104 SOURCES OF HONEY. 



spring, followed by a dry or very wet summer, 

 produces a light crop of honey from flowers. 



The bee keeper sometimes finds his bees idle, 

 when the flowers are in bloom in profusion, the sun ' 

 shining brightly, and to the superficial observer, 

 everything indicating honey in abundance. And 

 yet the bees are dormant, and scarcely a one flying 

 about the hives, notwithstanding the hives and 

 boxes are full of them. The truth of the matter is, 

 there is no honey in the flowers, although they are 

 in full bloom. The air is dry and clear. Suddenly 

 there is a change, the atmosphere becomes moist 

 and charged w^ith electricity, with occasionally light 

 showers. Immediately all is activity about the 

 hives. The greatest show of industry is manifested ; 

 scores of workers, and in some cases a hundred, 

 coming into each hive every minute, loaded with 

 honey, many of them so heavily weighted that they 

 fall to the ground before they reach the hive, where 

 they rest a moment, and then try again, usually suc- 

 cfeeding in entering with their load. I have seen a 

 change, as here described, brought about in a half- 

 hour's time in the middle of the day, viz : The bees 

 pass from an idle, almost entirely dormant state, to 

 the greatest activity and industry. And all because 

 a change in the atmosphere had caused the flowers 

 to secrete honey. The question arises — Hovf did 

 the bees know at that particular hour there was a 

 change, and that the flowers, which a few minutes 

 before were destitute of honey, were now bounti- 

 fully supplied ? I answer, the bee was aware of the 

 change almost the moment it took place. The bee 



