314 The Honey-Makers 



importance to the farmer, the proceeds in wax and honey 

 forming a valuable part of his revenue. Even the poorest 

 peasants kept their bees, placing the hives in the open air 

 of field or forest. 



It was not only among the agriculturists, however, that 

 bees were valued. At the time of the Roman Empire the 

 love of bee-keeping accompanied the wide-spread love 

 for villas, and bee-culture became a mattfer of fashion among 

 the wealthy Romans. Bees were hived in the walls of 

 villas, under the covered piazzas of pleasure grounds and 

 in fruit gardens and parks, and especially in bee-houses 

 near the villas. 



Columella gives a reason for having the hives close to 

 the house which is not to the credit of the peasants. He 

 advises that they be placed near the house so that the 

 owner can frequently come upon them unawares ; adding 

 that success in bee-culture demands the greatest honesty 

 and fidelity, and that the bees themselves hate and abhor a 

 fraudulent overseer. 



Cicero, in his " Essay on Old Age," considers the suc- 

 cessful production of honey an essential to good farming. 



It was the proper thing to give to the valued guest fresh 

 honey taken from the hives of the host. 



"Wax as well as honey had its value, as it was used for 

 medicines and as a foundation for plasters and salves. 



Wax was sometimes used to fashion the little figures of 

 ancestors which were kept in the houses and produced 

 upon certain ceremonial occasions. It was also used to 

 form miniature images of animals which were bought by 

 those too poor to buy living animals for the sacrifices. 



The making of wax flowers and wax fruits, trivial as the 

 occupation is now deemed, where it is done merely for 

 amusement, has a very respectable origin, for the making 

 of fruits and flowers in wax was carried to great perfection 



