BEE-HUNT JNG 
99 
the peculiar inquiring hum, like robbers 
in front of a hive where they have once 
had a taste of spoils. If the tree is near 
by, each one will bring others along in its 
wake, and soon the box will be humming 
with a throng so eager that a further fill¬ 
ing of the feeder from the bottle will be 
needed. As soon as the hunter is pretty 
well satisfied in which direction they are 
located, he can close the box and move 
along on the line, nearer the woods. After 
the box is again opened, the bees will soon 
be as busy as ever. To aid in deciding just 
where they are, he can move off to one 
side and start a cross-line. Of course the 
tree will be found just where these lines 
meet. It is a waste of time to look for 
the bee-tree, or to make cross-lines, until 
one gets beyond the tree. When the bees 
fly back on the line he may rest assured 
that he is beyond the tree. He should 
then move his last two stands closer to¬ 
gether (lining the bees carefully), so that 
they are only 10 or 15 rods apart. As 
there will be bees flying from two direc¬ 
tions into the tree he will probably dis¬ 
cover where they are immediately. When 
one gets where he thinks they should be, 
he. should examine the trees carefully, es¬ 
pecially all the knot-holes, or any place 
that might allow bees to enter and find a 
cavity. If he places himself so that the 
bees will be between him and the sun, he 
can see them plainly, even if they are 
among the highest branches. He should 
make a careful and minute examination 
of every tree, little and big, body and 
limbs, even if it does make his neck ache. 
If he does not find them by carefully look¬ 
ing the trees over, he should go back and 
get his hunting-box, bring it up to the 
spot, and give them feed until he gets a 
quart or more at work. He can then see 
pretty clearly where they enter. If he 
does not find them the first day, he can 
readily start them again almost any time, 
for they are very quick to start, when 
they have once been at work, even tho it 
is several days afterward. Bees are some¬ 
times started by burning what is called a 
“smudge.” Some old bits of comb con¬ 
taining beebread as well as honey may be 
burned on a small tin plate sitting over a 
little fire. The bees will be attracted by the 
odor of the burning honey and comb, and, 
if near, will sometimes come in great num¬ 
bers. 
A telescope is very convenient in finding 
where the bees go in, especially if the tree 
is very tall; even the toy telescopes sold 
for a dollar or two are sometimes quite 
a help. The most serviceable, however, are 
the achromatic opera glasses that cost five 
or ten times this amount. With these, one 
can use both eyes, and the field is so broad 
that no time is lost in getting the glass in¬ 
stantly on the spot. He can, in fact, see 
bees with them in the tops of the tallest 
trees almost as clearly as he can see them 
going into hives placed on the ground. 
After one has found the tree, probably 
he will be in a hurry to get the bees that 
he knows are there, and the honey that 
may be there. One should not put his ex¬ 
pectations too high, for he may not get a 
single pound of honey. Of two trees that 
the author took a few years ago, one con¬ 
tained just about as much honey as he had 
fed the bees, and the other contained not 
one visible cell full. The former were fair 
hybrids, and the latter well-marked Ital¬ 
ians. If the tree is not a valuable one, and 
stands where timber is cheap and plentiful, 
perhaps the easiest way is to cut it down. 
This may result in a smashed heap of ruins, 
with combs, honey, and bees all mixed up 
with dirt and rubbish, or it may fall so as 
to strike on the limbs or small trees, and 
thus ease its fall in such a way as to do 
little injury to the tree or contents. The 
chances are rather in favor of the former, 
and on many accounts it is advisable to 
climb the tree and let the bees down with a 
rope. If the hollow is in the body of the 
tree, or so situated that it cannot be cut 
off above and below the bees, the combs 
may be taken out and let down in a pail 
or basket; for the brood-combs, and such 
as contain but little honey, the basket will 
be rather preferable. 
CLIMBERS FOR BEE-HUNTERS. 
For climbing trees 12 to 18 inches in 
diameter, a pair of climbers should be used, 
such as can be obtained at any telephone 
office. 
If the tree is large, the climber should 
provide himself with a withe or whip of 
some tough green bough, and bend this 
so it will go around the trunk, while an 
