RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. G3 



but the best way is to lette them hange aboute halfe an houre 

 afore yow hive them ; and by this meanes they will bee see 

 wearyecl and toyled that they will bee wiUinge both to goe up 

 and abide in the hive, Theire principall delight, when they 

 rise, is nutte-trees and filbert-trees ; yette, if there bee noe such 

 for them to hght on, they will hght on eyther appletree, peere- 

 tree, or plumtree, thorne or willowe ; the manner is when they 

 rise, either to whistle them or else to ringe on a bason. They 

 will oftentimes, if they bee not watched, light on a bough, and 

 hange all night ; and sometimes worke a coambe on a bough ; 

 and sometimes, when they have hunge a while, they will rise 

 againe and fiy into some hoUowe tree, or perhapps into some 

 hole in the thatch of an liowse, and there remaine and worke 

 till the raine destroy them. The best way is to sette them all 

 on severall stooles or boardes, and that more than a yard from 

 the grownde, allwayes regardinge that the mouth of the hive 

 bee just towardes the twelve a clocke pointe, wheare they may 

 [bee] neither too much molested with the droppinge of trees, 

 neither too much shadowed with the boughes of trees ; but 

 that they may partake both of the mominge find afternoone 

 sunne, viz. ; that howsoever the sunne may light on them 

 before eight, and goe not of them till after five ; and then doe 

 your bees stand well. Aboute the 10th of March looke to the 

 di-essinge of your hives, and bee sure to sette it downe just as 

 yow take it up, bee sure then to give them free and large pas- 

 sage, and after that remove them noe more, for feare of doinge 

 much harme. Swarmes proove oftentimes soe greate, that they 

 will, att the very first hivinge, bee as lowe as the lower spelles ; 

 and then if the weather bee anythinge kindely for them to 

 worke in, they will, or, within a monethes space worke 

 downe to the bottome of the hive, and then must yow give 

 them an Underlay. There is in an underlay usually five 

 wreathes, viz. ; one for the hive to stande within, and fower 

 belowe ; yow are to putte in an underlay two spelles, one crosse 

 another, and that three wi-eathes from the bottome, viz. ; 

 betwixt the third and fourth wi'eath ; then are yow to anoynt 

 them with fennell, balme and creame as yow doe your hives ; 

 then when yow give an hive an underlay, yow are to stay till 

 after supper that it beginne to bee darke ; and then to take up 

 the hive easily, for breakinge of the coambes or disquiettinge 

 of the bees, and to minde to sette the bottome of the underlay 

 just in the circuite wheare yow see the hive hath stoode ; the 

 wide ende of an underlay is the toppe for the hive to stande 

 within, yow are alsoe to observe wheare the lowermost wreath 

 in the underlay endes, and to sette that forewards for the mouth 



