96 SOURCES OF HONEY. 
myself on the long-disputed question—‘How far will a 
bee go to collect honey?’ I therefore made close and 
repeated examinations, at different times during the 
honey season, and it was no uncommon occurrence, to 
find the Italian workers seven miles from their hives. 
As there were no Italian bees except mine within hun- 
dreds of miles, I considered this positive proof that this 
variety will travel seven miles from its hive in its search 
for honey-producing flowers. As the native or black bee 
is, to some extent, found in all parts of the country, it is 
mpossible to prove conclusively the distance they will 
go from the hive; yet my observations give very strong 
evidence that they journey five miles or more after honey. 
When the distance a bee will go for honey is so well 
established, and having found from repeated tests that 
the flowers, wheu yielding honey, may be visited many 
times each day by the bee, and yield at each visit a 
bountiful supply, we can form some idea of the vast 
amount of honey now permitted to go to waste, which 
might be collected by bees, stored in nice boxes, and 
thus add wealth and enjoyment to the human family. 
The question is often asked, ‘‘Which is best for bees, 
a wet or dry season?’ TI think either extreme of very 
wet or very dry season is bad. A warm, medium wet 
spring, followed by a summer of light and frequent 
showers, will usually give a good yield of honey ; while 
a cold wet, or a cold dry spring, followed by a dry or 
very wet summer, produces a light crop of honey from 
flowers. 
