The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-11-21
BEE CULTURE.

BEE CULTURE.
For the Ouachita Telegraph
Honey, that sweet of all sweets, is a
natural fluid secreted in various ways,
from trees, shrubs and flowers; on some
it collects. on the folded buds of the
flowers, while others hide it deep in
their hearts petals. On trees of gigan-
tic stature it is sometimes found be-
meath their coarse rough leaves, and
again it issues from their barky trunks.
Beneath the leaves of the catalpa tree
along the veins are minute cups that
tar, while the drops that lie concealed
in the trumpet shaped flowers, is
sickening poison, and is rarely: if ever,
visited by the bees.
In the silver cup of the daisy it lies;
1t smiles on the bee as outward it flies.
How pure, how bright is the tiny thing,
1t beams where tho birds of the morning
When the rose un folds its voluptuous charm,
When tho sun is high and the earth grows
warm,
IT'S then that the honey-dew shines most
bright;
AS it calls the bees to the fairy scene
Or nelts into air where it's bower has been.
That it is q natural vegetable pro-
duction was known to the ancient
Jews, one of whose Rabins asked,
ssSince we may not eat bees, which are
unclean, why are we allowed to eat
honey?" and replies, "because bees do
not make honey but gather it from
plants and fiowers.' We know, too,
that it was much priced in ancient
times, and are told that the land of
Canaan was one of milk and honey.
There is besides the honey secreted
by flowers Il fluid called "honey-dew"
that Issues from leaves and tender
twigs Of trees, from the puncture of
the apis or plant-louse, and is collected
in great quantities by the bees. When
the apis is at work on such trees,
which usually occurs in continued dry
weather, thousands of insects besides
bees may be seen hocking to the spot,
such as ants, wasps, butterflies and
others. The box alder, white maple,
water willow, plum and peach are
foremost in the list of honey-dew yield
ing trees. I have seen the box-alder
leaves when it resembled shower of
rain, and, as the bees were unable to
gather it all before it dried in the
appearance of being vanished. On
tasting the drops that collect on the
tips of the leaves, found it very
sweet and quite heavy. When first
gathered by the bees it is as thin as
water, but after it has been some time
in the cells and capped over, it under
goes change, and this is why many
persons believe that new uncapped
honey is poison, but it is not so. The
same materials are contained in the
fluid first as at last, it simply thickens
I think from the warmth of the hive.
Our woods give us work for bees in
February and March, our gardens fol-
lowing in the spring, summer brings
the corn and cotton, both yielding un-
told crops of richest honey, then au-
tumn comes laden with a thousand
flowers, both cultivated and wild.
First the gray willows glossy pearls they
Or rob the hazel of its golden meal,
While the gay crocus and the violet blue
Yield to their tleXile trunks ambrosial dew.
I have often been asked could we
overstock the country With bees. One
may as we'll ask can we have too many
cows, or too many sheep. And yet
this is poor comparison, for the honey
! dries on hundreds of acres here where
not u bee ever flies and gathers stores
from Il space on which n COW would
starve.
Long lists of honey bearing shrubs
and trees have been made for other
countries, but never yet have seen
one that could compare to the list that
conld be made here. The weeds even
that we reject and would cut away
bear honey or pollen. Clover grows
wild by our waysides, and when our
seasons are such as to produce honey,
there is scarcely Il tree, shrub, plant,
weed, vegetable, vine or flower that
does not contain its portion.
MIR. Quinby says that in the State Of
New York 1000 hives can be supported
on square mile. Mr.. Langstroth