44 



THE AMERICAN BEE KEEPER. 



February 



watched the flight intently. Only a 

 few minutes pass until this identical 

 bee returns, but not alone. On wings, 

 feet and dusky jacket a telltale aroraa 

 informed his companions what stores 

 he had found and they too load them- 

 selves with sweets and each make that 

 selfsame flight homeward. The com- 

 pass is consulted, a line is drawn and 

 a new stand is established exactly on 

 that line and in the direction of the 

 bee tree. If their flight is high above 

 the trees this indicates that their tree 

 is distant. If they dart low down 

 among the bi'anches it is near. If the 

 the stand is carried too far or beyond 

 the tree no bees will return, but if it 

 is yet between the place first taken 

 and the tree or home they will soon 

 find it and again dart for home. 



At this second stand all the small 

 shrubs and trees are cut down for a 

 circuit of several feet to give open 

 flight to the bees and a sight of them 

 to the hunter. Sometimes " cross lin- 

 ing " is necessary; that is a stand is 

 set off at right angles to get a new 

 line, and thus, with patience, care and 

 skill the citveted tree is located. On 

 the base of the tree, to establish own- 

 ership by right of discovery, the hunt- 

 er carves his initials, '• W. H." To 

 the credit of woodsmen a tree so mark- 

 ed is rarely cut by any but the right- 

 ful owner. 



The first tree was an elm, its great 

 arms covering a space of 100 feet in 

 circumfrence. The hive was in a 

 branch extending southward. 



"Cut the tree," said Billy, "so as 

 to have it fall with that limb upward." 

 , The task of felling the tree is light 

 for it is hollow. Its giant crown trem- 

 bles at each stroke of the axe and it 



slowly moves to the north ; then the 

 movement is swift and swifter until it 

 whips its large trunk deep into the 

 earth. Before it strikes the ground 

 the hive brauch breaks from the trunk 

 and shivers into splinters. Bees and 

 honey are scattered broadcast and 

 most of the precious sweets are lost. 

 It is a new hive swarmed this year 

 and therefore the stores are not large. 



The second tree afforded better re- 

 sults. To reach it our path was ob- 

 structed by a swamp, briers and the 

 woven mat of an old " slashing." The 

 bee tree w^as a large dead pine, bereft 

 of both bark and branches. The axe 

 and cross-cut saw are each brought 

 into play in bringing this monster 

 down. It falls with an awful crash 

 but not a bee is seen mingling with 

 flying leaves and debris. 



" You must have been mistaken this 

 time," I said. 



"Come here and listen," said he, as 

 he put an ear to the side of the trunk. 



When the tree falls the first man to 

 approach guards his face and head by 

 placing mosquito netting over his head 

 and neck. Shortly after the crash the 

 bees are too busy in a frantic effort to 

 save their treasures and do not often 

 attack one, especially in cold weather. 

 In this instance the bees were com- 

 pletely imprisoned, their entrance be- 

 ing under the tree. With an axe and 

 saw a section of the trunk is split off 

 and rows on rows of honey, rich and 

 toothsome, are exposed. 



The amount of honey found in trees 

 varies greatly. In rare instances 100 

 pounds may be taken. The old hives 

 are the rich ones. In the majority of 

 instances the stored honey runs from 

 ten to forty pounds. 



