HOW TO HUNT THE HOXEY BEE. 71 



Sometimes the bees will come from cliiTerent directions, 

 in wliicli case you must mark tlie back of one of them with 

 chalk, so that you can see which way he goes. 



Sometimes they don't seem to like honey, and then it is 

 a good plan to put in a little oil of anise, — say two or 

 three drops to a gill. 



When you have found the tree in which the bees have 

 their hive, and are ready to cut it down, fell it so that it 

 will strike on some small tree that will let it down easy, 

 and if you want to save it for a skip or breeder, saw out 

 the jDiece that the bt?es are in ; first, if it is much shatter- 

 ed, drawing it together with a chain and putting hoops 

 around it. The bees will rej^air any damage that may be 

 done inside, if they have warm weather enough to do it in. 



If you want to save it, it is best to mark the tree and 

 let it stand until spring, and then cut it down and take it 

 home, when the bees will have plenty of time to commence 

 the season of honey-making. If there is a large, rough 

 hole for them to stow away in, they will make as much 

 again honey during the season as they would do in the 

 woods. If you want much honey, have a large place for 

 them. If you set one hive on another, and leave no open 

 space, they will work on and fill up and breed, and never 

 swarm. In this way two hundred pounds of honey may 

 be obtained. 



You must have the hive so w^ell fixed, top and bottom, 

 that mice and pismires will be excluded, leaving only a 

 suitable aperture for the bees themselves to go in and out. 



