BOOK IX. XIV. 12-15 



of Hipparchus," which declares that the solstices and 

 equinoxes occur not in the eighth but in the first 

 degrees of the signs of the Zodiac ; however, in these 

 rural instructions I am now following the calendar of 

 Eudoxus and Meto '^ and the old astronomers, which 

 are adapted to the public festivals, because this 

 view, accepted in old times, is more familiar to 

 farmers and, on the other hand, the subtility of 

 Hipparchus is not necessary. for mstics of less refined 

 education. On the first rieiilg, uren, of the Pleiads it 13 

 will be advisable immediately to open the hives and 

 clear away any filth that there is and attend to them 

 with particular care, since during the winter time it 

 is not expedient to move or open the hives. For 

 this reason, while there are some remains left of 

 autumn, on a very sunny day, after the bees' habita- 

 tions have been cleansed, the covers must be put in- 

 side close to the honey-combs to prevent there being 

 any empty space within, so that the narrow quarters of 

 the hives may warm up more easily during the 

 winter. This must always be done also in those 

 hives which are sparsely inhabited through lack of 

 bee population. 



Next any chinks or holes that there are we shall 14 

 daub outside with a mixture of clay and ox-dung, 

 and we shall only leave entrance by which they may 

 come and go. Also, although the hives are pro- 

 tected by a porch, we shall nevertheless cover them by 

 heaping stalks and leaves on the top of them and 

 fortify them, as far as circumstances allow, against 

 cold and bad weather. Some people kill birds and, 15 

 after taking out their intestines, shut the birds up in 

 the hives, so that in winter time they may provide a 

 gentle heat for the bees which lurk amongst their 



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