have some holes in it, and cover them with wire 
cloth to prevent smothering. If a weak colony is closed for 
two or three days with a great many robbers in it, the most 
of them will remain and add to its strength. 
Some persons have told me that when they had a hive at- 
tacked, they have carried it first to one side of the house and 
