128 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



June 



number of "ads'- clipped from various 

 periodicals throughout the world. It 

 then proceeds to indicate the merits 

 and weak points of each example. 

 In a recent issue the following appear- 

 ed as an example of good work. "Good" 

 because it told the prospective buyer 

 something of interest and something to 

 attract in regard to the goods which 

 he was invited to try. The suggestion 

 is for a retailer's playcard, of course. 

 Different wording would be required 

 for a newspaper ad. However, it ap- 

 pears to be "up to" the bee-keepers of 

 the country to extend sales through the 

 medium of the public press, as is done 

 with all other commodities: 



We don't believe the bees 

 can produce a more luscious, 

 a more perfect table delicacy 

 than this 



Strained Honey 

 we've just received. It's the 

 kind that took first premium 

 at the World's Fair, it is far- 

 famed for its goodness. 



15 Cents a Lb. 

 is cheap for it — but it's all we 

 ask. 



CUTTING A BEE TREE. 



From Forest and Sti-eam. 



I PEEL considerably stuck up. That 

 phrase is not to be taken as slang, 

 and I am sure I have seen too 

 much of the world to feel as though 

 I was anybody in particular. I have 

 merely been "cuttin" a bee tree" and 

 getting some of the wild honey and 

 some of the things that go with it. 



I have noted from time to time what 

 Forest and Stream contributors have 

 been giving us about bee hunting — 

 the last article I remember being 

 signed by Hermit. I would like to 

 have his full name, also his photo- 

 graph, so when I meet him I will be 

 sure that I have got him. I am a her- 

 mit myself, but I never monkeyed with 

 a bee tree until today, and I followed 

 some of Hermit's directions. 



Hermit writes a very graphic and 

 pleasing epistle. No doubt he told all 

 he knew about bees, and something 

 more — but there is a quantity of wis- 

 dom and knowledge that is evasive. T 

 am quite positive just at present that 



Hermit let some of it get away. He 

 may know something about some bees 

 but if he will call around in this vicin- 

 ity and chop down a bees' nest he will 

 get some points. ;j 



You see it was this Avay. I've been ! 

 hankering after honey. I wanted to 

 get some myself, and besides I wanted * 

 a few bees to help fix up ranch with. 

 Forest and Stream talked about bees 

 and honey, and when they commenced 

 coming to my garden this spring I 

 commenced to pike around after 'em. 

 I fixed up some bait and got 'em to 

 coming to it all right and then I 

 watched them. 



I got several courses. In fact, as 

 near as I could tell, everyone of them 

 had a course of his own. Once in a 

 while one of them would go up the 

 creek, so I went up the creek. After 

 chasing them for two or three days I 

 had coursed them about 300 yards. 

 Then they began to go wild. Most of 

 them would fill up on my bait, make 

 two or three false motions, then zigzag 

 around a few times, shoot up toward 

 the sky and neither I nor my dog 

 could tell where in thunder they made 

 for. Finally I left my bait out and 

 there came a big rain and destroyed 

 it, then I quit for awhile. I was not 

 completel.v discourage<l, but I thought 

 I was losing my interest in bees. 



One day a man came by my shack. 

 I don't see a man very often in this 

 vicinity, so I had to talk with him. 

 After a chat he said: 



"Wal, how is it ye never cut that 

 bee tree u]> thar?" 



"Well," I replied diplomatically, "it's 

 most too far, and in a kind of a bad 

 place to get at." 



"Fur," said he; "why it ain't more'n 

 a quarter, and right alongside of the 

 creek and the road. Couldn't be in a 

 better place." 



"Oh. you mean that dead white oak 

 near the crossing?" 



"Naw, I mean the big black oak, 

 with the top broke off. near where 

 some feller has been makin' cedar 

 posts." 



"Oh," I said in a sneaking kind of a 

 tone. "I calculated to cut that tree, 

 but I thought I had better wait and 

 give the bees a chance to get some 

 honey." T added conscientioiisly. to 

 myself, "besides. I'll be blasted if I 

 knew that tree had bees in it." 



"Wal." said the man. "I'd cut it 



