362 



G L K A N T N G S IN BEE CULTURE 



.Tune, 1919 



ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS 



By Grace Allen — Chapter V 



A NNE and Daddy Lowe were in the bee- 

 jf\^ yard. It was early June. Across great 

 spaces of clover bloom and fragrance 

 came a sound of distant cowbells, from a 

 sun-flooded field a meadow lark arose, sing- 

 ing, and all around was the thrilling wonder 

 of the bees. 



"It is almost too beautiful," Anne said 

 once, softly, "It hurts." 



"Beauty often hurts," the old man an- 

 swered. And they went on with their work. 



' ' Here 's another super for you, ' ' Anne 

 was saying presently to her busy workers; 

 ' ' see if you can fill this one, too. There are 

 only eight combs in it, you see, so you can 

 make them nice and plump. ' ' 



"Look who's coming, Anne!" Mr. Lowe 

 called. It was Theodore, swinging a little 

 car with reckless speed thru the gate. He 

 was in a blue shirt and overalls. 



Anything wrong? 

 But Anne 



' Mr. Lowe asked 

 only gazed at his 



quickly, 

 clothes. 



"Why Theodore!" she reproached, with 

 mock solemnity. "I never thought I'd see 

 you like this, all — all this way ! ' ' 



' ' You 've got one on me, Anne, ' ' Theodore 

 answered good-naturedly. Then turning to 

 the old man, "Can you come over and help 

 me, Mr. Lowe?" he asked. "I've got a 

 swarm. ' ' 



"A swarm?" they echoed together. 



"You see I bought a hive of bees a few 

 weeks ago," he began. 



Anne laughed. "That's why you asked 

 so many questions about bees last Sunday, ' ' 

 she accused. "I thought you were being 

 polite! " 



"Guilty," he admitted. "I haven't had 

 time to read a word — too many other things 

 to learn at the same time. And there they 

 are — pouring out of the hive — and I don't 

 know — " 



Mr. Lowe was moving swiftly, as one who 

 has met unexpected swarms for many years 

 learns to move. 



' ' You haven 't happened to clip your 

 queen, I suppose," he remarked as he set a 

 hive in the car. 



"No, but I happened to buy one already 

 clipped — anj-how the man said so. ' ' 



"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Lowe. "Anne 

 can hive your swarm for you. ' ' 



Theodore shook his head. "It might set- 

 tle in a high tree, mightn't it?" he worried. 



"Oh well," smiled Mr. Lowe, "Anne 

 doesn't mind high trees. Jump in, Anne, 

 go on over and hive Theodore 's swarm. ' ' 



"Oh no!" Anne exclaimed. "I can't!" 



"Can't?" 



"Well, I mean — why, no, of course not, 

 Daddy Lowe! " 



"I just hadn't supposed," began Theo- 

 dore, in some embarrassment. 



"Of course you hadn't supposed," Daddy 



Lowe agreed quietly. ' ' But she can. Come 

 on. Anne, I '11 finish your hi\'e. ' ' 



And Anne, quickly tossing one mood aside 

 for another, came, bringing her hive tool 

 and smoker. "All right, Theodore," she 

 laughed, "I'll hive your swarm!" 



Down the road towards the Clark farm 

 they sped, while Mrs. Lowe, who had seen 

 them go, came out and smiled at her hus- 

 band. "It looks like the old story. Father," 

 she said, gently. 



"Did you ever see a swarm before?" 

 Anne asked, as they neared Clark's. 



' ' No, ' ' he answered, his eyes on the road 

 ahead, ' ' I never saw nor heard such a sight 

 before. ' ' 



Anne laughed. ' ' And you never heard 

 nor saw such a sound before! I know! 

 We've had two. Isn't it exciting? And 

 beautiful. All the air full of wings." 



' ' It was interesting, ' ' the young man ad- 

 mitted, and turned in the Clark gate. He 

 had really been gone only a few minutes, 

 and the dark cluster of bees was hanging 

 quietly on the end of a high branch of a 

 wild cherry tree. 



Before Theodore could get round to help 

 her out, Anne had sprung to the ground and 

 started towards the one hive by the fence. 

 There she stooped, walking slowly around, 

 examining the grass closely. "You bring 

 the other hive," she called. 



But as he approached, she shooed him 

 back. "Wait," she warned, "or come care- 

 fully. You might step on the queen. ' ' 



"Just where do j^ou think my queen is?" 

 Theodore demanded indignantly. 



' ' Eight here ! ' ' she exclaimed joyfully. 

 Theodore smiled relentingly. "Eight 

 here is right," he agreed mysteriously, but 

 was wise enough not to say it aloud. He 

 leaned over Anne, and sure enough, there 

 was the clipped queen bee hopping around 

 in the grass, with a goodly number of her 

 devoted attendants around her. 



"Quick, Theodore!" Anne urged. "Set 

 the old hive off to one side. Just anywhere 

 for now. Set the super off first, if it's too 

 heavy. ' ' 



With his swift young strength he did as 

 she said. 



' ' Now put the new one right in the old 

 place. There, now everything is ready. And 

 only just in time. Look!" 



The cluster was breaking, and again the 

 air was filled with bees. 



"They're going away! They're going 

 away! You'll lope them!" some one was 

 calling. 



Theodore looked inquiringly at Anne. 

 ' ' You won 't lose them, ' ' she assured him 

 eagerly. "They won't go away without 

 their queen. They have found out she isn't 

 with them, and they're coming back." 



Back they came, pouring into the en- 



