182 BEE-FARMING. 



Then the perfection to which he has educated his eye 

 is wonderful ; for to his powers of vision he is principally" 

 indebted for his success. 



By the law of the woods, whoever finds a bee-tree 

 and marks it by cutting a strip or two of bark off is en- 

 titled to it at any future time ; and any one who should be 

 mean enough to fell and take the honey from that blazed! 

 tree would be looked upon as a thief quite as much as 

 though he had picked his neighbour's pocket ; and, to the 

 honour of the thousands of backwoodsmen I have known,. 

 I have never heard of a single instance where this rule has 

 not been respected. 



"How many bee-trees have you marked this summer? "■ 

 said I to an old negro, v.'ho was busily mending a broken 

 axe-handle. 



"Ninety-four, massa, and come fall I 'spects to have 

 a power of honey to trade." 



These trees had all been marked in the neighbourhood 

 of the plantation ; and, though probably the negro him- 

 self would never be able to find all the trees again, yet 

 being marked they would not be interfered with though 

 a dozen honey-hunters passed them. 



In my forest wanderings I have repeatedly come upon 

 a bee-tree, only marking it when it was near some settle- 

 ment, as I never had any intention of cutting down one 

 cf the largest trees of the forest, only to be rewarded for 

 my trouble by getting thoroughly well stung. In Africa 

 th; honey-bird (Indicator Vaillantii) is a sure guide to the 

 Hottentots. Directed by its shrill cry the hunter follows; 

 the bird, endeavouring always to keep it in sight, and tracks 

 its course wherever it may lead. In America we have no 

 corresponding guide, and either find the honey by accident, 

 or by hunting for it as I am now about to describe. 



It was a beautiful autumnal morning that I set out to 

 meet Tony Sneed, the bee-hunter, by appointment, on a 



