The White Crystals

s from the plunge into the creek, nor did he catch cold. There was merry laughter over the affair when he came downstairs dr

oger needed a re

, "ye might git off some a' th' clover honey. I'm goin' t' send a load a'

at that?" asked Adrian o

busy little bees worked and made the sweet stuff he had eaten the first night

honey crop had been nearly all gathered in when Roger came, but some of the later swarms were still busy filling up the "caps" with the sweet juices of flowers. Adrian

or?" asked t

u from gett

rst time of the chances of being nipped by the bees, "isn't it

t," repli

he collection of hives, Roger became somewhat apprehe

zzer or two does come singing around you once in a while just keep perfectly still and it won't hurt you. In fact it c

along the path to the orchard Roger noticed that Adrian carried what looked l

hat for?"

oke th

e the

ll see in

h bees cannot exist through the cold weather out of doors. Entering the tool house Adrian collected some small pieces of wood and some shavin

ung down all around his head, Adrian started out with

f gloves. "Put these on. They're rubber, you see, a

ger, as he drew the gaunt

I seldom get stung barehanded, and if I do I don't mind one or two

lp noticing how much his cousin seemed like a diver, with the

aise their young, and store honey in what we call the big sections. These are beeswax combs, set in light wooden frames. In the top part of the hive are several smaller, square, w

gh on the bees,"

them enough," e

ian approached t

was glad enough not to be asked to go any nearer the hives, from which he could h

s from the honey. As soon as this was moved aside Roger saw a black moving mass of bees crawling upward. Adrian quickly took the smoker and puffed a gentle white cloud of vapor on the insects. In an instant they melted away,

little house, and Roger could see that it contained a number of the full caps, in this case there being only the white clover honey. Setting his load down on top of the hive next to him, Adrian re

, to the bee house, and returned to repeat the operation on other

" he called to

t, but I don't mind that. I'm use

"some of 'em seem anxious to make my acquaintance, but th

ian. "I'm only going to take off a few

hat got in the storehouse a chance to escape, Adrian prepared to pack the honey for market. To do this it was first necessary to scrape from each wooden cap, or the small, one-pound honey

anding on the same end they

ifference do

, and there happens to be some cells that

, and they were divided down the middle by a wall of wax. The wise bees gave to each cell a downward slant toward this dividing wall, so that when they had filled them with honey the sweet stuff would not run out. Then, as a further prec

an, "but you always have to be careful," and he wa

of the caps, and, as each one was finished it was placed in a pasteboard box, labe

n. "Plenty of white clover, which sells better than buck

kwheat for? Because it's

ay buckwheat honey is too strong for 'em, but we all like it better than clover, which

ked a deep voice from the doorway, a

I guess," an

ke a reg'lar bee-farmer ou

the boys' work and se

caps. "Say, Ade," he went on, "how'd you 'n' Roger like t' take a load

take the horses to the city w

git over Tully hill 'ith th' rig. I'd send Jim, th' hired man, only I wan

asked Adri

fun," replied the city boy.

se, and to-night Roger and I'll load up the wagon

n the doorway, and they all looked up to see Clara

to Roger, who took a cake. Adrian helped himself to two, and Mr. Kimball was not satisfied

nt does bake the best cookies in Onondaga County," and he took a fourth one, while Cl

ne," agreed Roger, fin

had enough for the present. Then Mr. Kimball cut open one of the caps of honey, and

Roger of Clara, offering he

his last month I'm afraid I'll turn into a bee," an

ments for the trip to-morrow. Adrian, for whom there was no more work that afternoon, proposed to Roger that they ta

rrying tin pails and books, and most of the

they from?"

ol's

t forgotten there was such

the farm, and then I'm pretty well along in what they teach here. They're going

oon came t

te dust. "Heard ye went fishin' yist'day," he went on. "Ketched a whale, didn'

an. "But, say, Truem, can we come in? Are you run

e referrin' t'," said Mr

dusty miller, who held out a h

right, genially. "I'm grindin' a

ith the whirring vibrations of the two big millstones. They watche

Roger, who was somewhat surpri

t and force of the water that fell on it from above, a dam giving the necessary head. This furnished the power for the entire mill. It was all very interesting to Roger, who