The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-06-29
SIBERIAN BEE MASTERS.
Peasants In the Bleak Country VINO ''os'
in Honey.

1
Peasants In the Bleak Country Who "osl
in Honey.
II oiyes us a new conception Oh OF
ber;a and its climate to learn from
recent traveller that bees are widely |
lent there by the peasants, and that
s,varms of wild bees are often to be
found in the birch forests. The COM
mon opinion in England and the
United States has been that the eli
mate was far too bleak for agriculture. |
Those who keep bees In Siberia bear
the title of bee masters. Some of these |
have no more than four swarms, put
many have fifty or hundred, and GER
tain bee lords own as many as hve
or six hundred. The average income
in Siberia from a swarm OF bees Is
about rouble and half. In certain
localities buckwheat is sown to serve
us ''pasture;- and occasionally the bees
are fed, with sugar strip, or treacle,
but for the most part the swarms feed
on wild flowers along the borders OF
the great forests Abiding to a visit
paid to one of these rustic bee masters,
this traveller says:
Presently we emerged into kind OF
clearing in the forest, either natural
or made long time ago by the ak, and
very soon I noted dreamy and pro-
found humming noise which at first l
was at loss to account for. Quicker
cared than myself, the lazolk (climber)
who was guiding me turned, with
pleased laugh, and made an odd gesture
81 &c N.
panied by loud smack.
Everywhere about us the air was
pervaded by the same drowsy hum,
and soon discerned thin, wavering
cloud of black insects near an orifice In
one of the large tree trunks, as we
were passing it. In reply to my ques-
ton, the lazok explained that we had
stumbled upon bee farm, adding sug-
gestively that for few copecks all the
honey we could cat might be procured.
AS he was speaking, the strokes OF an
AK rang out suddenly at a little dis
lance among the trees. Directing our
steps thitherward, we passed two log
huts. matched with hay, well-nigh
concealed from view among the thick
cts. or clumps of hazel, and then espied
a shaggy-bearded man in blue jacket
and trousers of leather, busily engaged
chopping large, square hole In Q
birch-tree trunk. He paused as we
drew near, dressing his beard with
one hand, smiling broadly, and gave
me the usual salutation of GOD KEEP
you, BARN."
In reply to question by the lazok
the bee master explained that he was
fashioning a new bourt. or hive; and
leading the way to other trees not fal
distant, he pointed out similar bourts
occupied by the bees. First a hole two
feet in height by foot or more II
breadth and depth, was chopped in
tree, and the front or open side close'
in by sheet of bark, which wa
pegged on closely, save for marrow
crack at the bottom.
These were not the only bourts, how
ever: the bee master presently showed
ms four rows of hives, called kOlodkas
in different quarters of the clearing
consisting each of section OF hollow
log. two feet and q half In length, sc
cndwise on plank, and having tn
top end covered with broad, thin
fiat stone. Three holes, bored through
the outer shell of the log near the Dol
tom end, gave entrance to the bees
/ counted thirty-six of these kolod
kas in the clearing; and this bee maste
told us that he now had sixty-tw
swarms, but had formerly owned NOR
than eighty.
Fetching whisp of some kind
dried herbs, he kindled it with COZ
from the cabin fire and allowed it
burn slowly, making a dense smolS
near the three holes in one OF tn
kolodkas, removing the covering stor
at the top, slightly, as he did so. Th
vapor of this herb apparently stup
fed the bees; for after few minute
the bee master took off the stone an
drew forth a mass of dripping hone
comb, quite unmolested by the apia
garrison of the hive. He assured Il
lazok, however, that the bees were n
injured.
The honey was of a kind saikd lipo
it's by the Siberians, being gathered
the bees in June, when many OF Il
forest trees and shrubs are in blooi
The bee master offered it to us on
clean, birchen platter, with much q
parent pride over the quality OF
product.-Youth's Companion.