BOOK XXI. xLvi. 79-xLviii. 82 



XL^^l. In Crete is found another wonderful 

 honey." There Mount Carina has a circumference 

 of nine niiles. within which no flies are found, and 

 nowhere do Hies touch the honey coming from that 

 place. By this test is selected a honey specially 

 suited for medicines. 



XLVTI. It is well for the apiaries to look due east, H/e-keejrini) 

 and to avoid the north wind as well as the west wind. 

 The best hive is made of bark ; the next best material 

 is fennel-giant, and the third is osier. Many too 

 have niade liives of transparent stone, so that they 

 might look on the bees working inside. It is very 

 useful for the hives to be daubed all over with cow 

 dung, and for a movable cover to be made at the 

 back. that it may be brought forward if the hive be 

 large or the working unproductive, lest the bees 

 lose hope and cease to care ; this cover should be 

 gradually slid back so that they do not see how their 

 work has grown. In winter cover the hives with 

 straw, and fumigate them repeatedly, especially 

 with cow dung. This being akin ^ to the bees kills 

 the insects that breed in the hive — spiders, moths 

 and wood worms, besides stimulating the bees 

 themselves. To exterminate the spiders indeed is 

 fairlv easy. The moths, a greater plague, are 

 destroyed in the spring by lamps, which are lighted 

 before the hives when the mallow begins to ripen, 

 on a night of the new moon when the sky is clear. 

 Into the flame of these the moths fling them- 

 selves. 



XLVIII. If it is felt that the bees are in need of 

 food, it would be well to place at the door raisins or 

 crushed dried figs, as well as carded wool soaked in 

 raisin wine, boiled-down must or hydromel, as well 



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