The Placer herald., 1862-09-27
Chinese Mode of Taking Honey.

!
taking honey from bee-bives. The Chinese
hive is a very rude affair, and looks very
different to what we are accustomed to use
in England yet, suspect, were the bees
consulted in the matter, they would prefer
the Chinese one to ours. 1t consists of a
rough box, sometimes square, and sometimes
cylindrical with a movable top and bottom.
When the bees are put into a hive of this DEF
scription i! is rarely placed on or near the
ground, as with us, but is raised eight or ten
feet, and generally fixed under the projecting
roof of house or out building No doubt the
Chinese have remarked the partially which
the insects have for places of this kind, when
they choose quarters for themselves, and
have taken a lessen from circumstances.
My landlord, who had number of hives
having determined one day to take some
honey from two of them, a half-witted
priest, who was famous in his proves in such
mat ters was sent for to perform the operation
This man, in addition to his priestly duties,
had charge Of the buffaloes which were kept
on the farm attached to the temple. He
came round in high glee, evidently consider
ing his qualifications of no ordinary kind
for the operation be was about to perform.
Being quite curious to witness his method
of proceeding with the business | left some
work with which | was busy, aud followed
him and the other priests and servants of
the establishment to the place where the
hives were fixed. The form of the hives, in
this instance, was cylindrical, each was
about three feet in height and wider at the
bottom thar at the top. When we reach ed
the spot where the hives were placed, our
operator jumped upon table placed there
for the purpose and gently lifted down one
of the hives and placed it on its side on the
table. He then took the movable top off,
and the honey comb, with which the hives
were quite full, was exposed to view In
the meantime, an old priest having sent for
a large basin, and everything being ready,
our friend commenced TO cut out the honey
comb, with a knife made apparently for the
purpose, having the handle a Imost' at right
angles with the blade. Having taken out
about one third of the contents of the hive,
the top was put on again, and the hive elel
waited to its former postion-lhe same opel
ration was repeated with the second hive,
and in manner quite satisfactory.
Bat it may be asked, "Where were the
bees all this tme?" and this is the most Gu.
rious part Of my story. They had not been
killed by the fumes of birthstone. for it is
contrary to the doctrines Of the Buddhist
creed to take away animal life; nor had they
been stupified with fungus, as is sometimes
done at home-but they were flying about
over our heads in great numbers, and yet,
although we were not protected in the slightl
est degree, not one of us was stuno; and
this was the most remarkable, as the bodies
OF the operators and servants were complete
ly naked from the middle upwards. The
charm was a simple one; it lay in a few dry
stems and leaves of a species of Artemisia
(wormwood,) which grows wild on these
hills, and which is largely used to drive that
pest, the mosquito, out of the dwellings, OF
the people.-This plant is cut early in Sum
mer sun dried, then twisted into bands, and
is is ready for use.
At the commencement Of the operation
which | am describing, one end of the sub.
stance was ignited, and kept burning slowly
as the work went on. The poor bees did
not seem to know what to make of it.
they were perfectly good tempered, and kept
lowering about our heads, but being appar-
emily incapable of doing us the slightest in
jury. When the hives were again properly
fixed in their places, the charm was put out,
and my host and his servants carried off the
honey in triumph-Fortunn's China.