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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



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were pine twigs from Oreg-on, and these 

 were heavily coated with solid incrustations 

 of sugar. I was much pleased on examin- 

 ing them to find very strong circumstantial 

 evidence, almost as good as finding a fish 

 in milk. This evidence consisted in the 

 finding of the cast skins of aphids scatter- 

 ed among the sugar deposits. I think Mr. 

 M. was convinced, as he dropped the dis- 

 cussion at once and never took it up again. 

 In visiting Clouds' Rest, one of the high- 

 est peaks in the Yosemite region, we found 

 magnificent pines crowning the lofty sum- 

 mit. It was about midday as we passed 

 under these great trees. As we looked up 

 through the foliage, great drops of delicious 

 honey-dew were almost multitudinous. So 



plenteous was this that it was easy for us 

 to get enough for thoroughly sampling the 

 nectar. The ground beneath was thickly 

 strown with the same liquid sweet. At 

 first the lower branches which we could 

 reach from our horses showed no insects, 

 though the honey-dew was very plenteous. 

 A closer search, however, soon found the 

 numerous plant-lice, the source of this 

 abundant honey-dew. I saw no bees at all, 

 and wished that I might have an apiary 

 there to glean this nectar, which was bound 

 to shine unseen and waste its fragrance on 

 the mountain air. If any reader of Glean- 

 ings ever finds undoubted honey-dew as a 

 product of vegetation I should be very 

 thankful to receive specimens. 



