102 
BEE PASTURAGE. 
commence on buckwheat, sometimes contain not over 
live pounds of stores, and yet make good stocks for 
winter, whereas, without this yield, they might not 
live through October. It fails about once in ten years. 
I have known a swarm to gain in one week sixteen 
pounds, and construct comb to store it at the same 
time. At another time I had a swarm issue the 18th 
August, that obtained thirty pounds in about eighteen 
days. But such buckwheat swarms, in ordinary sea- 
sons, seldom get over fifteen pounds. The flowers 
last from three to five weeks. The time of sowing 
the grain varies in different sections, from the 10th of 
June to the 20th July. Farmers wish to give it just 
time to ripen before frost, as the yield of grain is con- 
sidered better, but as the time of frost is a matter of 
guess-work, some will sow several days earlier than 
others. Whenever an abundant crop of this grain is 
realized, a proportionate quantity of honey is ob- 
tained. 
DO BEES INJURE THE CROP ? 
Many people contend that bees are an injury to this 
crop, by taking away the substance that would be 
formed into grain. The best reasons for this opinion 
that I have obtained are these : “ I believe it, and have 
thought so a long time.” “ It is reasonable if a por- 
tion of this plant is taken away by the bees, there 
must be a less quantity of material left for the form- 
ation of seed, &c.” Most of us have learned that a 
person’s opinion is not the strongest kind of proof, 
unless he can exhibit substantial reasons for it. Are 
the above reasons satisfactory? IIow are the facts? 
