IN THE TIME OF VIRGIL 179 



vating field over which he has taken us; apiculture in his time was a 

 picturesque occupation, even when seriously pursued. His picture of 

 it is pleasing, not only as a thing beautiful in itself, but also as afford- 

 ing an interesting contrast to the apiculture of to-day, as enabling us to 

 measure our present growth by an ancient scale. Practical beekeeping 

 is indeed far different now from what it was in those days ; apiculture at 

 present shows many new features, and lacks many that distinguished 

 it then. Yet in one respect it remains the same, and, I venture to think, 

 will always do so; that is, in the enthusiasm of the bee-keeper for his 

 bees. Even as Aristseus, we to-day are grateful for our teeming hivefuls 

 With Virgil we cry, 



Averter of thieves and birds, protect them. 



Let gardens breathing with saffron flowers allure them, 



Let the guardianship of Hellespontaic Priapus, with his willow scythe, 



