The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-07-26
Chinese Mode of Taking Honey.


During my soiourn in this place, had
an opportunity of Witnessing a novel mode
of taking honey from bee hives The Chi
nese hive is a very rude affair, and looks
very different from what We are accustom-
ed to use in England; yet 1 suspect, were
the bees consulted in the matter, they would
prefer the Chinese one to ours. 1t consists
of rough box, sometimes square, and
sometimes cylindrical, with a movable top
and bottom. When the bees are put into a
hive of this description. it is rarely placed
on or near the ground. as with US, but is
raised eight OF ten feet, aud generally fixed
under the projecting roof of house or out
building. No doubt the Chinese have re-
marked the Partially which these insects
have for places of this kind, when they
choose quarters for themselves, and have
taken a lesson from circumstance.
My landlord, who had a number of hives,
having determined one day to take some
honey from two Of them, a half witted
priest, who was famous for his prowess In
such matters, 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, evil
IDENTIFY considering his qualifications of no
ordinary kind for the operation he was
about to perform. Curious to witness his
method of proceeding with the business,
left some work with which 1 was busy. and
followed him and the other priests and SER
wants of the establishment to the place where
the hives were fixed. When we reached the
spot, our operator jumped upon table
placed there for the purpose, and gently
lifted down one of the hives, placing it on
its side on the table. He then took the
movable top off, and the honeycomb, with
which the hive was quite full, was exposed
TO our view. In the meantime an old priest
having brought large basin, and every
thing being ready, our friend commenced
to cut out the honeyconb with knife made
apparently for the purpose, having the han
die almost at right angles with the blade.
Having taken out about third of the
contents of the hive, the top was put on
again, and the hive elevated to its former
position The same operation was repeated
with the second hive, and in a manner quite
satisfactory.
But it may be asked, "WAere acre the
bees all this time 90 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 rules of the Buddhist creed
to take away animal life; nor had they been
stupefed with fungus, as is sometimes done
at home-but they were flying about our
heads in great numbers, and yet, although
we were not protected in the slightest de-
gree, not one of us was stuug; and this was
the more remarkable, as the bodies of the
operators and servants were completely ma
ked from the middle upward. The charm
was simple one; it lay in few dry leaves
and stems of Artemisia (wormwood), that
grows wild on these hills, and which is
largely used to drive that pest, the mos
quito, out of the dwellings of the people.
This plant is cut early in summer. sun
dried, then twisted into bands, and it is
ready for use. At the commencement of
the operation which I am describing, one
end of the substance was ignited, and kept
burning slowly as the work went on. The
poor bees did not know what to make of it,
They were perfectly good tempered, and
kept lowering about our heads, but being
apparently quite incapable of doing us the
slightest injury. When the hives were
again properly fixed in their places, the
cham was put out. and my host and his
servants carried off the honey in triumph.
fortunes China.