20 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[rci* the American Bee Journal.] 



How Thorns Grow in Beeland. 



On reafling the article on pnge 48 of the Sep- 

 tember nnuiber of the Bee Jouiinal, statintj 

 that Osmond Putton died from the effect of a 

 bee sting, I thought it my duty to give a truthful 

 account of what happened to me, last summer, 

 Avitli a distant neighbor of mine. Though tiie 

 fact I am g')ing to relate has nothing to do di- 

 rectly Avith p.aclical bee-culture, yet it may 

 save some a good deal of trouble, keep them 

 perhaps fron\ sleepless nights and apprehensions 

 ot dreadful vengeance; and at the same time serve 

 as a warning against iuttmperance, carelessness 

 and superstiiiou. 



As with me, so I am aware it is with nearly 

 every bee-keeper, \,-ho has a large apiary. 

 Farms on whicli bees are kept, arc more fre- 

 quented by visitors and seekers than others. If 

 not tlius with all, it is so however with me in 

 the bee season. Then, especially on Sunday's, 

 a neighbor or some stranger strolls along the 

 fences, with slow and measured step, looking 

 np and down through garden and orchard, till 

 he an ives in fair sight of the apiary. Here his 

 steps slacken, and lie finally slops, apparently 

 counting the bees and hives. Then, slowly 

 moving onward again, he at lengtli disappears 

 as suddenly as he came. This nray be seen 

 every summer, Avherever a public road passes 

 within view of an apiary. 



A man, liviug some n\iles away, made such 

 approaches to my apiary, several times, when 

 pa:>sing along oa his way to church, or on other 

 business. One Sunday, returning from Mass, 

 about two o'clock in the afternoon, he made his 

 appearance again, in his habitual slow pace, gaz- 

 ing intently over the fence, his lace beaming with 

 deiiglit. On seeing me near an apple tree, where 

 I was examining some damage done by mis- 

 chievous boys the previous winter, he crosbcd the 

 fence, and gesticulated towards the apiary. 

 Being myself extremely deaf, I heard nothing, 

 but judged trom his actions that the man was 

 greatly astonishod at seeing so many bees — 

 more perhaps than he had ever seen before. 

 Pleased to see him thus interested, I went to 

 him and asked if he was a lover of bees. "No," 

 said he, "I have never seen honey bees in an 

 apiary; but I have heard a great deal of talk about 

 them, and theref'^re stepped over to ask your 

 permission to have a Jouk at them." "Well, 

 friend," I replied, "you shall not only see mj' 

 apiary, but the hives also inside and outside, 

 and morever taste the sweetness of the honey- 

 comb this very day." Together we walked till 

 we reached tne apiarj- — which is a bee-house 

 two stories high, covered with a shingle roof, 

 and enclosed all around with boards, with a 

 door for entrance. The hives were placed close 

 together, nnd we stood in front in full range ol 

 the bees' flight. As my man was in profuse pers- 

 piration, after his four miles walk from church, 

 1 told him it was noi a safe place for us. The bees 

 Avere flying splendidly; it was just two o'chick, 

 the weatner was very sultry, the young were 

 exercising in great numbers, and the man Btood 



at full height among them. Fearing he might 

 be stung, I asked him to go into the bee-hou^e. 

 But seeing me disregard the bees and expose 

 myself so fearlessly, he concluded the bees are 

 merely flies, and declined seeking shcller. "No," 

 said he, "1 was once stung in my thumb by a 

 iiumble-bee, it was nothing more than a flea 

 bite, big bee though it was." "Well, then," 

 said I, "be attentive, I am going to turn over 

 one of the hives that you may see its interior. 

 Be careful not to make any sudden movement 

 which ma}' irritate the bees, though mine are 

 gentle." In a moment I hnd the ^hive turned 

 over with the opening or mouth towards him. 

 The man prattled and looked on to liis heart's 

 content, examining both btes and combs closely, 

 and constantly approaching nearer and neaier, 

 till suddenly he made a fearful leap, uttered a 

 piercing shriek, and rushed away with quite a 

 stream of bees in pursuit. In an instant he was 

 seen no more, but the bees whirled all around 

 in wild excitement. I was soon stung twice, 

 and returning toe hive to its position, marched 

 ofl' very demurely out of harm's way. Having 

 reached a safe distance, I looked up for my m-an. 

 He was seen Avhirling his arms wi dly, jumping 

 and rushing frantically through thrediiiug-floor, 

 on his way to the woods. I called to him to stop 

 and I would assist to free him from his tor- 

 mentors; but he seemed as deaf as myself, and 

 mad with excitement and puin, soon disap- 

 peared in the woods. Thus lar the story is a 

 natural one, and the like occurrence may have 

 happened frequently elsewhere. 



Three days after, having heard nothing of 

 him, and feeling uneasy on his accounr, though 

 he was a stranger to me and an Irishman, I 

 could not refrain from making inquiry about 

 him. So I went to a friend who lived not far 

 from the Irishman's farm. I reached there about 

 four o'clock in the afternoon, and at once stated 

 my errand, relating what had taken place on 

 the previous Sunday at my apiary. My friend 

 snid he knew it already, and then related to me 

 the version of the story as given by the other 

 side, Avhich was very different from mine. We 

 concluded to go together to i)ie man's farm, and 

 explain how the affair happened. I could not 

 account for the mishap, except b}' supposing 

 that as his mouth was close to the bees he had 

 blown his breath among them, and the efiVct 

 would be the woi-se if the man had just pre- 

 viously drank whisky or other ardent spirits. 

 The object of our visit was to inform liim where 

 the fault probably lay; but the man was not at 

 home on our arrival, having just gone to letch 

 his cows from pasture. On entering the house, 

 my friend made some apologizing remarks 

 about the behavior of the bees on Sunday. In 

 an instant the wife rose xike a tury, screaming 

 at the top of her voice, foaining with passion, 

 and uttering maledictions with steam-liUc volu- 

 bility. She seemed reatly and resolved, like a 

 hyena, to tear me to pieces; and, deaf as I am, 

 I was soon aware that something worse than 

 bee-stings was in prospect. I Iherefoie re- 

 frained from making any remarks ; but my 

 friend finally succeeded in assuring the wom;in. 

 that the trouble arose from her husband's 

 whisky-flavored bTreath being blown among the 



