AN IDYL OF THE HONEY-BEE 



the antidote to its own poison. The best remedy 

 for bee sting is honey, and when your hands are 

 besmeared with honey, as they are sure to be on 

 such occasions, the wound is scarcely more painful 

 than the prick of a pin. Assault your bee-tree, then, 

 boldly with your axe, and you will find that when 

 the honey is exposed every bee has surrendered, 

 and the whole swarm is cowering in helpless be- 

 wilderment and terror. Our tree yields only a few 

 pounds of honey, not enough to have lasted the 

 swarm till January, but no matter : we have the 

 less burden to carry. 



In the afternoon we go nearly half a mile farther 

 along the ridge to a corn-field that lies immediately 

 in front of the highest point of the mountain. The 

 view is superb ; the ripe autumn landscape rolls 

 away to the east, cut through by the great placid 

 river; in the extreme north the wall of the Catskills 

 stands out clear and strong, while in the south the 

 mountains of the Highlands bound the view. The 

 day is warm, and the bees are very busy there in 

 that neglected corner of the field, rich in asters, 

 fleabane, and goldenrod. The corn has been cut, 

 and upon a stout but a few rods from the woods, 

 which here drop quickly down from the precipitous 

 heights, we set up our bee-box, touched again with 

 the pungent oil. In a few moments a bee has found 

 it; she comes up to leeward, following the scent. 

 On leaving the box, she goes straight toward the 

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