The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-16
Some Points on the management of Bees.

W. T. Hutchinson, in Country Gentleman.
There is vast difference in the amiability OF
colonies Of even the same variety of bees, and
when colony is found to be very cross, its
queen should be destroyed and replaced with
one OF gentler straln by so doing, an apiary
will become stocked with bees, with which it
will be pleasure to work.
AS general thing bees strike for the eyes,
and many stings are avoided by wearing a
broad brimmed hat, with the brim turned down.
Bees are decidedly averse to making an attack
in any place where their movements will be
hampered; hence even the hand held in front OF
the eyes will often protect them from stings.
Even after bee has alighted upon the person,
an expert, if his hands are free will usually
pick off the bee and kill it before it can sting
Quick movements, such as saving pounding
chopping, hoeing etc, have very irritating eff
feet upon bees Last summer the writer built a
honey house in the center OF his aplary, and
most of the work had to be done in the morning
or toward evening" otherwise the motion of the
hammer broughta perfect swarm of angry bees
about the workman, Dark-colored clothing IS
also Objectionable to bees Let man with
black clothing enter an apiary, and he is at once
target for all the angry bees The writer once
wore straw hat with black binding around
the rim, and 1t was sometimes really amusing to
see the bees vent their spite upon the
black binding Mr. d. A. Jones, of Canada,
says that the wearing of smooth clothing assists
in avoiding stings, as, if q bee alights upon the
clothing and its feet become entanged, it is
tain to sting. For the same reason he advises
bee-keepers to SINCE the hair from the back of
their hands Many stings are received from the
bees crawling up the ankles or wrists. To AVOID
these, let clothing be tight fitting at the wrists,
and even the pantaloors tucked inside the boots.
If shoes are worm let the trousers be tucked in
side the stockings.
One of the greatest aids in avoiding stings is a
good smoker, supplied with proper fuel Of the
many styles that have tried none have given
the satisfaction that has the Bingham. The
best fuel for this smoker is hard, dry ma
pie. To prepare it cut up a green maple
log into lengths of about four inches, split the
blocks into fine pieces-perhaps one fourth of an
inch in diameter-and let them thoroughly
season. If it is desirable to have the fuel extra
nice, it can be baked in the oven. Such fuel
gives an abundance of smoke, burns long time,
and yields almost no creosote, which is quite an
annoyance where rotten wood is burned De-
cayed wood can be used to start the fire, when,
after 1t is well under way, bundle of little
sticks can be placed in the smoker.
Most bee-keepers dislike to wear veil, az it
prevents free circulation of air about the
head, which, In hot weather, amounts to posi-
tive discomfort, and because it obstructs the
perhaps best that they should but, sooner or
later, the veil is usually lald aside, except at
times when the bees are unusually cross. AS
usually made, bee veil is simply a sack or bag
OF some open material like mosq uto bar or
tarlatan, with hem around the top, in which
is run string for contracting the top SO that it
will fill the hat crown. A piece in front of the
eyes is usually of silk brussels net, which offers
the least obstruction to the vision. Glass and
mica have been tried for face pieces, bat il the
weather is the least cool, the breath condenses
upon the glass or mica, and their transparency is
thereby impaired. 1t is easier to see through
black netting than that of some other color.