Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1871-12-16
&ee Aeepin9.
HUNTING WILD BEES.

bee-kecplng still shall make 1t the subject
of this number, us by it large aplaries have
been and may be established with little ex-
pense, especially where wild bees are album
dant. First, let me say, have no sympathy
with that class of bee hunters who, after
finding II tree, wait until the bees have gath
cred II good supply of honey, and then rob
them of their stores, leaving them without
home or food, to perish us they may. The
honey bee is too valuable IN insect to be treat
ed in this manner. and the practice ofklling
off bees in the fall, to obtain their stores, has
long since been abandoned by intelligent and
humane aparians. These persons some
times go under cover of night on IL neigh
boris premises and cut timber without his
consent. OF course this practice can not be
too strongly denounced Bee trees are gener-
ally valuable only for wood and no man will
be likely to object to their being cut, in such
cases, If his consent be asked; but if II tree
is valuable. no person should wish to cut it
without the consent of the owner.
To hunt bees successfully one should have
good eyes, some practice, and II large stock
of patience. First provide yourself with II
box of convenient size, with glass slide in
the top to admit light into the upper section,
and another slide in the center of the box
dividing it into two equal sections. Provide
yourself with some old comb partly filled
with honey and partly with bee bread to be
used in ''smudging," IL small phial of strained
honey, fresh from the hive if possible, and
another phial containing oil of anise, with
which you are to scent your box and smudge"
comb. Place piece of empty comb in the
box. and you are ready fora start. The hon
cy should be slightly thnned with water, to
enable the bees to fill themselves quicker,
and ut the same time prevent their becom-
ing daubed so rs to be unable to fly Take
the middle of warm, sunny day, and go
near the woods where you suppose IL wild
swarm to be located. Select IN open spot to
obtain an unohstructed view in I'LL directions,
build up II fire and heat two small flat stones:
when hot place one on II stump OF log, place
II piece of your comb thereon, then place the
other stone OH top of the comb, and you will
soon have II ''smudge," that the bees will
smell ut great distance. Place your box II
foot or two from the ''smudge' i'm the drec-
ton the wind is blowing, having previously
filled few cells of the empty comb with the
honey Keep the ''smudge' going until the
bees come searching following the line of
the smoke. They will now begin to collect
/, upon the comb, and the "smudgen may be
/, discontinued. The first time Il bee starts for
home it will be seen to describe u circle I'M
mediatcly round the box, the circles gradu-
ally becoming larger, and larger, until ut last
IL bee line is struck for home. In order to
see them plainly, and ut greater distance,
keep the eye us close to the ground us posi-
BILE, while the bee flies against the sky for Il
background. OF course new corners are con-
stanty arriving, filling the air with their spi-
raj curvings; but little practice will en-
able the hunter to detect those whose flight
: will now be straight for home. As soon us
, you ascertain the direction they 20 YOU have
l II ''bee line" The next thing to be desired
is II "cross line" TO obtain this, close youl
box while the comb is covered with bees
t and travel in direction so that the line you
are about to get will cross the one already
obtained. You will soon get another line
land where the two lines intersect each Other