The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-02-03
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM TEXAS.
HARVEY, BRAzos COUNTY, TEXAS, !


January I'D, lVU.
Messrs Editors:-we in this locality are get
warm enough to make outdoor work pleasant |
task. The thermometer today registers ~ oe-
grees in the shade. The birds are singing, mea
rily and seem to be searching for good Du1iolng
sites among the branches Of trees and snruppery
about our habitation. The English mocklng,,
feHthere si tribe in this Country and on the
ing of spring he sings almost necessarily. Inc
blue-bird and little wren also remain h,r ns Is
said to be a harbinger of spring. Wnen ne
perches upon the fence and says sometnlng
which sounds to US very much uds n We eafetv In
reference to frost There are times however,
when all signs fail and all of sudden we are re-
visited by a cold ''norther',' about the nrst on
March, which sweeps everything before It IN the
way of growing vegetation, put nope tnls sea-
son b w' ne trees ae in he forests are in full bloom
and the little violets have already pierced Ine
sod and are fully blown. The honey Dees IN our
that Is at hand and are coming home laden heayl-
ly with the reward of their diligence. Iney are
carrying pollen beautiful, white, iiesn afser
having subsisted on the stores all winter wmcn
they gathered last spring and summer. II Is
really interesting to me to watch as they arrive
at home with their little baskets full TO the brim
to see them alight among the sentlnels IN IronC
of the hive and proudly Walk az tne , ha,o
room to pass. If stranger. even though ne De
a next door neighbor, happens to try to enter
any except MS OWN uOlu6 nc 10 tdhCn " bhO hoPO
Of the neck and pushed of the platform quicker
than a policeman could arrest burglar Their
usefulness is quite an advantage to one who,
like myself is fond of honey. They work Tor
nothing and cheerfully board themselves, SEEM
ingly to furnish us an article OF diet Wnlcn IL
has so far baffied the ingenuity OF man 70 oupil-
cate. In the month of March swarms begin 70
issue. They come out with a general rush, leo
by the queen or mother, but she. on getting into
the open air, circles about, making peculiar
noisc with hor, wings to call her Children To-
gether. In few moments she Is t1rea OF tnaC
nearest tree while the bees cluster over her and
hang in a conical shape. By their actions they
seem to say "now we are sojourners; If you will
provide us home we will work for you." full
colony consists of forty thousand workers and
one queen bee. Inswarming time they are quite
their much dreaded singing propensity. have
carried swarm hundred yards or more to the
hive. Bees do quite well in this locality; they
get rich at least once in year, and when the
seasons are favorable large quantities OF honey
are made.
The Navasota river and all its tributaries in
this section are on general rampage from the
rains of last week. A new bridge which was
built after the flood we experienced here last
summer, has been carried of, rendering 1t i'm
possible for any one to cross, the river being
half mile wide and still rising. Farmers who
considerable Inconvenience on account of the
overflow, and it is very doubtful whether they
will be able to utilize their property this year or
not. Many of the colored people who were liy-
ing along the BraZOS river when the Hood came
last year have become discouraged and are NOV
look out for themselves. This action will doubt
less cause much of the best land in Texas to be
idle this year, as it will take some time to re-
place the laborers necessary to work it. IoTA.