1870.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



135 



[From the Western Rural.] 



Hunting- Wild Bees. 



Bees are generally hunted in the fall, after the 

 flowers have failed, or we have had one or two 

 sharp frosts. The hunter takes Avith him into 

 the woods a dish in which there is lioncy in the 

 comb, and an ash pail in which there are some 

 live coals covered with ashes. An opening 

 where a bee can be seen some distance is selected. 

 For convenience in "lining" the honey is placed 

 on a log, stump, or bush, a few feet from the 

 earth, with the fire near it. A small piece of 

 comb is put on the fire. The smoke from the 

 burning comb attracts the bees ; they soon find 

 the honey, fill their honey sacs, and leave on a 

 "bee line" for home. 



Tru' Line. Stand. 



The hunter estimates the distance he is from 

 the bee by the length of time the bee is gone, 

 and also by the number of bees he has at work 

 in a given time. If he is confident that he is 

 near the tree, instead of getting them at work 

 a""ain directly in the line, he moves either to the 

 right or to the left of it. For instance if the line 

 is due north, he moves his "traps" northeast or 

 northwest, to where he can get a line at a right 

 angle with the first one, and finds the tree where 

 the two lines meet. 



J. H. TOWNLEY. 



Parma, {MieJi.) 



[For the .\meiicau Bee Jourual.] 



Eemarks and Inquiries. 



Mr. Editok : — We are behind the times in this 

 country, and as regards the improvements of the 

 Nineteenth century, we are living in another 

 age. Too many of us in milling, have not dis- 

 carded the old custom of our fathers of carrying 

 a stone in one end of the bag, to balance the 

 grist in the other. Some have purchased the 

 iin])roveiaents oftered, but have been so badly bit, 

 they are like the burnt child : — and now all over 

 this country, in some out-of-the-way place, in 

 yard or outhouse, can be found i)ateut churns, 

 washing machines, rat-traps, and bee-hives, all 



useless, but costing their owner such an inade- 

 quate outlay, compared with their real worth, 

 they were not committed to the kindling box, 

 but allowed to remain on the premises, as monu- 

 ments of " the fool and his money ! " 



Now, Mr. Editor, we do not know how it is in 

 the States north and west of us, but it appears 

 to us that all the patent useless machines and 

 implements of the inventive "wooden nutmeg, 

 and horn gun-fiint " New Englander, find their 

 way down here ; and ad captandum vtdgiis, the 

 owners or their agents assume and put on a 

 grave, sanctimonious expression, while they tell 

 us, the only inducement in visiting us was pro 

 bono publico I The tnodel in his hands works like 

 a charm, and he finds a purchaser for State and 

 county rights, to make and use, pockets his 

 money and away he goes. But when the con- 

 cern is made up life size, it won't work, ami 

 the whole patent family of imijroved impknnents 

 are abused and cursed, and many really valuable 

 inventions cannot be sold, because worthless 

 ones have found their way in our midst. 



"We have extended to a greater length than in- 

 tended, our introduction to some questions which 

 we wish to ask through the Journal, desiring 

 some correspondent to answer them. On read- 

 ing the experience of persons who have the past 

 season, used the melextraotor or honey slinger, 

 we are ent-ertaining visions that after the smaller 

 vessels are filled, we shall resort for repositories 

 of honey to the tank or cistern. Vf e have never 

 used the extract oi-, nor have we yet seen one at 

 work, but we intend to have one next spring. 

 Now the questions — 



1st. AVhose extractor do you use? Does it 

 work well ? And what is the price ? 



2d How often do yon extract the honey from 

 the same comb ? Do you wait until it is capped? 



3d. If the honey is not capped, and is thin and 

 wate.y when extracted, will it not ferment and 

 sour ? 



4th. Do you exti-act honey from combs having 

 brood within it ? If so, what becomes of the un- 

 capped brood ? 



5th. Is the colony not troubled with robbers, 

 on replacing the dripping frame into the hive? 



These are some of the troubles that present 

 themselves to my mind, at this distance ; any 

 suggestion of those experienced in its workings 

 will be of interest, Mr. Editor, to several of 

 your readers and lovers of nice honey. It occurs 

 to us that if honey is extracted within a day or 

 two after it is deposited in the cells by the bees, 

 it will ferment and spoil ; or if it does not, it 

 will not be so valuable. 



Let us liear from those who have practically 

 tested these Honey Extractors, for we are seek- 

 ing ?ox furtherWghi in thisiee-nighted region. Do 

 not read this and throw your paper aside, for 

 some one else to answer, or speculate irpon in 

 their own minds ; for we are in earnest, and 

 really want an answer to the inquiries we have 

 made. W. P. Hknderson. 



Murfreesboro\ Tenn., Nov. 5, 1870. 



Until the fifteenth century honey was used 

 instead of sugar. 



