Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-11-21
BLASTING FOR
HONEY IS VERY
PROFITABLE
Queer Way of Getting the Pro-
duet of the Bee in the Hills
Around Mickenburg- Honey
Is Fine.


A quaint curiosity in the saspe ~
two turtle shells. filed with honey,
were brought to the city last week by
hairy Cowel. merchant OF Wickenr
oarg- Mr.. Ccxel brought these shells
with tae Intention of placing them
ia the honey display at the fair, BIZ
owing 20 the fact that no advance
arrangements were made for the ex-
hibit, space was not forthcoming, and
they were turned over to the CONNER
cial aotel. where they are on exhibit
ton now.
Blasting Tor honey is a very lucra-
tive industry In thehiIls of wicKen-
burg 1t is customary for the natives
who are particularly interested in this
industry TO go to the hills during the
season, ard blast the sides of the cliffs
for tSs honey. which is deposited there
by the bees. Swarms of bees infest
this locality and bore their way into
the sides % the cliffs. where they lay
away their stores for the winter
months.
While blasting for the sweet prod
uct of the bees, two turtle shells we're
unearthed which were both filed Win
the irshey. The shells are those of
land turtles. abnnt seven inches In di-
ameter, and from the pecul ar appear
ance of The shells, they seem to be
from an extinct species of turtle, for
there Is nothing on display at the pres
ent time that would connect them with
the present species. The back Of
the shell has a raised oblong, which
looks as II IL might be used as name
plate or a means of describing to
the turtle family the antecedents OF
his majesty. Another peculiar charae-
teristic Is the formation of the shell,
which seems to have been of such a
character that the head and body
could be drawn entirely within 1t and
protected from the advances Of other
animals. These shells are probably
hundreds OF years old, perhaps thous-
ands, as the bodies of tire turtles lad
to decay and be entirely destroyed
before the bees would use them as a
depository for their honey.
The honey was tasted by a RepHbii-
can reporter, and was del cious, with
a flavor that seemed to IN to be far
ahead of any other honey. It SIre-
markabIe that this deposit of honey.
which was probably kept intact from
the air and from the contamination
of insects. was of such an excellent
character. These shells were present
ed to George Lunrs. the affable pro
prietor of the Commercial. and he viii
keep them on exhibition as long as the
honey lasts, for almost every person
wishes to taste the luscious sweet.
Mr.. Cowel has brought with him
three chains of gold nuggets. and these
would have been an exhibition at the
fair IL there had been suitable case
was made of placer nuggets, one OF
which was valued at SIS. and the val
ue of the entire chain WAS stated to
be at least, accord 'ng to actual weight,
$1,000. This chain was made by
shoemaker in Wickenburg, the other
two being made of smaller nuggets,
one a ladies' chain, put together by
Chicago jeweler, and the other o.
gents size, and made up by a local
jeweisr.
MIR. CoweI did not leave the chains
in Phoenix, but after the exhibition,
which was made of them at the Com
merciaf hotel, he carried them back
TO wickenbarg.