178 



Barometrical Observations. — Bee-keeping. 



Vol. VII. 



Barometrical Observations, 



Made to ascertain the Level of the Dead Sea. 



To Professor Silliman : 



Sir, — Thinking the following- observations, 

 made to ascertain the level of the Dead Sea, 

 might be interesting to you, I take the liber- 

 ty to forward the same. They were made 

 by Sir David Wilkie, W. Woodburn, Esq., 

 and myself, in March last, as you will per- 

 ceive by reference to the dates. 



You will be concerned to learn, that the 

 talented gentleman who suggested these ob- 

 servations, (Sir David Wilkie,) recently died 



near Gibraltar, on his return from a visit to 

 the Holy Land. He had secured a large 

 amount of memoranda at Jerusalem, the Dead 

 Sea, Bethlehem, and other places in Pales- 

 tine, from which he hoped to create a new, 

 and better order of Scripture painting; in 

 which, had his life been spared, he would 

 undoubtedly have succeeded. But his work 

 is done, and the gifted pencil which has so 

 often made the canvass breathe, is forever 

 laid aside. With sentiments of respect, I 

 'remain your obedient and humble servant, . 



E. R. Beadle. 

 I Aleppo, Aug. 27, 1841. 



BAROMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



Recapitulation, without reference to thermometer : 



Jerusalem, higher than the Mediterranean 2520 feet. 



St. Saba, " " " 606 " 



Dead Sea, lower " " 1414 " 



Jericho, " " " 617 ' 



From " Silliman's Journal of Science and Arts" for Jan. 1842. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Bee-keeping. 



Messrs. Editors. — Having some leisure 

 moments on hand, I thought I would furnish 

 a few passing remarks under the head of 

 bee-keeping, for your valuable paper. There 

 are some excellent articles on this subject, 

 in the several volumes of the ( 'abinet, al- 

 ready, but I conclude that what I may have 

 to say, can do no injury, if it does no good; 

 I wish the matter revived. 



Many persons deprive themselves of a 

 great luxury — one of the most delightful 

 " sweets" of life, because they believe the 

 keeping; of bees is both troublesome and un- 

 profitable. Bees, however, strengthen the 

 local, and home attachments of their owner, 

 if he will interest himself in their curious 

 operations, and they will yield him into the 

 bargain, with but little cost of time or care, 

 an article of profit as well as of luxury. If 

 we commence keeping bees, with an appre- 

 hension that nothing more is necessary, than 

 to provide them with hives in the first place, 

 and to take Ihcir honey in the autumn, wo 

 shall probably be disappointed. Like the 

 tree we plant, or the flower we would enjoy, 

 they require some nursing. We must guard 



them as much as possible from their enemies, 

 provide them with pastures of buckwheat, 

 and white clover, occasionally feeding them, 

 when we find that our avarice has deprived 

 them of more of their provender, than they 

 could afford to spare. Many persons are dis- 

 couraged from keeping bees, by the disincli- 

 nation they feel to the common practice of 

 killing them in the autumn, when the honey 

 is procured. But let me remind these, that 

 the substitution of Hall's self-protecting hive, 

 or some one of the many other improved kinds 

 now in use, for the old fashioned box, would 

 obviate the necessity for the. unpleasant re- 

 currence to the brimstone match. This is 

 easily done by the poor as well as the rich. 

 [And every one may have on his table, one 

 of the swecti si luxuries of life, furnished by 

 ;servants who work without price, affording 

 ! to their attentive owner, as they progress in 

 itheir operations, ample compensation for all 

 jthe trouble they give him. Their honey then, 

 is clear gain. Suffer me to close my short 

 'article in the language of the old French 

 Bishop, who, when any of his curates ap- 

 plied for an improved living, would only reply, 

 " keep bees — keep bees." Yours, &c. 



E. B., Jr. 



I Union. town, Ta., Nov. 21, 1842. 



