358 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
feet you less and less, and that at length you will become al¬ 
most indifferent to them. To my own knowledge, few persons 
suffered more from their stings than myself and other members 
of my family when we first commenced to handle bees. My 
girls were so much affected by them that it took a good deal 
of coaxing before I could induce them to handle bees; but 
now each one of them takes care of a separate apiary of over 
one hundred colonies during swarming and honey gathering 
time. They open and examine any hive they choose without 
minding the few stings they sometimes get. I mention this to 
show that those who shrink from taking care of bees on ac¬ 
count of their sting can overcome this fear and manage them 
as successfully as anyone. 
When the bee-keeper has reached this point, he will find it 
one of the most fascinating pursuits he can engage in. There 
is little hard work about it, but it requires care—constant care 
and watchfulness. Keep in mind that whatever has to be done 
in the bee business must be done at the proper time. Delay will 
never answer. All you do must be well done , not in a careless, 
bungling manner. 
It is not necessary to tell you what kind of stock you 
should buy. The books mentioned above give valuable advice 
on this point. If you have not confidence in your own abil¬ 
ity to select the proper kind, you can get some one who knows 
the difference between good and poor stocks to aid you. Do 
not on any account get poor stocks. Even at low prices they 
are too dear. Get colonies in movable comb hives if possible— 
in preference to those in the common box hives—those in the 
shallow Langstroth hive I consider the best; should they cost 
two or three dollars more, they are worth the difference. 
Do not fall into the error of buying a hive or patent right 
of every beeman that comes along. They are nearly all hum- 
buggers, who simply want your money, and do not care a far¬ 
thing what becomes of you and your bees afterwards. I will 
not deny that some of them have invented hives that will an¬ 
swer as well as Langstroth’s in the hands of a practical beeman, 
but you are no judge of this. Purchase what is acknowledged 
