aces and select a spot where there
are a few bunches near together, if no more than a half dozen
bunches the better. Now having our bottle containing bait prepared,
let us select two or three bunches standing close together and
sprinkle them freely with the bait, then break off all others
standing near. At first the bees will fly around as if they don't
like to light on the wet bushes but the ones that were used to
getting honey from these flowers may visit other flowers and fly
away, but they are sure to come back, and, after taking a sip,
finding it a quicker method of getting a load of sweets, settle
down to business and in a short space of time adapt themselves to
the new order of things and are soon on their way home, never
failing to return, bringing others along. Keeping the bushes well
supplied with bait, we will soon discover a course and perhaps two
or more. Then take the scented cloth, lay it near the bait, and
after ten or fifteen minutes break these bushes off a foot or more
below the flowers and we are ready to start on the course. After
going two or three hundred yards, select a place clear of trees so
that they can fly on their course without being compelled to fly
around timber, lay the scent cloth near by, and in five or ten
minutes you will have plenty of bees, or, we may be going on the
line of flight and find the bees suddenly cease to come to bait.
This is an unfailing sign that we have passed the tree or are very
close to it.

CHAPTER V.

HUNTING BEES FROM BUCKWHEAT.

During buckwheat bloom, which occurs in the month of August and
early part of September, many bees are found. Some hunters line
them to the tree by sunning. This method requires a very clear day
and unless the hunter thoroughly understands this art, knows an
unloaded bee from a loaded one, he is not apt to be very
successful. Besides this fact I have known many hunters to so
injure their eyesight as to become, in old age, partially blind and
perhaps altogether so. I, myself, have found many bees in this way
and feel certain that my eyesight has been injured, but am very
thankful that I discarded this method many years ago.

Bees do their work on buckwheat from the time the dew is leaving
until near noon; and on a hot, clear day but few bees, if any, will
be found working on it after 12 M. One of the greatest elements of
success in hunting bees by the baiting method is to use a scent
that is the same as the flower the bee i