72 SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 



here and there, moving in a nervous manner over the comb. So it is in comb- 

 building. Every bee that passes along does something toward the building 

 of the comb, and the little scales of wax are fast placed along where they 

 are to go, many of which it seems would drop off if touched; but the passing 

 bees put them in place by use of their jaws and feet; and when they finish 

 working it, it is as thin and white as the finest paper, and the cells are hexa- 

 gonal in shape, and built on the incline. So the work goes rapidly along, each 

 passing bee doing a little here and there, the tiny scales being rapidly placed 

 along, then worked into the straight parts of the cells and into the hexagonal 

 corners, etc., and so on the work goes day and night until they need no 

 more comb, when wax-secreting and comb-building will stop. 



PLEASURE IN BEE-KEEPING. 



The question might he asked, "Where is the pleasure in handling stinging 

 bees and enduring their stings?" This is the first interesting problem for a 

 bee-keeper to solve. He can get badly stung and endure it, or he can avoid 

 it. The greatest pleasure in any pursuit is in mastering it, and so it is with 

 bee-keeping. The more we master of it, the more interesting it is, and the more 

 pleasure we derive from it. But bee-keeping is unlike many other pursuits 

 in life, for it is never mastered. There are always new and interesting prob- 

 lems arising for our solution in the culture of our bees. I have worked 

 many long days in my apiaries, and not eaten my dinner until on my way 

 home at night, as the work was so interesting, and seeing that the bees were 

 prospering me under my guiding hand. I was totally absorbed in my work, 

 and did not care to stop to eat. 



Pleasure is one of the essentials of any successful business ; and if the 

 pursuer is not deriving any pleasure from his pursuit he is not apt to aspire to 

 higher office .in that line of business, and, of course, sooner or later he will 

 abandon it. But this is rarely the case in bee-keeping. It is not only a pleas- 

 ant pursuit, but it is a fascinating one — so much so that but few who ever 

 embark upon it abandon it. I don't think any pursuit should be taken up, 

 even on a small scale, just for the pleasure alone it may afford; and surely 

 bee-keeping never can, for bees are too industrious and sure to make their 

 culture profitable as well as pleasant. I have often seen colonies of beautiful 

 yellow bees sitting in front yards or convenient places about the premises; 

 and when the keepers were asked about their bees they remarked that they 

 were keeping a few colonies for the pleasure of cultivating them, but at the 

 same time the bees were furnishing their homes with honey. 



It is often remarked that farming affords more real pleasure than any 

 other pursuit in life; and it seems to be a fact when we see the farmer fol- 

 lowing along behind his plow, whistling and singing, and every thing flour- 

 ishing around him, and the singing birds cheering him with their sweet songs; 



