ON BEES AND HONEY. 161 



never breathe on them ; never go near them when in, what 

 the refined lady in the " Vicar of Wakefield" called, '-a muck 

 OF SWEAT." If you do, you will be quite likely to fare as 

 the Greek Poet, jolly old Anacreon, says, Cupid fared ; 



Cupid, once among the Roses, 

 Sees not where a Bee reposes ; 

 But was wounded in the finger, 

 By the furious little stinger. 

 Translated by the Committee from the Original Greek] ! 



Just hear what old Butler says, who wrote on Bees more than 

 two hundred years ago : "If thou wilt have the favor of bees 

 that they sting thee not, thou must avoid some things which 

 offend them ; thou must not be unchaste and uncleanly ; for 

 impurity and sluttishness, themselves being most chaste and 

 neat, they utterly abhor ; thou must not come among them 

 smelling of sweat, or having a stinking breath, caused either 

 through eating of leeks, onions or garlick ; thou must not be 

 given to surfeiting or drunkenness ; thou must not come puff- 

 ing and blowing unto them, neither hastily stir among them, 

 nor resolutely defend thyself when they seem to threaten thee ; 

 but softly moving thy hand before thy face, gently put them 

 by ; and lastly, thou must be no stranger unto them. In a 



word, THOU MUST BE CHASTE, CLEANLY, SWEET, SOBER, QUIET, 



AND FAMILIAR, SO will they love thee, and know thee from 

 all other." (Butler, Chap. 1. part 33.) 



For safety in operating among them, it is prudent, if the 

 Apiarian has any fears, to smoke a pipe or segar. With to- 

 bacco smoke you may drive before you " a whole wilderness" 

 of bees. Their detestation of the nauseous weed is truly ex- 

 emplary. 



Your Committee now desire to say a word or two upon bee 

 hives, and in that connection to speak of the management 

 of the bee, and to plead earnestly for a more merciful, as well 

 as more judicious treatment of this most useful insect, than it 

 ordinarily receives. 



There are very many excellent bee hives, patented and un- 

 patented. We shall not discuss their various merits, but shall 

 only point out such principles in their general make, as shall 

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