214 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



we crossed and crisscrossed lines, nearly breaking 

 our necks gazing into tree-tops, all to no avail. 

 Then, too, even our victory might be tempered by 

 conditions. If the bee-tree were small, we judged 

 it contained little honey; if the tree were valuable, we 

 doubted if the owner would allow it to be cut. As a 

 matter of fact, we seldom cut a bee-tree; and when 

 we did, we wrested from it a combination of rotten 

 wood, bee-bread, crushed brood and bees that made 

 a potpourri which would prove disastrous to the 

 enfeebled stomachs of this generation. But, though 

 we rarely cut a bee-tree, bee-hunting lost none of its 

 fascination. For what could be more delightful 

 than long days spent in the autumn sunshine, en- 

 livened by an occupation vitally interesting that needs 

 must be lazily carried on! So we never gave it up 

 until the October frosts had killed all the flowers, 

 and the fumes of the honey-comb that we burned 

 failed to entice an enterprising bee from her winter 

 quarters to our box. 



