Bee-keeping 251 



the mating of queens. At the end of the season 

 the bees kill them and cast them out of the hives. 

 The worker bees live only about six weeks when 

 the honey flow is on, literally working themselves 

 to death. When they cannot work, as during the 

 winter months, they may live for six months. 



THE TELLOW-BREECHED PHELOSOPHEB 



Ealph Waldo Emerson, poet and wise man gen- 

 erally, addressed some pretty verses to the bum- 

 ble-bee, one of which runs : 



* "Wiser far than human seer, 



Yellow-breeched philosopher ! 

 Seeing only what is fair, 

 Sipping only what is sweet, 

 Thou dost mock at fate and care, 

 Leave the chaff and take the wheat. 

 When the fierce northwestern blast 

 Cools sea and land so far and fast, 

 Thou already slumberest deep; 

 Woe and want thou canst outsleep; 

 Want and woe which torture us, 

 Thy sleep makes ridiculous." 



BEES IN HIS WHISKEES 



I have seen old men puttering about bee-hives 

 seemingly as happy and unconcerned as if they'd 

 been walking about a flower garden or orchard. 

 Knew just how to cultivate friendly acquaintance 

 with the little busybodies, but to me bees are too 



