Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

366 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFToff for two or three days. We recall that theTen Thousand of Xenophon were made ill by laurelhoney. However, I doubt if anywhere in the worldthere is a more luxuriant bloom of laurel and ofrhododendron than where I live in the Great SmokyMountains, and yet I have not heard of a singlecase of poisoned honey in this region. Doubtlessthis is due to the profusion of other nectar-bearingtrees and plants. Bees will not work on laurelwhen there is plenty of basswood and tulip and sourwood,which bloom in the same months.Beeswax.—^Wax is a valuable commodity in thebackwoods. To prepare it, break up the honeycomb,press out the honey, then boil the comb untilmelted in a small quantity of water, squeeze itthrough coarsely woven cloth, and cool it in molds.The Sport of Bee Hunting.—^There is an elementof luck in bee hunting, and a spice of smalladventure, that entitle it to rank among field sports.One must match his wits against the superior agilityof the game ; he must keep his eyes skinned, followa long chase, and risk the stings of conflictif he would enjoy the sweets of victory.The most unlucky thing that can happen is tospend half a day pursuing bees and then line themup in some farmer's hives. As Robinson's **UncleJerry" said: 'Tve lined bees nigh onto three mile,an' when a feller 's done that, an' fetches up agina tame swarm in someb'dy's do' j^ard, it makes himkinder wamble-cropped."feel