CHAPTER XIY. 



HOW TO HUNT THE HONEY BEE. 



The Indians say that the honey bee is the white man's 

 forerunner, and it is to he found wherever the pale-faces 

 have settled. In many parts of the country they are 

 quite plenty, and honey is excellent eating. Still the 

 honey of wild bees is not so good as tame honey, because 

 the latter is made from white clover and buckwheat. 

 However, when wild honey is made from bass-wood blos- 

 soms and leaves, it is almost as good as that made from 

 buckwheat. 



The bees are in our forests, and if you will have a little 

 patience, I will tell you how to find them, and to get their 

 honey. 



First ; in early spring, before the snow goes off, after a 

 warm day or two the bees come out and fly about in the 

 air, dropping their filth in the shape of dark yellow spots 

 all over the snow in the neighborhood of their tree. 

 When you see this upon the snow, begm to look for a bee 

 tree. As the spring opens, and the snow goes off, they get 

 very hungry, and if you offer them honey they will take 

 it very soon, and you may line them directly to the tree. 



I now propose to tell you how to get a true line of 



bees. We will say it is in the month of July. This is 

 67 



