236 THE HIVE AND HONET-BKE. 



white mail's fly.* Longfellow, in his " Song of Hiawatha," 

 in describing the advent of the European to the New 

 World, makes his Indian warrior say of the bee and the 

 white clover : — 



" Wheresoe'er they move, before them 

 Swarms the stinging fly, the Ahmo, 

 Swarms the bee, the honey-maker ; 

 Wheresoe'er they tread, beneath them 

 Springs a flower unknown among us. 

 Springs the White Man's Foot in blossom." 



As the bees flomished for years undisturbed by the 

 moth, it seems probable that it was not brought over in 

 the first hives, but at a much later period. In whatever 

 way it wJis introduced, it has so multiplied in our propi- 

 tious chmate of hot summers, that few districts are now 

 exempt from its ravages. 



Fifty years ago our markets were proportionably better 

 supplied -with honey than they now are, and large tubs 

 fiUed with snow-white combs were a common sight. 



Many Apiarian.-f contend that newly-settled countries 

 are most favorable to the bee ; and an old German adage 



runs thus : — 



" Bells' ding dong. 

 And choral song, 

 Deter the bee 

 From industry : 

 But hoot of owl. 

 And ' wolf's long howl,' 

 Incite to moil 

 And steady tf^." 



* " It is suprising in what countless swarms the bees have OTCi-spreod the far West, 

 within but a moderate number of years. The Indians consider them the hafbiugora 

 of the white man, as the buffalo is of the red man, and say that, in proportion as 



the bee advances, the Indian and the buffalo retire They have been the 



heralds of civilization, steadily preceding it as it advances from the Atlantic 

 borders ; and some of the ancient settlers of the West pretend to giv(^ the ""ry 

 year when the honey-bee first crossed the Mississippi. At present it swarnfc 



