The Busy Bee 1 1 3 



hive on some warm summer day, when the 

 honey flow is at its height, at about noon to 

 realize fully how true is the old proverbial 

 phrase, " as busy as a bee." 



" Hum, hum, zip, zip, hum." They come 

 like bullets in a lively skirmish, a steady 

 stream, all laden with the sweet of every 

 honey flower that blooms within a radius of 

 three miles. It matters not whether the hive 

 is composed of black native, hybrids, golden 

 banded Carniolas, or pure Italians, the story 

 is just the same, " hum, hum, zip, zip, hum." 

 All bringing home some of that delicious 

 sweet which the wonderful chemistry of sun 

 and rain, dew and mould have distilled. 



But no idler gains entrance to the hive, for 

 if the honey stomach which is just in front of 

 the real stomach, is not well filled, it fares 

 hard with the lazy one. 



No military camp was ever guarded more 

 rigidly against the intrusion of the enemy, 

 than is the hive against the laggard, and 

 against thieves from other hives. 



From a dozen to a score of good soldiers 



