Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-11-18
BEE HUNTS IN AUSTRALIA.
Ingenious Methods Used In Tracing Honey
Gatherers to Their Homes.

Said the elderly gentleman who
had lived for some years in Austria
liza: "One of the most interesting
experiences of my residence in Aus.
tralia, where spent about two
weeks out on a large sheep range
owned by friend of mine, came
from making the acquaintance of
one of the herders, who was native
black and great hand to trail bees
to their homes.
"Cne day l asked permission to
accompany him on one of his trips,
and after little deliberation he
consented. Before setting out he
provided himself with small bunch
of cotton, little gum of some sort
and bottle of water. The care he
took in preparing these articles
aroused my curiosity, and when
questioned him he said that they
were to be used in the hunt for hon
ey. | failed to see how they could
be of service, but made up my mind
to watch closely and see what he
would do.
For some time we rode on IN 81
lence, he all the time keeping a
sharp lookout for something which
| had not the slightest idea of, and
when he suddenly refined in his
horse and started for clump of
Towering bushes followed his ex-
ample and was somewhat astonished
when he lifted a warning finger and
pointed to bee which was busy
gathering honey.
"Motioning me to remain quiet,
he drew out the water bottle, filled
his mouth. and then took small
tuft of the cotton, applied bit of
the gum to it and stepped toward
the bee. When he was close enough,
he squirted the water on the bee,
and while it was trying to shake off
the water he deftly fastened the
cotton to its back and remounted
his horse.
When the bee recovered the use
Of its wings, it started off across the
country, and we followed it. 1t was
impossible for me to keep track of
the bee, but my companion never
lost sight of it and followed it I'M
erringly as it flew along, uncon-
sciously leading an enemy to its
storehouse. We followed it for sew
eral miles until we reached a large
'um tree. An inspection showed
nat we had made no mistake, and
Preparations were made for smok-
u out the bees.
IN He cut hole in the lower part
(he tree and kindled fire, across
fch he laid a number of fresh
M pches to create smudge To in
ua1,ol the smoke doing its work prop
49, la sort of screen was made to
: ara,I the smoke into the hole, and
~, put half an hour the bees had
= be helpless. and we obtained
- +bA 30 pounds of honey.
were just getting ready to
. aro, home when a peculiar look
ho,, no le bird, somewhat larger
. roon Asparrow, began to flutter
: ao,,la iku1 heads and twitter. My
30 bant Rn gave cry of sat;sfac-
.a,tl,a td then started off pellmell
~, -. Pird. was at loss to ex-
Ia ~ - eAaction, but thought best
~ 49, bihim.
,nt;nne the, caught up with him, he
Vienna neveat the bird was a honey
:. INV tho4nted to show him where
i. end of IN honey tree. Having
nod die convl of such thing, l
4 Rec on. he was making game
nncon. "AAis earnestness partly
!. how. the BIZ and l decided to keep
caught tree "a
in both saw bdse of several miles
must trunk. to hover around a
nrm,,r. curing Ave drew nearer we
ton. thu from a hole in the
illuD NutlOI 1uCluOuo lOi ST.
people on. Aftd were put in opera
ing in ton WASTING on nearby
my compberation was going
he did sos the honey a por-
guide hime for the bird, as
I'VE foublared that unless
marked th4 would refuse to
in the evde.
host entertA other trees and
of the amo,A iched the house
herder had ater supper my
IN a one week th9ith an account
600 had secured Lhey which the
!. - "Since leav\tating that in
'ers,e visited a numE summer he
Nfeed in various coupO pounds.
f,,sec number of devblace l have
IT'S but l have nevrge apiaries
on made such an 4 seen any
ooes as that bee hueping bees,
oon spent day in sdy one who
~. Rochester Unh upon me
fissh whom l
TT. A oueer}stralia. :"
A man having tvertiser.