The Columbus journal., 1896-06-10

boston Evening Transcript. we uose
lad wonderful weather here for some
weeks past, cold at times, but no frost
for several weeks, and in consequence
everything is in full leaf and bloom.
We seldom have such a spring. The
flowers are in the greatest profusion
and infinite variety the hills and val
leys are dressed in a coat OF many
colors. The great white heads OF the
Spanish daggers look like ghosts as
they stand around on the hillsides. At
a distance the leaves of the plant are
visible among the general green, and
the flower stalk stands tall and stately
with its load of creamy bells. the whole
cluster being often four feet from the
top buds to the lower flowers. and a
foot and half in diameter.
There is another shrub with purple
flowers that is very much In evidence
just now: some of the bushes are COW
cred 80 closely with blossoms as to
leave only little places through which
the crisp green leaves show. The flow
ers are in clusters five or six inches
long, dropping from the end of each
twig, and one must see them to have
an idea of their gorgeous beauty. There
are whole hillsides of them, too, piled
one tier above another. Still another
shrub with flower the color of peach
blossom is the most beautiful of ALL
There are several large places on the
range where cedar brakes have been
burned. and they are almost entirely
covered with these bushes, and in look
ing over the tops of them on a level it
seems like a pink wall, with the old
black cedar trunks and burnt pines
looming over them in gaunt derision.
The warm weather brings the bees
out In full force. and I am more than
ever fascinated with the little insects.
I never see one slipping at a flower or
flying along in the air but he says: %,
no, you can't find my house: others
you may find. but mine, never" And
forthwith take up the challenge and
never cease hunting until I find it.
Though two or three years may pass
seldom fail to do SO eventually, and
you have no idea what fascination
there is in it after one has experience.
I can usually, after seeing several bees
60 home and after getting the course
laid on, run them home in a couple of
hours. unless they 60 more than two
miles. 1t seems ridiculous to any one
who does not know their ways to make
such a claim. but 1t can be done. To
any eye except q bee hunters a bee in
the air is invisible. question II many
people ever saw one flying, unless 1t
was in the act of alighting on flower,
but they travel through the air as peo-
pie travel on earth, and wonderful
powers of sight they must have. Be-
sides that, there is no doubt in my
mind that there is an intelligent order
ing of the whole business of the hive,
and q means of communicating of one
with the others.
Sometimes take q lot Of comb with
. little honey on it, and set 1t on the
top of hill. or in an open place where
can see In all directions. and leave 1t
for a day or two, until the bees are
working at it strong. and can then run
them home in a little while. When
have leisure I stay and wait for them
to come. and encourage them by burn
ing a piece Of comb every half hour
or SO. II 1t is a warm, bright day in
winter and the comb is within two
miles of a swarm, they will come be-
fore the first hour is out. The first one,
always doubling here and there, flies
In ever narrowing circules. until he
nnds the exact location of the sweet
smell: he examines it from all sides,
slowly buzzing around it. and finally
alights. inserts his long, slim tongue
In q drop Of honey, sets his pump to
work. and in a few minutes is as full
as he can hy. Slowly he rises, carefully
scanning the country as he gets higher,
SO that he can tell the others the exact
locality of his find. probably. As he
gets still higher. he feels confidence,
and away he goes. slowly and carefully.
but directly toward home.
I generally time the first bee. and
can Judge accurately as to distance by
that. allowing about fifteen or twenty
minutes to q mile, going and coming.
The bee never delays an instant, ex-
cept to unload and make his report, and
then is OF again. If 1t Is q reliable bee
his first report is needed and three bees,
or in rare cases four. are sent at once
after him. arriving at the bait minute
after the first one comes for the second
load. Once or twice I have seen the
nrst bee make two or three trips alone.
n II his report had not been considered
truthful enough for others to be sent
to his aid. II the swarm is at work
elsewhere there are seldom more than
twenty sent to the new place. but il
there is no more honey to be had they
keep coming in regular detachments
until. to the experienced eye, 1t is like
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