BEES, BEE-HIVES, AND BEE CULTUUE. Ill 



probable size of the various stocks. These particulars will not only 

 be interesting for the bee-keeper to turn to in winter, but will be of 

 practical service in enabling him to know the exact age and 

 probable strength of each stock. The bee-book may also be contrived 

 to show the total amount of honey that the bees have produced for 

 their owner, and the net money profit of the apiary. A simple 

 and clear account like this — provided, by the bye, that it does 

 show a satisfactory balance — will be very useful for inducing 

 cottagers and farm labourers to start bee-keeping. Nothing like 

 ocular demonstration for this class. The " humane " apiarian wiU 

 reason with them in vain until he shows them a monster " skep " of 

 honey, and mentions the price that it will fetch in the market. 

 When convinced that the depriving system will pay, the cottager 

 will gladly adopt it. 



A writer in the Quarterly JRevieto gives the following good 

 advice : — " Don't bore the cottager with long lectures ; don't heap 

 upon him many little books ; but give him a hive of the best 

 construction, show him the management, and then buy Ms honey ; 

 buy all he brings, even though you should have to give the surplus 

 to some gardenless widow. But only buy such as comes from an 

 improved hive — and you cannot easily be deceived in this, — one 

 which preserves the bees and betters the honey. Then, when you 

 pay him, you may read to him, if you wiU, the wise rules of old 

 Butler," exempli gratia: — ■ 



" If thou wilt have the favour of thy bees that they sting thee not, thoa 

 must not be unchaste or uncleanly ; thou must not come among them with a 

 stinking breath, caused either through eating of leeks, onions, or garlic, or by 

 any other means, the noisomeness whereof is corrected by a cup of beer; thou 

 must not be given to surfeiting or drunkenness ; thou must not come pufing 

 or blowing unto them, neither hastily stir among them, nor violently defend 

 thyself when they seem to threaten thee ; but, softly moving by, thy hand 

 before thy face, gently put them by ; and, lastly, thou must be no stranger to 

 them. Li a word, (or rather, in five words,) be chaste, sweet, sober, quiet, 

 familiar ; so they will love thee and know thee from aU others." 



Allusion having been made to the profit that may be gained by 

 the judicious management of bees, we will illustrate that point by 

 relating an anecdote of a certain French cure.* It is one which 



* This story, in a disguised form, or — as the writer would say — an improved 

 form, was quoted in the Cornhill Magazine some time ago. In transforming 

 the bee-keeping cure into an English clergyman the effect was cleverly 



