THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 367 



When the feeders are adjusted upon the hive, an empty hive body 

 is set over all and the cover replaced and the work is done. With 

 this feeder inverted over the cluster you can feed any time up 

 to holidays, as they will take the feed from this feeder when they 

 would starve with feed in the Miller of other similar feeders. We 

 think this is the best thing we have published this year. 



English Beekeeping in Ye Olden Times 



A. H. BOWEN, Coronation Road, Chaltenham, Gloucestershire, 



England 



In these days of modern and commercial bee-culture one can 

 look back with much interest to those far-off days when the frame 

 hive was almost unknown, and the old, round, cosy bee skep shelter- 

 ed the honey makers of that ancient time. You can imagine it 

 hackled or pots herded on its one-legged stand, nestling among the 

 sweet scented flowers of a cottage garden ; or a whole row of old 

 fashioned hives might have once been seen under a warm southern 

 wall in the kitchen garden of the Manor House. 



In years gone by the keeping of bees was mainly restricted 

 to the country districts. Cottagers learned to love these busy in- 

 sects, and highly prized the delicious honey which was such a treat 

 in those days, when the luxuries of life were few, indeed, and even 

 the necessities difficult enough to obtain. Then we find most gar- 

 dens had their bee-hives, and the pleasure derived from tending 

 them during the months of sunshine did much to brighten the un- 

 eventful lives of the simple village folk. 



Straw skep weaving was largely practiced in those days, and 

 the stout hives almost an inch thick took as much skill to make, 

 ^s that required for the thatching of a barn or rick. 



The size used varied much according to the district — a large 

 hive for big swarms in good localities, and smaller ones for casts, 

 or where the bee-pasturage was poor. 



Sometimes a small hole was left in the hive top if the bee- 

 pian had a faiacy for virgin honey in a straw super, but more often 

 than not it was fashioned cone shape for the better fitting of a 

 hackle or pan ; serving to keep the hive cool in summer and warm 



