536 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Mr. R. M. Spencer, was 

 with us on that trip. The 

 only way one can get to 

 this yard is on horse- 

 back, so horseback we 

 went, and it was the 

 hardest trip I have ever 

 taken, to say nothing of 

 the dangerous experi- 

 ence. There had been 23 

 inches of rain, and all 

 signs of the trail had 

 been destroyed. We had 

 to wind our way up a 

 river over big rocks that 

 lay in great piles, some 

 of them as large as a 

 dwelling - house. We 

 were getting along nice- 

 ly, and had gone about 

 six miles, when sudden- 

 ly, without the slightest 

 warning, our horses 

 whirled around. Just in 

 front was a rattlesnake 

 six feet long. Mr. Spen- 

 cer was in the lead ; and 

 when his horse whirled 

 the saddle turned, and 

 he was thrown to the 

 ground squarely on top 

 of the snake. He prob- 

 ably owes his life to the 

 fact that the snake was 

 uncoiled, and was prob- 

 ably as badly scared as 

 the members of our par- 

 ty. Mr. Spencer was 

 sure "on top" that time. 

 We killed the rattler, 

 and went on up between 

 the mountains over some 

 places that were so steep 

 that we had to get oif 

 and lead the horses. 



We finally reached our destination and 

 found the bees in bad condition and the 

 hives scattered all over the yard. A black 

 bear had been there and had destroyed 

 about 30 colonies. Apparently the bees had 

 stung him, and he had slapped the hives to 

 pieces in a number of instances. We 

 straightened up the hives that were left, 

 stayed all night, and started for home the 

 next morning. 



On the way home Mr. Spencer was again 

 unfortunate. (Crossing a bare steep rock his 

 horse slipped and went down, and he was 

 tlu'own into a hole with the horse on top of 

 him. We rolled the horse out and finally 

 rescued our boss. We had some trouble, 



spading up around th 

 you will notice. See 



Iso cfnii-inoii sweet clover in llie haue field. After 

 e plant he threw some grass and weeds arouud it, as 

 page 558. 



believe me, but reached home at length, and 

 the boss is here yel. 



At another time w'e started for this yard 

 v/ith three days' provisions of canned goods. 

 After a tedious ride we finally reached the 

 yard and found there the same old story. 

 There had been another bear, and 54 of 

 the colonies were destroyed. About two 

 o'clock that day it began to rain. We were 

 rained in for several days, and we had to 

 cut our bill of fare down to two meals a 

 day, and these, of course, were very small 

 in order to make the food last. You may be 

 sure tliat we cut those slices of bread very 

 thin. 



The cabin was in a safe place, however, 

 and there was about 400 pounds of honey 



