1897 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



135 



see what an amount of steam arises; and if we 

 stand here long enough there will be a line of 

 vapor clear to the outlet. When the steam 

 ceases to rise I turn off the cold water, and the 

 hot water on, and heat the stones again, and 

 vice i^crsa, as long as I please." 



"I plainly see how it works," said Fred; "it 

 is very interesting; but does it pay to sit here 

 and do that for fun all day '? " 



" Fun !" said the doctor, with a tinge of im- 

 patience in the tone. Then he laughed, and 

 said, "Well, that certainly does look like a 

 funny operation, for the sun soon dispels the 

 steam. But let me tell you, my friend, when 

 the atmosuhere is just right, and I do this in 

 the evening, I can fill this whole valley with a 

 heavy fog. Now do you see any utility in that ?" 



"I see," said Fred; "for in the morning, 

 after a heavy fog, the bees do a roustabout 



" In that case then," said the doctor, laugh- 

 ing, " you might provide yourself with mallets, 

 and go out on a tour of jarring the trees. But 

 really the lighining is the factor. Every flash 

 liberates quantities of ozone; and where ozone 

 is abundant, there is a plentiful secretion of 

 honey. I am now studying upon a plan by 

 which, in connection with the fog, I can ozonize 

 this whole valley. If I succeed we can astonish 

 the natives with our honey-yields." 



" Well, that would be a wonderful thing, doc- 

 tor, to astonish these natives who are so stoical 

 about every thing. But, really, your plans are 

 too deep for me. I am not educated on the 

 scientific side of bee culture." 



"Of all places in the world, in this valley is 

 just the place to learn the highesi science in 

 bee culture." 



Stepping up a little rise of ground the doctor 

 pointed down the valley, showing Fred that 

 the lower half had been improved but slightly, 

 but pointing out the possibilities of bringing 

 the whole valley up to a high standard of honey 

 production. 



" But where does this stream of water find 

 an p\it'^" rpieripd Fred. 



:^'»dl^' 



^cf Spr/'.n.'': in the /■: 



business; for, generally, fogs have an effect 

 upon the more rapid secretion of nectar." 



"Precisely so," said the doctor, " and espe- 

 cially hot fogs such as we have in this valley. 

 Now, what do you consider the very best at- 

 mospheric conditions for the secretion of nectar 

 in the blossom ? " 



"lean speak only from my eastern experi- 

 ence," replied Fred; "and I find that, away 

 down in Maine, a hot July day, wherein we 

 have several short sharp thunder-showers, the 

 flowers seem to overrun with nectar, and the 

 bees do a roaring business." 



"And why ? " asked the doctor. 



"I really don't know," replied Fred; " but I 

 have had a sort of vague idea that the thunder 

 sort o' jolted the honey out of the tree or plant 

 into the blossom." 



"Oh! it plunges into a jagged cave at the 

 extreme end," replied the doctor. " We will 

 now return and visit the apiary. It is well up 

 on the third terrace, and we will follow this 

 zigzag trail to the upper terrace, where we find 

 a fine view of the valley." 



As they climbed, the doctor called attention 

 to the charming little waterfall near the en- 

 trance. The Indian name was Wiston-we, or 

 Misty Fall. 



" When we go up there again you must ex- 

 amine my scientific home-made elevator, a 

 rawhide rope, a large rawhide water-bucket, 

 and other original fixtures. But here we are. 

 This gives a better view of the whole valley 

 than we get from any other point." 



The Wis-ton-we, after a plunge of 50 feet, 

 collected itself into a little stream that, from 



