HANDLING BEES.
But some one asks the question, shall we not receive those merciless
stings, or be introduced to what "Josh" calls the "business end of the
bee?" Perhaps there is no more causeless, or more common dread, in
existence, than this of bees' stings. When bees are gathering, they
will never sting unless provoked. When at the hives--especially if
Italians--they will rarely make an attack. The common belief, too, that
some persons are more liable to attack than others, is, I think, put
too strong. With the best opportunity to judge, with our hundreds of
students, I think I may safely say that one is almost always as liable
to attack as another, except that he is more quiet, or does not greet
the usually amiable passer-by, with those terrific thrusts, which would
vanquish even a practiced pugilist. Occasionally a person _may_ have
a peculiar odor about his person that angers bees and invites their
darting tilts, with drawn swords, venom-tipped, yet, though I take my
large classes each season, at frequent intervals, to see and handle
the bees, each for himself, I still await the first proof of the fact,
that one person is more liable to be stung than another, providing each
carries himself with that composed and dignified bearing, that is so
pleasing to the bees. True, some people, filled with dread, and the
belief that bees regard them with special hate and malice, are so ready
for the battle, that they commence the strife with nervous head-shakes
and beating of the air, and thus force the bees to battle, _nolens
volens_. I believe that only such are regarded with special aversion by
the bees. Hence, I believe that no one need be stung.
Bees should never be jarred, nor irritated by quick motions. Those with
nervous temperaments--and I plead very guilty on this point--need not
give up, but at first better protect their faces, and perhaps even
their hands, till time and experience show them that fear is vain; then
they will divest themselves of all such useless encumbrances. Bees
are more cross when they are gathering no honey, and at such times,
black bees and hybrids, especially, are so irritable that even the
experienced apiarist will wish a veil.
THE BEST BEE-VEIL.
This should be made of black tarlatan, sewed up like a bag, a half
yard long, without top or bottom, and with a diameter of the rim of a
common straw-hat. Gather the top with braid, so that it will just slip
over the crown of the hat--else, sew it to the edge of the rim of some
cheap, cool hat, in fact, I prefer this style--and gather the bottom
with rubber cord or rubber tape, so that it may be drawn over the hat
rim, and then over the head, as we adjust the hat.
[Illustration: Fig. 62.]
Some prefer to dispense with the rubber cord at the bottom (Fig. 62),
and have the veil long so as to be gathered in by the coat or dress. If
the black tarlatan troubles by coloring the shirt or collar, the lower
part may be made of white netting. When in use, the rubber cord draws
the lower part close about the neck, or the lower part tucks within the
coat or vest (Fig. 62), and we are safe. This kind of a veil is cool,
does not impede vision at all, and can be made by any woman at a cost
of less than twenty cents. Common buckskin or sheep-skin gloves can be
used, as it will scarcely pay to get special gloves for the purpose,
for the most timid person--I speak from experience--will soon consider
gloves an unnecessary nuisance.
Special rubber gloves are sold by those who keep on hand apiarian
supplies.
Some apiarists think that dark clothing is specially obnoxious to bees.
For ladies, my friend, Mrs. Baker, recommends a dress which, by use
of the rubber skirt-lift or other device, can be instantly raised or
lowered. This will be convenient in the apiary, and tidy anywhere. The
Gabrielle style is preferred, and of a length just to reach the floor.
It should be belted at the waist, and cut down from the neck in front,
one-third the length of the waist, to permit the tucking in of the
veil. The under-waist should fasten close about the neck. The sleeves
should be quite long to allow free use of the arms, and gathered in
with a rubber cord at the wrist, which will hug the rubber gauntlets
or arm, and prevent bees from crawling up the sleeves. The pantalets
should be straight and full, and should also have the rubber cord in
the hem to draw them close about the top of the shoes.
Mrs. Baker also places great stress on the wet "head-cap," which she
believes the men even would find a great comfort. This is a simple,
close-fitting cap, made of two thicknesses of coarse toweling. The head
is wet with cold water, and the cap wet in the same, wrung out, and
placed on the head.
Mrs. Baker would have the dress neat and clean, and so trimmed that
the lady apiarist would ever be ready to greet her brother or sister
apiarists. In such a dress there is no danger of stings, and with it
there is that show of neatness and taste, without which no pursuit
could attract the attention, or at least the patronage, of our refined
women.
TO QUIET BEES.
In harvest seasons, the bees, especially if Italians, can almost always
be handled without their showing resentment. But at other times, and
whenever they object to necessary familiarity, we have only to cause
them to fill with honey to render them harmless, unless we pinch them.
This can be done by closing the hive so that the bees cannot get out,
and then rapping on the hive for four or five minutes. Those within
will fill with honey, those without will be tamed by surprise, and
all will be quiet. Sprinkling the bees with sweetened water will also
tend to render them amiable, and will make them more ready to unite,
to receive a queen, and less apt to sting. Still another method, more
convenient, is to smoke the bees. A little smoke blown among the bees
will scarcely ever fail to quiet them, though I have known black bees
in autumn, to be very slow to yield. Dry cotton cloth, closely wound
and sewed or tied, or better, pieces of dry, rotten wood, are excellent
for the purpose of smoking. These are easily handled, and will burn for
a long time. But best of all is a
BELLOWS-SMOKER.
This is a tin tube attached to a bellows. Cloth or rotten wood can be
burned in the tube, and will remain burning a long time. The smoke can
be directed at pleasure, the bellows easily worked, and the smoker used
without any disagreeable effects or danger from fire. It can be got
from any dealer in bee apparatus, and only costs from $1.25 to $2.00. I
most heartily recommend it to all.
There are two smokers in use, which I have found very valuable, and
both of which are worthy of recommendation.
THE QUINBY SMOKER.
This smoker (Fig. 63, _a_) was a gift to bee-keepers by the late Mr.
Quinby, and not patented; though I supposed it was, and so stated
in a former edition of this work. Though a similar device had been
previously used in Europe, without doubt Mr. Quinby was not aware
of the fact, and as he was the person to bring it to the notice of
bee-keepers, and to make it so perfect as to challenge the attention
and win the favor of apiarists _instanter_, he is certainly worthy of
great praise, and deserving of hearty gratitude. This smoker, until a
better one appeared, was a very valuable and desirable instrument. Its
faults were, lack of strength, too small a fire-tube, too little draft
when not in use, so that the fire would go out, and too great liability
to fall over on the side, when the fire was sure to be extinguished.
Many of these defects, however, have been corrected, and other
improvements made in a new smoker, called the Improved Quinby (Fig. 63,
_b_).
[Illustration: Fig. 63.]
THE BINGHAM SMOKER.
This smoker (Fig. 64) not only meets all the requirements, which are
wanting in the old Quinby smoker, but shows by its whole construction,
that it has not only as a whole, but in every part, been subject to the
severest test, and the closest, thought and study.
[Illustration: Fig. 64.]
At first sight this seems an improved copy of Mr. Quinby's smoker, and
so I first thought, though I only saw it in Mr. Bingham's hand at a
Convention. I have since used it, examined it in every part, and have
to say that it is not a Quinby smoker. The bellows, the valve, the
cut-off, and even the form, are all peculiar. The special point to be
commended, and, I suppose, the only one patentable, is the cut-off
between the bellows and fire-tube, so that the fire seldom goes out,
while even hard-wood, as suggested by the inventor, forms an excellent
and ever-ready fuel. The valve for the entrance of air to the bellows,
permits rapid work, the spring is of the best clock-spring material,
the leather perfect, not split sheep-skin, while the whole construction
of the bellows, and the plan of the fire-screen and cut-off draft, show
much thought and ingenuity. I am thus full in this description, that I
may not only benefit my readers, all of whom will want a smoker, but
also out of gratitude to Mr. Bingham, who has conferred such a favor
on American apiarists. There are three sizes, which may be bought for
$1.00, $1.50 and $1.75, respectively, including postage.
Mr. Bingham, to protect himself, and preserve the quality of his
invention, has procured a patent. This, provided he has only patented
his own invention, is certainly his right, which I think honesty
requires us all to respect. Like Mr. Langstroth, he has given us a
valuable instrument; let us see that he is not defrauded out of the
justly earned reward for his invention.
Brother apiarists, let us cease this unjust clamor against patents
and patentees. If a man procures a patent on a worthless thing, let
him alone, and where is the damage? If a man procures a patent on a
valuable and desirable invention, then buy it, or pay for the right to
make it, and thus keep the Eighth and Tenth Commandments (Exodus, 20th
chap., 8th and 10th verses). Let us never buy an article unless we know
it is valuable and desirable for us, no matter how stoutly importuned;
but for honesty's sake, and that we may encourage more inventions, let
us respect a man's patent as we would any other property. If we are
in doubt as to the correctness of some person's claim, let us not be
forced to pay a bonus, but first write to some candid editor or other
authority, and if we find a man has a right to the article, then pay
as we would any other debt. I should be very suspicious of any man's
honesty who was not willing to respect such rights.
TO SMOKE BEES.
Approach the hive, blow a little smoke in at the entrance, then open
from above, and blow in smoke as required. If at any time the bees seem
irritable, a few puffs from the smoker will subdue them. Thus, any
person may handle his bees with perfect freedom and safety. If at any
time the fire-chamber and escape-pipe become filled with soot, they can
easily be cleaned by revolving an iron or hard-wood stick inside of
them.
TO CURE STINGS.
In case a person is stung, he should step back a little for a moment,
as the pungent odor of the venom is likely to anger the bees and induce
further stinging. The sting should be withdrawn, and if the pain is
such as to prove troublesome, apply a little ammonia. The venom is an
acid, and is neutralized by the alkali. Pressing over the sting with
the barrel of a watch-key is also said to be of some use in staying the
progress of the poison in the circulation of the blood. In case horses
are badly stung, as sometimes happens, they should be taken as speedily
as possible into a barn (a man, too, may escape angry bees by entering
a building), where the bees will seldom follow, then wash the horses in
soda water, and cover with blankets wet in cold water.
THE SWEAT THEORY.
It is often stated that sweaty horses and people are obnoxious to the
bees, and hence, almost sure targets for their barbed arrows. In warm
weather I perspire most profusely, yet am scarcely ever stung, since
I have learned to control my nerves. I once kept my bees in the front
yard--they looked beautiful on the green lawn--within two rods of a
main thoroughfare, and not infrequently let my horse, covered with
sweat upon my return from a drive, crop the grass, while cooling off,
right in the same yard. Of course, there was some danger, but I never
knew my horse to get stung. Why, then, the theory? May not the more
frequent stings be consequent upon the warm, nervous condition of the
individual? The man is more ready to strike and jerk, the horse to
stamp and switch. The switching of the horse's tail, like the whisker
trap of a full beard, will anger even a good-natured bee. I should
dread the motions more than the sweat, though it may be true that there
is a peculiarity in the odor from either the sensible or insensible
perspiration of some persons, that angers the bees and provokes the use
of their terrible weapons.