50 



with oil of thyme or anise. The box should have a glass 

 in the top or side, covered with a sliding panel, through 

 which the comb and bees can be seen, to admit light. 

 The bee-hunter secures from a bunch of flowers a few wild 

 bees in his box. The panel is now removed, and the light 

 admitted. Or, if he can find no bees upon the flowers, 

 he burns a piece of honey-comb upon a heated stone, the 

 scent of which draws plenty of bees around him. He 

 places the open box near his "altar of incense," and the 

 bees soon alight upon the honey-comb, and begin to feed. 

 Having in one of these two ways secured a few working 

 wild bees, he places the open box upon a high stump, and 

 sits down leisurely to watch them. The bees having sup- 

 plied themselves with a freight of honey, depart for home. 

 Rising from the box, they fly in circles about it, and then 

 take a bee-line or straight course for the bee-tree. ISTow 

 comes the hunter's coveted opportunity. He wishes to 

 get the "line of the swarm" as it is called. With a prac- 

 tised eye, he watches the bees until they are beyond his 

 sight, and finally determines by their unerring course, 

 the direction of the bee-tree. Having "got the line," he 

 closes his box on the bees, and moves on toward the "bee- 

 tree." He then takes a new stand, and makes new obser- 

 vations, and thus gradually nears the wild colony, search- 

 ing all the while for them in every hollow tree, until he 

 at last discovers their retreat. An experienced bee-hunter 

 having once got the line of a swarm, seldom fails of find- 

 ing it. Large quantities of honey have often been found 

 deposited in the capacious hollows of some of our forest 

 trees. The sport of bee-hunting, setting aside the honey, 

 amply compensates for the time devoted to it, as a pleas- 

 ant and healthful recreation. 



USES OF HONEY AND WAX. 



Honey affords for the table one of the most delicious 

 luxuries. Bread and butter and honey, why, it makes 

 one's mouth water to write about it. No dessert can be 



