35 



if it be day-time, you must neither open nor place 

 them till night, to the end that after the quiet rest 

 of the night, they may go cheerfully to work the 

 next morning; and be sure you observe them nar- 

 rowly for two or three days after, whether they go 

 out cr not, for if they do, 'tis a shrewd sign they 

 intend to leave you. 



To store yourself with wild bees, take these fol- 

 lowing directions: that is, such as breed in clefts 

 of oaks, or other trees, in fields, forests, or wilder- 

 nesses, or in rocks, or ruins of castles, or church- 

 es. To find them out, set a little box, with a small 

 hole in it, near the water side, whither you per- 

 ceive the bees to resort, and when many have en- 

 tered for the sugar or honey put therein, stop up 

 the hole, and having let one out, follow him as far 

 as you can see him, then let out another, following 

 him likewise, and so a third, till by their flying di- 

 rectly to the place of their abode, you may find 

 them out; and to know whether they are far or 

 nigh, set sugared water, and when they come to 

 sip, sprinkle some red, green, or other colour upon 

 them, and by their often or seldom coming, you 

 may guess the distance or nearness of their nests; 

 as also by the sudden resort of great numbers, so 

 soon as one or two have found out the sweets, for 

 they suddenly give notice to their fellows. Having 

 found them, if in the body of a tre?, and you can- 

 not come at them, smoak them out and settle them, 

 by ringing of any brass vessel; and having sweeten- 

 edyourhivewithherbs,shakethcm into it, or rather 

 cut .down the bough and cover it with a sheet, set- 

 ting your hive afterwards near it, that the bees of 

 their own accord, may go into it; or if you cannot 

 smoak them out, saw the tree, or use other means 

 as may oblige them to forsake their dwelling. 



