716 NATURAL HISTORY. 
ever it is of great ufe ftill in many refpeéts; and the confumption af 
wax is greater than ever. In Hrance, a good fwarm in two years, will 
yield two pounds and a half of wax, and near thirty pounds of honey 
and therefore under a good regulation, a confiderable profit may bé 
gnade of them. But Bees are ftill more beneficial, in countries that ar 
covered with flowers the greateft part of the year, efpecially in hot 
countries, fuch as Spain, Peru, and Mexico, where tallow is always t0® 
foft to make candles with. 
In Mufcovy, and in America, there is fometimes found in the trunks 
of old trees, a fort of black wax, in round bits, of the fize of a nut 
meg. This is produced by fmali Bees, who make their combs in thele 
hollow trunks, whofe honey is of a citron colour, and of a very agree 
able tafte. [his wax, when heated, has a fmeil like balm, but it 8 
feldom to be met with in France. The Americans make candles with 
the wax, and likewife fmall veifels, which they make ufe of to gather 
the balfam of Tolu. 
With regard to the medicinal qualities of Bees, it is well knowt™ 
that they are diuretic, when reduced to powder, and the dofe is half 4 
dram in a morning, incorporated with the extrac of juniper berries; of 
it may be given in a glafs of diuretic wine. The fame powder {trowe 
upon the head, will make the hair grow, and it will become thicke® 
than before. 
There are two forts of honey, that is, the white and the yellow 
‘The white is taken without fire’ from the honey-combs. ‘hefe thef 
break foon after they are made, and lay them upon hurdles or mat 
of ofier, or on linen cloth, faftened at the four corners to as many 
pofts, and then an excellent white honey will fall from the combs, a® 
row hard in a fhort time. Afterwards they put it into glazed earthe® — 
pots, this they call virgin honey. Some prefs this honey out, but the? 
it is not fo agreable, for it will tafle of the wax. The belt fort of this 
honey, that the French are acquainted with, is that of Languedoc; a® 
they call it honey of Narbonne. It fhould be new, thick, granulated 
of a clear tranfparent white colour, of a foft, and fomewhat aromatl® 
fmell, and of a {weet and lively tafte. If it is very pure, itis almoft % 
hard as fugar candy; and that which renders it different from all others 
are the many aromatic flowers, that grow in thofe parts; and fro# 
which the Bees gather their honey. It is always obtervable, that thé 
honey made in mountainous countries, where ihe fun has a gre@ 
power, is more fine, and more fpirituous, than that which is producé 
in low grounds, not well warmed by the fun. 
Yellow honey is made from all forts of honey-combs, that is, old 
well as new; and even of thofe from whence the virgin honey has bee® 
extraéed. They break the combs, and heat them with a little wat® 
in bafons, or pots, keeping them continually ftirring; then they pe 
them into bags of thin linen-cloth, and thefe they put in a pred, . 
fqueeze out the honey. he wax ftays behind in the bags, thov8 
there is always a little of it pafles through with the honey; for whe? 
it is difilled, there is always found fmall bits of wax that rife with 
fpirit. Yellow wax fhould always be of a good confiftence, of a dl 
yellow, and well tafled ; the French také that to be the beft, that 4 
qade in Camphagne, becaufe the foil is dry in that country, and th 
flowers aromatic, It contains a great deal of elfential oy acid Salt “_ 
