Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/222

218 the practice is almost universal. One instance is thus stated by a friend. "About five miles from Edinburgh, at the foot of one of the Pentland hills, stands Logan-house, supposed the former residence of Sir W. Worthy, celebrated by Allan Ramsay in his Gentle Shepherd. This house is now occupied by a shepherd, who, during July and August, receives about 100 bee-hives from his neighbours beyond the hills, that their bees may gather the honey from the luxuriant blossoms of the mountain heather." The exact period when transportation is to be had recourse to, must be regulated by the localities, and by the temperature of the season. But in general, the Bee-master will act safely if he adopt the decay of the white clover as the signal of removal. At that period, the heath is coming into bloom, and soon presents a rich fund of sweets to the eager collectors. By transporting them thither, a double harvest may be reaped. In the autumn of 1828, we took nearly the whole stores from a few hives, before transporting them to the moors; and on bringing them back, after an absence of about three weeks, they had acquired at an average ten lbs. of honey each. Double this quantity in the same period of time, if the weather is dry and sunny, is by no means uncommon, as the fruit of transportation. But much depends on the season; and the rains so often prevailing in August and September, frequently disappoint the expectations of the owner. In 1829, during the autumn of which