58 First Annual Report 



Flanagan. 'No, sir. He is at the greenhouses.' 'All right, then I know 

 where to find him.' A short ride took us to his home. After looking 

 through half a dozen greenhouses we found Mr. Fehr busy watering his 

 plants with a long hose and a spraying attachment at the nozzle. His 

 houses were warmed with two engines. He had a large ci.«;tern under two 

 of the central houses filled with water and gold fish. Large quantities of 

 carnations in bloom, roses, tulips, hyacinths, violets, &c., made a very 

 attractive appearance. Then we looked at his apiary, which consists of ten 

 or a dozen hives from there to his poultry yards. He had some magnificent 

 Light Brahma chickens . I was so well pleased with them that I ordered a 

 setting of eggs, forthwith. 'Mr. Draper we must go as it is train time.' By 

 noon I was at Alton again. It was a bright, warm day. When I was within 

 a quarter of a mile of home (this was on March 3) as I was passing under a 

 soft maple tree I was astonished to hear bees humming. On looking up I 

 found the tree was fairly swarming with bees. On looking closer the tree 

 was in full bloom . The bees seemed to be on the ground and over the 

 grass just as thick as in the tree. I wondered if there was so much honey 

 in the flowers that it had been dripping over the grass in sufficient quantities 

 to attract the bees. A closer examination convinced me that such was the 

 case. When I arrived at home I was quickly among the hives and found 

 that honey was coming in rapidly in the strongest hives, while the weaker 

 ones were getting but little. 



