Not generally understood, 266 My own experience, 267 Description of Disease, 267 The cause uncertain, 268 Remedial Experiments, 268 Public inquiry and answers, 268 Answers not satisfactory, 270 A cause suggested, 270 Reasons for the opinion, 272 Cause of its spreading, 273 Not easily detected at first, 274 Symptoms to be observed, 274 Scalding the honey to destroy the poison for feeding, 275 When to examine stocks that have swarmed, 275 Care in selecting stock-hives for winter, 276 Accusations not always right, 276 CHAPTER XVIII. IRRITABILITY OF BEES. Their means of defence, 277 Time of greatest Irritability, 278 Proper Conduct, 278 How to proceed when attacked, 279 A person's breath offensive, and other causes, 279 Their manner of attack, 279 Smoker described, 280 Effect of Tobacco Smoke, 281 Sting described, 282 Does its loss prove fatal? 283 Means of protection, 284 Remedies for stings, 285 CHAPTER XIX. ENEMIES OF BEES.