TEE BEE. 



were not doing well, but -whioli he said wonld thrive in con- 

 sequence of that ceremony. This, however, may claim to be 

 considered something more dignified than vulgar superstition ; 

 surely to utter a prayer in any tone whatever, is the most effi- 

 cacious way to amend a dearth of honey or of any other of the 

 world's goods bestowed by the Great Giver. The above-quoted au- 

 thority likewise mentions a singular custom connected with bee- 

 keeping that came under his notice in Norfolk — ^that of putting 

 the bees in mowrmng when one of the family dies. A piece 

 of black doth or crape is attached to each hive, and the good 

 folk thereabout have the most thorough belief that if the cere- 

 mony be neglected, the teeming hives wiU speedily become silent 

 sepulchres. 



In acquainting the bees with the death of their master or 

 mistress, the key of the house door is taken by a near relative, 

 and each hive solemnly tapped with it three times, the tapper 

 saying at each stroke, " Bees, bees, master [or mistress] is dead." 

 It seems to be necessary to mention the name of the party, and 

 not to mention the defunct vaguely as " somebody." The prac- 

 tice prevails in certain parts of Kent, and a correspondent writing 

 to me on the subject says that on one occasion he witnessed a 

 " death-teUing." The deceased, however, was not absolutely 

 one of the bee-keeper's family, but a little girl who lived in the 

 neighbourhood, and who was almost a constant visitor. There 

 seemed to be some difficulty among the bee-keepers as to whether 

 the bees need be " told" under these circumstances ; but it was 

 finally decided that it was " better to be sure than sorry," 'and 

 so the ceremony was performed, the words used being, " Bees, 

 oees, little Polly, as p'raps you may have seen about here, died 

 to-day at noon." 



THE bee's NAITTBAL ENEUIES. 



In the year 1707 there was published at the " Seven Stars, 

 Talbot Court, in Gracechnrch Street," a volume entitled " Eng- 

 land's Interest," written by a very grave and learned gentle- 

 man. Part of the said volume is devoted to the managemait 

 and culture of bees ; and though, as a whole, it does not chime 

 in with our modem notions of bee-treatment, still it contains 

 much that is sound and sterling, and not a little that is highly 

 curious. A chapter is devoted to " The Bee's Enemies," and the 

 following extracts therefrom may be worth the perusal as well 

 of the bee-keeper of to-day as of the generation that saw the 

 book newly delivered from the Seven Stars. 



