Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-03-31
By T. G. Hermann

The extension of bee culture as a
means of adding to the income has
been rapidly going on since it was
demonstrated that bees could be man
aged without discomfort to the opera
tor. and that a profit of so per cent,
and even more was easily procurable
Bee culture requires no outlay for
land upon which to raise crops. for
as yet there has been no plant dis
covered that pays to plant for honey
alone.
The honeybee is a benefactor to our
race. roaming the fields at will. gath
ering honey and pollen, which she
pays for in the fertilization of the
flowers.
She takes nothing from the fertili-
ty of the soil, but gives TO it one Of
the greatest fertilizers known. the
clovers. which would become extinct
If it were not for her agency in fer
tilizing the bloom. No land is re-
CURED except spot on which TO
place the hives
1t is easy to handle bees when you
know how. Undoubtedly a beekeeper
often gets stung; it would be useless
to deny it, and it is scarcely consol-
ing to a novice to tell him he will get
used to being stung: but after a time
a beekeeper really does become inoc-
ulated, after which. although the mo-
mentary pain may be sharp, there are
no disagreeable after effects, such as
swelling, etc.
The fear of stings. think, prevents
many from liking the work, and yet,
when properly protected with a bee
veil and working only in the warm
part of the day. and never when cloudy
a good smoker, one need rarely be
Stung.
In many cases the sting of bee
is attended with much pain and swell
Ing, while in others there are no i'll
effects produced whatever, and there
is no doubt but that the system may
become Injured to the poison so that no
bad effects are produced.
The writer recollects the time when
bee sting was very painful to him
and was always attended with suffer.
ing and swelling. l know there is a
certain current impression to the ef-
feet that bees will sting some people
more than others.
While this is true, 1t is not be.
cause they are able 10 recognize any
peculiar physical condition or differ.
ence, nor is it because one person
smells to the bees different from an
other. 1t is because they notice diff
ference in the behavior of different
persons
Avoid quick motions, do not breathe
upon them. and if there are other bees
flying about in search of plumber do
not leave the hive open too long.
In case OF accidents the smoker
should be used freely, and 1t ought to
be at hand for any manipulation in
the apiary. 1t is much easier to pre-
vent the anger of bees than to stop 1t
after it has begun. If you misman-
age colony of bees and arouse their
anger, 1t is quite likely that this iispo-
sition will remain with them for
few days.
bee away from home, or laden
with honey, never volunteers an at
tack This is so well known and so
established by apiarists that If I were
not writing mainly for beginners, !
would not think Of mentioning it.
Thus, in order to render bees harm
less it is only necessary to cause
them to fill themselves with honey,
and this is done by frightening them
with smoke. When smoke is driven
into hive through the entrance. the
bees at once begin filing themselves
with honey
For this reason 1t is much safer TO
handle bees during the warmest part
of the day. or at time when the
greater part Of the old bees are in
the field
The bees which compose a swarm
are usually filled with honey for the
journey which they expect to take. and
they are harmless unless crushed. or
very much irritated by the anger Of
others, and the smell of the poison.
1t is not absolutely necessary TO
smoke the colony Of bees until all the
bees fill themselves with honey in or
der to handle them safely. but IL is
certainly the safest method.
An expert may open a hive without
smoke and without danger. and may
handle the combs. and return ther TO
the hive without getting a single
sting by being quiet, steady and fear
less.
It is a fact that the fearless apiar-