BEES. 117 



much cold bees can endure. In extreme northern 

 countries they are found in trees. Even in the cold- 

 est parts of Russia, they are found in winter, in hol- 

 low trees, alive. The hives in Russia, are made of 

 bark. In Portugal, bee hives are constructed of the 

 rind of the cork tree, in the form of a cylinder, and 

 a little more than two feet high, by twelve or fifteen 

 inches in height. The inside of these hives is divid- 

 ed into three compartments, and the top is covered 

 with an earthen pan inverted. 



Bees, as well as the^silk worm, have their diseas- 

 es ; one of which is the diarrhaea, brought on by 

 feeding voraciously on certain plants, such as the elm 

 and milk thistle. It is said that pomegrariite seed 

 pounded, united with honey and sweet wine, is an ef- 

 fectual remedy. Also raisins and rosemary, boiled 

 in wine. When hives become infested with insects, 

 they should be thoroughly cleansed, and perfumed 

 with the leaves of pomegranite. 



Many winged insects are very annoying to bees, 

 among which may be mentioned hornets and butter- 

 flies. The best plan to destroy hornets, is to place 

 basins of water round the hive, into which the hor- 

 nets will fly to drink, and will be drowned. Lighted 

 candles,- it is said, will exterminate the butterflies. 



It is well known that bees often go to war with one 

 another ; one hive battling against another. To pre- 

 Vent this, Dr. Darwin says, a board one inch thick 

 Should be laid on the bee bench, and so fixed with 



