392 A HISTORY OF 



to make an affidavit that the number 

 of old hives, so weighed, attested, and 

 certified, have been all his property 

 for six months before, that all the new 

 hives so weighed, attested, and certi- 

 fied, are swarms from the old hives, 

 and that to the best of his knowledge, 

 none of those hives were above six 

 Irish miles from his dwelling-house 

 when weighed and certified, or for six 

 months before. 



These certificates and affidavits are 

 to be produced by the claimants of 

 the premiums, as the condition upon 

 which only they can receive them. 



N.B. The weighing of bees is by 

 no means difficult; it is to be done 

 after sunset, in the following manner : 

 a linen cloth is slipped between the 

 hive and the stool, and knotted at the 

 top of the hive, which is then lifted 

 up by the knot, and put into the scale ; 

 after weighing the hive is again put on 

 the stool, and the cloth slipped from 

 under it. 



It is found by experience that bees 

 will thrive at least as well in boxes as 

 in hives, and it is recommended that 

 they be as well made use of as hives. 



Whereas the usual method of ob- 

 taining honey from stocks of bees, is 

 by destroying the bees ; and whereas, 

 it is found by experience that the honey 

 may be obtained, and the bees pre- 

 served at the same time, by which large 

 quantities of both honey and wax are 

 collected, the Society will therefore 

 give 



To the person who shall collect the 

 greatest quantity of honey or wax from 

 stocks of bees of his own property 

 within the year 1766, without destroy- 



