778 
STINGS 
Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, 
New York, and Pennsylvania the number 
of beekeepers should be twice those of the 
census figures, and the amount of honey 
produced should be nearly three times as 
large. 
For the State of California it would be 
safe to add 100 per cent to the number of 
beekeepers, and 500 per cent to the amount 
of honey shown in the census. For the 
States of Montana and Wyoming, those 
having no city population, the figures of 
the census will be more accurate; but in 
those States beekeeping on a large scale is 
carried on as it is in California. The same 
ratio that would apply to the number of 
beekeepers would not apply to the amount 
of honey produced. Perhaps 25 per cent 
should be added to the number of beekeep¬ 
ers, and 500 per cent to the amount of 
honey produced. The same thing could be 
said of Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado. _ 
Texas, Florida, and Louisiana stand al¬ 
most alone by themselves. They have no 
large cities, and their population is largely 
rural. Most of their honey is consumed 
within their own borders; but because they 
have so large a number of commercial bee- 
'keepers, and because they have so large a 
rural population, they should hardly be 
put in any other class. It would, perhaps, 
be accurate to add 25 per cent to the cen¬ 
sus figures for the number of beekeepers, 
and 100 per cent for the amount of honey 
and wax produced. 
Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana are in a class 
by themselves. There is some very poor 
territory in those States, and some other 
territory that is most excellent for bee¬ 
keeping. All three of the States have a 
large percentage of suburban population— 
particularly Ohio and Illinois. It is safe 
to say that the census number for bee¬ 
keepers should be doubled, and likewise the 
amount of honey produced could be dou¬ 
bled. 
Alabama is the greatest bee and queen 
rearing State in the Union. A very large 
number of its beekeepers are living in 
Montgomery and the big towns. Scarcely 
one of these men would be listed in the 
census. We would have to add at least 25 
per cent to its figures. 
It will have to be admitted that the ratios 
suggested above are not based on accurate 
figures; but they are based on an intimate 
knowledge of bee supplies going into and 
the amount of honey shipped out of those 
States where beekeeping is carried on in 
a commercial way. It is reasonable to sup¬ 
pose that the States having a rural popu¬ 
lation are fairly shown by the census, pro¬ 
vided an increase of 25 and 35 per cent be 
made, both for the number of beekeepers 
and the amount of honey produced. 
STINGLESS BEES.— See Bees, Sting- 
less. 
STINGS. — Many persons, doubtless, 
would keep bees were it not for the natural 
fear of stings; but when their habits are 
thoroly understood this fear disappears. 
The average beekeeper pays no more atten¬ 
tion to a sting or two received on his fingers 
than the mechanic who bruises his knuckles 
when a wrench slips. When bees are prop¬ 
erly handled the number of stings can be 
reduced to a very low percentage. Very 
often one can work all day among his bees 
and not receive a single jab; and at other 
times, if he is a little careless, or if he 
takes chances, he may get a regular on¬ 
slaught of a dozen at a time. When, how¬ 
ever, one exercises ordinary precaution he 
will receive only an occasional sting; and 
even the effects of that, if he is quick 
enough, can be minimized to such an ex¬ 
tent that it will be difficult for him to find 
it an hour afterward. The writer once 
worked a whole month without a sting. 
As will be pointed out later, the moment 
a sting is received it should be removed 
instantly—the sooner the better. If it is 
left in the wound it will gradually work 
itself into the flesh by muscular contrac¬ 
tion, discharging the contents of the pois¬ 
on-sac, and the result will be far more se¬ 
vere than if it had been removed immediate¬ 
ly, care being taken, of course, not to 
squeeze the poison-sac during the opera¬ 
tion. 
It is always advisable for the beginner 
to wear a bee-veil and a pair of gloves at 
the start. A good bee-smoker, with the fuel 
burning well, should be at hand. The time 
selected for handling the bees should be 
between 10 o’clock in the morning and 3 in 
the afternoon of a warm day. The opera¬ 
tor should never stand in front of the en¬ 
trance—always to one side. A little smoke 
