122 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
It is very remarkable, that although honey and the 
honey-comb are so frequently mentioned in the Scrip¬ 
tures, but very few allusions are made to the bees. It 
might he reasonably expected that they would have fur¬ 
nished frequently similies to the figurative pen of the 
prophets, and that as knowledge is likened unto their 
produce for its sweetness ( Prov . xxiv. 14), and as Solo¬ 
mon holds up the ant as an example of industry, so we 
are justified in expecting that the bee should have been 
quoted as a model of providence, family concord and 
loyalty. But it is not so, and we have no allusion but 
to their irritability (Deut. i. 44), and to their habit, when 
wild, of inhabiting the rocks and the trees. ( Deut. 
xxxii. 13. Sam. xiv. 26.) Yet it was not because their 
produce was small or undervalued, for it is always in¬ 
cluded among the best produce of Judah (Gen. xliii. 11. 
&c.); a fertile land is described as one flowing with 
honey (Deut. viii. 8. &c.) ; and it formed an article of 
commerce with neighbouring nations ( EzeTt . xxvii. 17). 
The conclusion seems to be that domesticated bees and 
their habits were not known to the Israelites, and it 
would be difficult now to point out the nation to whom 
we are indebted, for adding this most profitable and 
most interesting insect to our catalogue of gardening 
and agricultural stock. That it does rank so highly } 
and deserves to be so estimated more frequently, admits 
of no doubt, for we know of many cottagers and allot¬ 
ment tenants who on an average of years pay their 
entire rent from the produce of their hives. 
That from the earliest times, bees have been esteemed 
in England for the value, as well as excellence of their 
produce, is quite certain, for in our earliest records 
we have them mentioned as property; and among our 
first printed books, is Thomas Hill’s, “ A profitable 
instruction of the perlite ordering of Bees.” This ap¬ 
peared in 1579, and from that time until the publishing, 
in the present year, of The English Bee-Keeper, the 
volumes which have appeared in succession from the 
pens of Swammerdam, Reaumur, Bonnet, Schirach, 
Tliorley, Huuter, Huber, Bevan, Huish, Payne, Miner, 
Taylor, and others, have been marked by the gradual 
increase of sound information—sound, because confined, 
for the most part, to the results of the writers own ex¬ 
perience. 
The latest work in the above list, and one of the best, 
is The English Bee-Keeper, or, Suggestions for the 
Practical Management of Amateur and Cottage Apiaries. 
Its author is “ A Country Curate,” so favourably known 
to our readers as the writer of “ The History of an 
Apiary,” and other practical, instructive, and amusing 
papers in our columns. The object of this little volume 
is thus told— 
“ I wish to induce all residents in the country, who have lei¬ 
sure and opportunity, to encourage bee-keeping among their 
poorer neighbours ; and not with a view to their pecuniary ad¬ 
vantage only, for the study of bees is capable of ministering 
to a much higher end. There is scarcely a more interesting 
branch of natural history to be mentioned, and none cer¬ 
tainly more instructive. To quote the words of Dr. Bevan— 
“In common with the other branches of natural history, 
it leads to a salutary exercise of the mental faculties; it 
induces a habit of observation and reflection; no pleasure 
[May 29. ! 
is more easily attainable, nor less alloyed by any debasing 
mixture; it tends to enlarge and harmonize the mind, and 
to elevate it to worthy conceptions of nature and its Author.” 
Every word of this is true. The rustic bee-keeper, if he 
have only a soul to appreciate the works of God, and an 
intelligence of an inquisitive order—and intelligence is sure 
to expand with the attentive study of any branch of natural 
history—cannot fail to become deeply interested in observing 
the wonderful instincts (instincts akin to reason) of these 
admirable creatures ; at the same time that he will learn 
many lessons of practical wisdom from their example. Having 
acquired a knowledge of their habits, not a bee will buzz in 1 
his ear without recalling to him some of these lessons, and 
helping to make him a wiser and a better man. It is certain 
that in all my experience I never yet met with a keeper of 
bees who was not a respectable, well-conducted member of 
society, and a moral, if not a religious man. It is evident, 
on reflection, that this pursuit, if well attended to, must 
occupy some considerable share of a man’s time and thoughts. 
He must be often about his bees, which will help to counter¬ 
act the baneful allurement of the village “ public,” with all 
its accompanying syren-like evils. Whoever is fond of his 
bees is fond of his home : this is an axiom of irrefragable 
truth; and it is an axiom that will be sure to kindle 
in every true Englishman’s breast a favourable regal'd 
for a pursuit, which, though humble, has undoubted power 
to produce so happy an influence.” 
Such are the author’s objects, and we assure our 
readers that he lias written most successfully for attain¬ 
ing those objects. It is a thoroughly practical work, 
yet enlightened by a sufficient application of scientific 
knowledge. It teaches where and how to found an 
apiary ; how to select stocks ; what hives to prefer for 
cottage management, for which he justly decides upon 
Mr. Payne’s; amateur hives of straw and wood; their 
management in the open air, in a bee-house, and in a 
room window; on feeding bees, and on the instruments 
and conveniences desirable to the bee-keeper. 
It is not to be expected that we could agree with the 
author in all his results, for even in practice the same 
experiment will have various degrees of success in the 
hands of as many experimenters ; and we especially 
differ from him where he objects to feeding bees with 
barley-sugar, because it is “ troublesome to make.” 
Now, we have found it but little more troublesome to 
manufacture than to prepare a compound somewhat 
similar to that which he recommends, of sugar, sherry, 
honey, and beer; and this compound, to defeat him 
with another of his own objections to barley-sugar, is 
“ as expensive as honey.” Supposing, however, it to be 
thus dear, and even troublesome to make, yet these 
drawbacks would be all more than compensated by the 
facility to feeding which it affords. 
We have many passages of new and useful informa¬ 
tion marked for quotation from this truly useful volume ; 
but we must forbear, and the less reluctantly because 
we feel assured that many of our readers will adopt our 
recommendation of adding this good guide in bee-keep¬ 
ing to the other friends-in-time-of-need on their book¬ 
shelf. 
GARDENING GOSSIP. 
The great talk among florists is of the absence of the 
usual great show of Pelargoniums at the Chiswick Show, 
which was supposed to be the result of previous concert 
among the growers; but we made it our business to go 
