BASSWOOD. 



39 



BEE-HUNTING. 



packing-box concerns, ami wood-pulp and 

 paper-makers. 



After all, there is one redeeming feature, 

 the bass wood is a very rapid grower. We 

 thought at one time that we had used nearly 

 all the basswood in this section, to say noth- 

 ing of the enormous quantities shipped in 

 from Michigan and other States : yet some- 

 how the farmers still bring in beautiful nice 

 white basswood lumber ; but where they 

 get it in our vicinity is a puzzle. At least 

 .some of this lumber is from a second growth 

 of trees that sprouted from the stumps of 

 old trees— said trees having been cut for us 

 ten years ago. If basswood will replace it- 

 self in ten or even twenty years, so that it 

 can be used again for lumber, there is yet 

 liope that it will continue to bless the bee- 

 keeper. 



Over against this is the stubborn fact that 

 our basswoods are disappearing, and rapid- 

 ly, too, over all the country. During 1899, 

 when there was such a great advance in pine 

 lumber, basswood was used very largely for 

 house-building, with the consequence that 

 millions of feet were used up. 



Basswood. and perhaps most other forest- 

 trees, require shade, especially when young. 

 Much to our surprise, some that were 

 planted directly under large white -oak 

 trees have done better than any of the rest. 

 Who has not noticed exceedingly thrifty 

 basswoods growing in the midst of a clump 

 of briers and bushes of all sorts V We would 

 plant the trees not more than 12 feet apart. 



The best yield of honey we ever had 

 from a single hive, in one day. was from 

 basswood bloom, the amount being 43 lbs. in 

 three days. The best we ever recorded from 

 clover was 10 lbs. in one day. Honey 

 from the basswood has a strong aromatic 

 or mint flavor, and we can tell when the 

 blossoms are out by the perfume about the 

 hives. The taste of the honey also indi- 

 cates to the apiarist the very day the bees 

 commence work on it. The honey, if ex- 

 tracted before it is sealed over, when it is 

 coming in rapidly, has the distinctive flavor 

 so strong as to be very disagreeable to some 

 persons. A lady likens it to the smell and 

 taste of turpentine or camphor, and very 

 much dislikes it when just gathered ; but 

 when sealed over and fully ripened in the 

 hive, she thinks it delicious, as does almost 

 every person. 



BZSZj-BZLXjAD. a term in common use, 

 applied to pollen when stored in the combs. 

 In olden times, when bees were killed with 



sulphur to get at the honey, more or less 

 pollen was usually found mixed with the 

 honey ; it has something of a "bready" taste, 

 and hence, probably, came its name. Since 

 the advent of the extractor and section 

 boxes, it is very rare to find pollen in the 

 honey designed for table use. See Pollen. 



BEE-DRESS. See Veils. 



BEE-ESCAPES. See Comb Honey, 

 also Extracting. 



--J BEE-HtJIfTIZVG-. We have given the 

 warning so often, against leaving sweets 

 of any kind about the apiary, and about be- 

 ing careful not to let the bees get to robbing 

 each other, that it may seem a little queer 

 to be directed how best to encourage and de- 

 velop this very robbing propensity in these 

 little friends of ours. 



Tlie only season in which we can trap bees 

 is when they will rob briskly at home ; for 

 while honey is to be found in the flowers in 

 plenty, they will hardly deign to notice our 

 j bait of even honey in the comb. Before 

 , starting out. it will be policy to inform your- 

 , self of all bees kept in the vicinity, for 

 ; you might otherwise waste much time in 

 following lines that lead into the hives of 

 ' your neighbors. You should be at least a 

 mile from any one who has a hive of bees 

 I when you commence operations, and it were 

 safer to be two miles. We do not mean by 

 this to say that there are no bee-trees near 

 large apiaries, for a number have been found 

 within half a mile of our own. and an expe- 

 rienced hand would have but little trouble in 

 finding more, in all probability ; but those 

 who are just learning would, very likely, be 

 much perplexed and bothered by domesti- 

 cated bees mixing with the wild ones. 



Perhaps the readiest means of getting a 

 line started is to catch bees that will be 

 found on the flowers, especially in the early 

 part of the day. Get them to take a sip of 

 the honey you have brought for the purpose, 

 and they will, true to their instinctive love 

 of gain, speed homeward with their load, 

 soon to return for another. To find the tree, 

 you have only to watch and see where they 

 go. Very simple, is it not V It certainly is 

 on paper, but usually involves much hard 

 work when carried out in practice. You 

 can get along with very simple implements ; 

 but if yonr time is valuable, it may pay to 

 go out fully equipped. For instance, a small 

 glass tumbler will answer to catch bees 

 with ; and after you have caught one, you 

 can set the glass over a piece of honey- comb. 

 Xow cover it with your handkerchief to 



