9 LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY 



hand that very hour to rifle it, and it is a most 

 pleasing experience to stand near the hive some mild 

 April day and see them come pouring in with their 

 little baskets packed with this first fruitage of the 

 spring. They will have new bread now; they have 

 been to mill in good earnest; see their dusty coats, 

 and the golden grist they bring home with them. 



When a bee brings pollen into the hive he ad- 

 vances to the cell in which it is to be deposited and 

 kicks it off, as one might his overalls or rubber boots, 

 making one foot help the other; then he walks off 

 without ever looking behind him; another bee, one 

 of the indoor hands, comes along and rams it down 

 with his head and packs it into the cell, as the dairy- 

 maid packs butter into a firkin with a ladle. 



The first spring wild-flowers, whose shy faces 

 among the dry leaves and rocks are so welcome, are 

 rarely frequented by the bee. The anemone, the 

 hepatica, the bloodroot, the arbutus, the numerous 

 violets, the spring beauty, the corydalis, etc., woo 

 all lovers of nature, but seldom woo the honey-lov- 

 ing bee. The arbutus, lying low and keeping green 

 all winter, attains to perfume and honey, but only 

 once have I seen it frequented by bees. 



The first honey is perhaps obtained from the flow- 

 ers of the red maple and the golden willow. The 

 latter sends forth a wild, delicious perfume. The 

 sugar maple blooms a little later, and from its silken 

 tassels a rich nectar is gathered. My bees will not 

 label these difi'erent varieties for me, as I really wish 

 they would. Honey from the maple, a tree so clean 



