Page:A profitable instruction of the perfite ordering of Bees.djvu/33

This page has been validated.
the first Treatiſe.
19

if neede requireth, cannot eaſily be remoued and carried into an other place. And among theſe, I ſuppoſe oure forme of Hiues here in Englande, are not altogither to be diſallowed, although they be in like daunger, to be eaſily burned, as the other Hiues aboue taughte, in that they be made with ſtrawe. But to be briefe, for a greate ſwarme you ought to haue in a readineſſe a greate hiue, and for a ſmall ſwarme a little Hiue. And the Hiue alſo oughte to be a foote and a halfe, or ſomewhat larger. Hauing beſides two very ſmall and narrowe holes, ſomewhat aſunder, and ſo little ought the mouths to be, that neyther Beetle, Butterflie, gret Moth, Humble Bees, Euet nor Mouſe may enter in, to ſpoile the Honny combes. Some ſuppoſe, or rather affyrme of experience, that the Bees are delighted with this cloſeneſſe, in that they more ioy to do their works and buſineſſe in the darke, than otherwiſe.

¶Of the clenlineſſe and ſweeteneſſe of the keeper of Bees, and howe Hiues ought to be fenced aboute, and prepared within. Cap. xvij.

THe keeper of Bees which mindeth to handle and looke into hiues, ought the day before to refraine the veneriall acte, not a perſon fearefull, nor comming to the hiue with vnwaſhed handes from all ſmelling meates, poudered meates, fryed meates, and all other meats doe ſtinke, like as the Leekes, the Onions, the Garlicke, and ſuche like, whiche the Bees greatlye abhorre. Beſides, to be then ſweete of body, and clenly in apparell, minding to come to their hiues, for in all clenlineſſe and ſweetneſſe the Bees are muche delighted. Nowe thus prepared & in a readineſſe, open ye hiues firſt of the Bees, about the viij. or x. day of Aprill, being then a cleare & warme day, & purge the hiues of all ſuch filth which be gathered in them all the winter before, like as Spiders webs, which oughte eſpecially to be wiped awaye, bicauſe they corrupt the combes, not with hands, but w a gooſe wing, the ſame ought to be done. After that, the Hiue oughte to

Dd. ij.
be