The Practical Bee-Master

The Practical Bee-Master

Praétical Bee-Mafter: OR A TREATISE, Wherein the Management of BEE S, both in common Hives, and in the Colony Way, with- " out killing them for their Honey, is, Step by - Step and on all probable Occurrences, better. and more particularly directed, than in-any Book hitherto. publifhed. —— ; By RopeRT MAXWELL of ‘Arkland, a Member of and Secretary to, the Honourable, the Society of Im- provers in the Knowledge of AGRICULTURE in © Scotland. Protinus aérit Mellis celeftia Dona Exfequar : hanc etiam, Macenas, afpice partent. Admiranda tibi levium fpectacula rerum, Magnanimofque Duces, totiufque ex ordine gentis Mores, & fludia, dx Popules, ee prelia dicam. Virg, f EDINBURGH, Printed by RopsERT DRuMMoNnpD, and Sold by the Bookfellers in Edinburgh, and other Towns; and at Mrs. MaxwELL’s Shop, betwixt James's and War- drop’s Courts, inthe Lawa- Market of Edinburgh, where the Author may be found, or Letters to him may be directed, MpccxXLvil. . This Book is entred in ST A~ TIONERS HAEL; and’ fat- ther, to prevent Pyrating, } have figned each genuine. Copy, ‘on the Back.of the Title Page. - it? 2 UD Ow UO Ww.er were eee eee TT WTYMB — — =.M esl Unto THe Ricut Honounaszz, Joun Earl of Stair, Vifcount Datrymece, Lord New- ~ dffon, Glenluce and Stranraer’; Field-Marthal of His Majefty’s Forces, General of Marines, Governor of the Ifland of Mt- norca, Colonel of His. Maje- fy’ s Royal Regimentof N orth Britifo Dragoons, one ‘of His Majefty’s moft Honourable Pri- vy Council,and Knight of the _ moft ancient Order of the Taste, Oe. oe. " My LORD, | I none excepted againft Books, but fuch as could amend them, fuch Cenfurg would be _ commendable ; but many cavil only to gratify their captious Humours; hence it is, that Wail ters dedicate their Books to the Great for Pro- teCtiony quile tetion, and that the Rays of their Patron’s Glo- fy may communicate Light to their Labours ; fo I moft humbly addrefs You, my Lord, YOU who have -pained Great Britain as much Honour " by your wife Negotiations, as any Ambaflador ever . did before, or has done fince you were fo employed ; YOU who have evidenced that You are botha con- fummate Statefman and General, equally well qua- lified for the Council and Camp ; YOU whofe - Name and Memory will be facred in all future Re- Cords, for Valour, Wifdom and Succefs: But, ‘which is ftill more Honourable, if any Thing can -be more Honourable than thefe ; upon YOU, who have proved, that You’re a Lover of Husbandry, anda Notable Husband-Man, whichmakes YOU the more natural Patron of this my Treatife. T 18 Policy of States is generally to enlarge . their Territories ; Wars are always attended with the Deftru@ion of Numbers of People, and many \other Calamities; but Improvements in Husbantsy. are more profitable for Great Britain than Conquefts. Husbandry is the Life and Sup- port of the whole People, from the King to the Beggar. The Profit of the Earth is for all, the King himfelf is.ferved by the Field: Husbandry is alfo the Life and Support of all Arts and Sciences ; _ Our Manufactures and Trade depend upon it, and fubiift by it: They-can only flourifh in Proportion as it fucceeds : It furnifhes the Materials for both : It is’ is'the Stock, and they are only the Improve- ; ments 4 On ook da Oo 2 OS ORR ees: ments of it. ‘The Practice of it procures 2 robuft Conftitution of Body, which enables Men to perform great Actions ;. it encreafes the Strength of the La~ - bourers, and. renders thofe who work at the Plough, robuft and hardy, by inuxing them to the Incle- mencies of the Seafons, the Colds of Winter, and the Heats of Summer, and by obliging them to rife early, and to keep themfelyes always employed. If at any Time our Country fhould be inva- ded, they, more than other Men, are excited to de- fend it: For, when other ‘Things may be hid, their Corn and their Cattle muft remain expofed in the Fields, to be carried off,. or deftroyed by the Inva- ders; and as they will be: more forward, they’ will alfo be more able, than any other Set of -Men, todo it, and, by their own Strength and Courage, to. take Revenge: So Husbandry oughe to be held in great Efteem by all Governments: - It furnithes them with the beft Subjeéts, and fuch as are moft ftudious of the publick Good ; ; for which Reafons there is no Art, no Science, fo honourable, fo ufeful as Husbandry. Y our Lordhhip has Indeed learned the Princi ples of it, by the fuperior Strength of Your own Un- derftanding, tho’. You could find no Univerfity in which it is. taught ; 3 but furely *tis for Want of ‘Teachers, that the Generality of Farmers are fo fhamefully, fo miferably Ignorant of this their Bu- finefs, the chief of .all earthly Concerns. May we not therefore complain with Columella, and o- thers yea _ ee witiwue HH 2 kT Ne | thers fince, that all other Aits and Sciences, even fuch. Vanities as Dancing, have publick Schools. -and Mafters, and yet that we fhould have ne Pra- feflor of fo Pleafant, fo’ Virtuous, fo Honviirable, and fo Neceflary an Art as Agriculture, ~-He cried out, « O- Husbandry, thou- that art fo-riearly related to © Wifdom, thou alone has neither Mafters nor Seho- ‘lars? May not we db fo too, firiée the Cafe in his Time and ours 4s the fame? How then’ could a great Man do a greater publick Good, or add any greater Glory to his Chataéter, thah By promoting the Eftablithment of an Univerfity of Husbandry, or ofa general Dire&tor, or Directof$ of Agriculture? Your Lorhhip’s Knowledge! isnot loft, but highly ufeful to Society. ‘You -teach: us daily by ‘Your Noble Example, and, befides whdt otherways ‘drops from Your Bountiful Hand, You relieve the Poor by employing them at your Works. If eve. — ry great Man beftowed his Money as You do, the: giving themi Places with great Sutns would be a publick Advantage, and ‘the moté they pot, if it was not highly exceffive, the Kingdomi would be the more benefited. To particularize only your Husbandry Works, by which You have taught us, ° and are till teach. ing us, better Methods than we know; ot knew be- fore, even thofe hinted at in my Depica TION of the felecét Ttanfaétions of the Society df Improvers, would fwell this Letter to an uncomitnon Length, wherefore I will endeavour to hold ty Hand, tho! the the Ferce of Tsath, and Jasicd. Yo od Font? ‘Merit ae puthing meon. +: _ ER have tried, to. cefirain myfel¥, bast I find, Team, nats until} obferve from what pave fiid, that You - age furely a moft: happy Maa, - - hay Lond, fou Yeu, have won. the Blefiags of the Poos,:have command” ad the Efteem of all Ranks, pnd have even Inid: the: whole Kingdom, under. a Load of Obligations. to, You, by Yourglorious Condu@ on all Qccafigne, . When Men have a Mind to glory, why do they not feek it in applying their Minds, as --your Lordthip has done, to do good ? Ir is impoffible, my Lord, I can have given Caufe to accufe me of Flattery, all I have faid be- ing ftriétly true. On the contrary, I ought to have faid more, fince I adventured to fay any Thing for who won’t fee, thatd leave untouched the moft fhining Parts of Your Charaéter ; PARTS for which every Briony whosloves his Country, will in Ages tocome, pay Honour to Your Memory. As an Apology for this Negleét, I plead, firft, my Fear of offending Your Modefty ; next, my Inability to de- {cribe them properly. If Itouched them, my Fin- gers might fully their Luftre, for he who praifes a- mifs, leffens whom he would commend: Left I fhould fall under that Cenfure, I am obliged to draw.a-Veil over what E have defpaired of being a- . ble to reprefent. But, . ( . UP Cet Vur- EDEN Hdtv Nw - “Upon the ‘whole ‘of “Your Condu&, with- out going further into Particulars, I muft ftill obferve, that it is by all acknowledged, that you have walked fteadily in the Paths of Vir- tue, the cardinal Virtues, thro’ all the Stages of Your Life, wherefore we honour and efteem You as much as we can. I beg Your Patronage, ahd pardon for prefuming to take this Publick Occafion to fubleribe myfelf, “MY LORD, -2 Your Lordpbip’sy vii gf. i. \ ” Moft okedient; And moft humble Servant, — Ros. MaxweELL. THE 7 T ee Pp . Sees ee + _ + oO T H ED a H oO 7 intended, b. she Tntradubtion, te have faved you the. Trauble, ofa Pre- ae BL faces yety. E think, it may not be impro+ 1. pee to offer yqu thises,. Prayy allow. me. to Jrew, you-q Reafon, why aBook deferving the Title of, ; Bhe PracticaL BEE-MASTER, was exceedingly wanted’, fer to -palm. wfale/s Books upon the Publichyis a Crime of-a yery heinous Na= ture, @ Robbery of every Pur¢hafer. The. Reafon is foort. There was :n0.Bodky that. T could Sex or hear of which deferves the Name ; 3 none of them di- xecting -the Hufbangty; of Bess, in many ‘di i fcule . Cafes which often cccur. : Tohelp meta make this appears. all ufe the Wards of the Author of the..Natural Hiftory of Bées. Surely he ought not. to complain, that I toke from hit, and ufe his Words, -fi fince be.fays,. SA. bave §° taken ALL the Materials from M, De Reaunur,”” the Author of Nature. difplayed; and adds, % I °* hau preferved as far. as pofible. his Terms end “© Expreffions... “© The practical Reafons, jays bey: ‘for the Sues « cefs, of Bees are nothing more.than: the Knaw- “© ledge of their Wants ;_and thefe Wants cannot “* be known, if one is not acquainted, with thelut- — *< moft Exaétnefs, of their Method of living, theit “¢ ‘Temperature, their Nourifhment, the Dangers to ; <* which they are expofed, the moft favourable Si- | * tuation they can be placed in; ifone knows not — * how to make them change their Habitation, &c. A ss The a &iISe 2 EN A 2S 4A NY Eo °° The Ancients have loaded their Hiftory of Bees *¢ with fo many Fables and Abfurdities, that it is “© not at all ftrange, ‘if the Prejudices, which arife “¢ from thefe falfe Reprefentations, have, retarded “ the Progyef, which might-otherwife have bren “ maile, on the training up-ef Bees. - ‘* To inforce this profitable Art, and to render i it capable of: the higheft Perfection ; it was ne- ‘.coflary,: that fomebody fhould give himfelf the « Trouble, to.make Bees his Study: more than the ** Ancients bad done ‘This ‘hax been effected in . “ our Time ; and we are indebted to three cele- * brated Authors. Swammerdam is the firtt, who lied: -himfelf, * with “aN ¢hat Knowledse, of ‘ which fogxeat an Atiatomift was capable: But his <* Studies and Di{coveries go ‘not fat beyond the ins *< teriot and‘exterior Parts of théfe Animals; their “© Generation and their Food: His Defign not ex- “¢ tending to what might be ufeful either to’ pteferve ‘* or multiply them. In fhovt; his Work,” wrote *< in’ Latin und” Dutch, isoF no Servica-to: the < Pérfons we have'.in View. -: The late-M: a= se ray, Iike the Gods of the’ Poet’;’ who forie- “© simbs quit Heaven to amufe themfelves with ter- *¢ veftrial Creatures; M. Maraldy, I fay} diverted *fhimfelf, amid& his Aftronomical Obfervatioris, $C with the. Study of. Bees: This Author ‘has: ‘left ' “us a very minute Hiftory of Bees, accompanied <6-with many Oblervations ard Difcoveries.* It is <¢ wibe four in the. Memoirs of the: Academy, and confequently beyond the Capacity of thofe ‘s.Perfons, who have ‘the’ shoft heed: of ft: ~ Be- + fides, -this-~Aather,- as- well .as Swantmerdam, gives-ho-:Rules for the training” up of Bees. ss, Pheytare both fatisfied to examine theni-as Na- « torahtis, At length M. De Rigumar uniting ae the ys 4&the Difcoveries -of al his Predeceflors to his own, | 1S tpas. lately obliged! we with # new Hiftéry of thefe “ Animals ; which one may confider as <the toft 6 compleat and perfee& Work, *. in all Ref ets, -<* that can be hoped fr of this Kind 3-28 well wit! regard tothe Natural Hiftory-of -Bées;' as to the ‘** sew and eafy Methods, there prdpdfed; for “© their Increafe. 4nd. Itnprovement. i “"Fhis Trac -$$.is found in the-sth- Volurne of iis Memoirs in- St ténded ‘for ths Hiftory of Infettss- a Work, ‘+ which tor the Price, Bulkj and extenfive, Learn- ing, 'feems only Htted to the Capacities of the 6 Learned and Gurisus., re --:-$ Dh thé Deftiny of Bees his this in particu- 6 tar, thatvallthofe, who have moft-fuccefsfully 4° interdfted themfélves for thetn, who-have beft S$, known them, aid who have treatéd of them the 4$ moedt learnedly; atid with the greateft Exadtnets, &¢ have not wrote bitfor fuch, whi have it fot in Ssicheir:.Power to: profit by theit Difcoveries, and ‘sé Ledtures, and. have-no real Rélatibit’to Bees : £¢ Willy thofe::whé breed them,’ afd Wwho might ‘* make their Advantage of thém by ‘enlarging vs Cominerces''‘have {carce ap Knowledge. of 66 thein..- se aN Gs be Cea Vek Thy - . _ ** This Refla&tion tas-given-mé the-Notion of <*imaking thofe ' Datoveries- -and Improvements £¢ mote keneral; which fein loeked up in the Ca- $¢ binets of the Learned ; and to ‘plaée before the << Eyes of all thofe who have-any Defire, or any S“ Intereft to be. acquainted with them, the mol 'S¢ proper _Means to: bring up thefe Animals, and £¢ to enlarge thé Commerce of Wax: ” i ** Tis with this View, and’ for thefe Perfons “© only, that Ihave attempted this Hiftory of *¢ Bees, I have taken all the Materials from the ~ - soe “6 Memoirs eile RIN te A SRO De ** Memoirs of M.:' De Reanmys.. One will be. ea- “ ny perfwaded, that I ,could not draw ‘from @ °° purer, -OF:a. more gapious, Source. bon. ‘* As: my, qnly Aim was to. sake myfelf uefa, “* T have made,no Seruple to make ufé Of. the Ob- “< <* fervations,, Remarks, . Expeximents and. Difco- © veries, ‘which haye already heen made upon Bees « by others; and. have likewife employed their << Deferitions fuch as I found them, either entire * or abridged,. and fgmetimes ‘by-enlarging them, ** when. I was certain of-not exceeding the ‘Bounds sé « of Truth... ‘To what M. De, Reaumur has faid, © in his Memoir concerping Bees, I have.added ** every Thing which had Relation to that Subject, ** which is found in his other, Memoirs. : I have pre- .** ferved, as far as poffible, his Terms and Expreft . fions, . "being. perfwaded, that when! Things: are ‘“ well exprefled, an attempt: to exprefs them o- .** therwile, is almoft an inevitable Rifk to exprefs ee them 'ill,.: Hf my Condu@s, in; this Particular, ““ had need of. ap Example to authorize it, I could “< cite that: of. M, Raltini in us ancient Greet and §© Roman Hiftery . we You fee.the Auibor. of the. ‘Natuyal Bilhory bas, told us, that the Ancients had leaded their-Eiftory of Bees with many, Fables, Abfardities, and fatfe Reprefentations, -and- that no French: Authtr, not even M. De. Reaumur in bis Hiftory of thefe Anix _mals, *“Tho’ he had united all the Difcoveries of his “< Predeceflors to his own, had wrote but for fuch, << who have it not in their Power to profit by ‘¢ their Difcoveries and Le@ures, and: have; no “ real Relation to Bees, whit thofe who breed ‘© them, and might make their Advantage of them ** by enlarging Commerce, have {carce ny Know- $6 ledge of them,” Now, Flow —_— te PREPAC RS fb vc How coukd this'Author of ‘thé Natural Hiftory, wmake his Book ttore-ufeful than-A4, De Reaurgur’s gince he bas acknowledged, that betok ‘All the: Ma~ f°-terials fram his. Memoirs 32” and fince you ohferves phat he does.notsfo much as pretend, that he himfeif hos made tha feaft Difcovery Previewer? ‘3, Dwill addy thar he bas neglactad to dared: the Bee-Farmer, bows to.condudh: hithfelf in-Muliitudes of difficult Gafens whith. oftesotewr, and fluffed bis Book with extraneous and exttAtagant Metters; as thefe who read. my Book, and-particularlyshe Appendix, willy Jd belidve, be fully. fatisfied.. > ‘Where, then, wasaBook-to be found, that could dived? the RBee-Parmer' on may probable Ottups, _ pences? Net in France ; agdgrl. believe, A may pafvover all that has been wrote tpon the Subje. tn Eangland,, avcept -Dr. WaRDER’s Book. ‘timmy Qpiniag. it was the mofiwfeful of anys, and yét; as I have obferved while treating the Subjeé?,-and qwill.be farther obferveds by fuck ds have read bis Book, and fhalh Peag-mine ; bis is in. many Cafe - deficient, andta.jane arroneous.. oy ot we If the Maiter-feod thus, if therg.was no Book, to. direct the Ree-Rarmer in a.great, many, difficult Gafes, which oftencecur,and in whith, I hepe, have pow taxgbthim, how to conduét the Hufbendry pro- perly 3 and, if I have, more fully than anyother, £¢ Placed before the Eyes of all thofe, who hare S*any Defite or Intereft, to be acquainted with - ‘66 Bees, the moft .proper Means to bring] up 'thefe” ** Animals, and to enlarge the Commerce of Wax,tt as the Author of the Natural Hiftory has faid, but, I humbly think, has ngt fupported or made outs Then, may not I, without Arrogance, plead that JI had a Right to give the Title of The PRacti- cat BEE-MASTER to my Jittle Book. i @ «Ff any Body pail be of Opinion, ebat I have here, or ay whee; -fpoke more favourably of my Performance, than Mads/ly ails; beg Leave te t him in Miad that Platarch,-Aaving wrotea whole Chapter of bis Mortls, upon the Queftion, ‘- How a Man maf inoffenfively prae tumfelf <¢ without Belng Hable to Envy:?.”! Jp i feupicg of it, fays, “Yet, however; there ida Time when — $© a generous. and prudent Man maay.be the. Sybje& $-of his own..Dittourfe, and give.a-free Relation <* of Things:ie has storthily done or-faid, as welll “as other Truths.’”:'. This Time 33 he more pro- per for me to make thefe Obfrvarions, tharyfome of the Sheets having been fern befere.the ref? were prin» ted, a frivoleds anBufelefs Rxctption has, alreadys ‘been publickly made againft my Book : Wharrt wes, wrd.the Remarks I have made upon -it, you uil fra in the Appenilixy to which that Exteprion gave caffe eS SO i ree « Tconclude with an Acknowinigment, that-twr.or three Gentlemen, whofe Names, if hbdd Aliewarce, I would mention, affifed-when Lresifed my Mand feript. I have gatvered from the Living and from the Dead, as all Writers;: whatever fome may pres tend, have done, or fhould have done, and, like the Bees I have treated of, I have fuched, for yors from every Flower, [thought for my Parpafe.. In particular, 1 have been. affified bya fmall Mani- ‘Script, which was ‘pat into my Hand by the ingeni- ous Mr. ope of Rankeiler, and by another Copy of the fame Treasife, with fome few Additions, — from another Perfon. Since I have taken the Free- dom to mention Mr. Hope, I cannot in Fuftice o~ mit to fay, that bis Name fhould bé tranfmitted ta Pofterity, for the Love he has fhewn to his Country, by greatly promoting Improvements in- Hufbandry * ; ana te BA Aw BY EL LE NSA - | ne PReEMAGH © 7 — ¥ und Manufaspures. You fed Fume far'from alledg*. ing‘ all is néw,: or allis my'‘own, yet F only do my~ elf Fuptice in: faying, that I have been’ attentive laborious, and’ inade all the. Difcovertes' I-could, and no doubt.-but, being little’ more thgn a’ Begin- ner at the Writing Bufine/s, 7 have, as.a Poet fayty heen obliged, ta. .:).. . correG., infert,; refine, 1 - . Blot:aont, « Enlarge, diminifh, interline, - Pog rad 7. 0 AG on pete one « But [thinkall my Pains well befowed, fince now I can promife you, that youl? find in this Book, tho’ mall, many necefary’ Diteétions, which 1 do not remember to have jeen in apy other, ADVERTISEMENTS: R. Maxwell has. been..employed by.Noblemen M and Gentlemen, to furvey and plot their Eftates, - or Parts thereof, and to give his Opinion concerning the Improvement of the feveral Soils ; and,- whereas the Memorials he has wrote, and every other. Thing he has done. ‘on thefé, or any of 'thefe Occafions has, {0 far as he knows, given full SatisfaGion to his Employers.; thefe are to give Notice, that he is refolved to ferve, when called upon for any of thefe Purpofes; and _that he may be heard of at any of the Coflee-Houfes in-Edin- burgh, but more probably found at Mrs. Maxwell’s Shop, betwixt Fames’s and Wardrop’s Courts in the North-fide, of the Lawn-Market of Edinburgh ; and alfo, that Letters left for him at the faid Shop, will go to his Hand, tho’ he happen to be out of Town, and will be duly anfwered, Poftages béing paid. -It being known, that Mr. Maxwell is acquainted with many of the beft Improvers in the Knowledge’ and Pra- - Gice of Agriculture in Scotland, he is often applied fe y aw OE GR by,Gentlemen;; tosfind them out Tenants or skilled fa- bouring,'Servants, and, by Farmers,to Jet.them know, | where improyeable Rarms are to.be fet ; therefore, ‘that he may; be the better enabled to ferve thofe feverally, he: will very willingly teceive from Gentlemen, Memorials _ ‘concerning fuch Farms, and ‘the Qualifications which they-want Servants “to have ; ‘and Accouhts from Te- nants of the Farms they. incline to havé, and.alfo from Servants a Note of the Service they are qualified for ; the Recommendation-they.-cai ‘bring, etd tlie. Encou- ragement they expedtiotai edlininm.d jogisiait The firft Edition of the fele& Tranfactions of the Honourable, the Saciety. of Tmpreyers inthe, Knowledge of Agriculture tn SegNgnd, publiihed by\ Min Macwel, being near fold, off, ° a: fecond Rdition.thereo); chlarged, wilt foon be publithed, and -Solt at an -Clofé ¢, and at Mrs. Maxiwell’s Shop before mentioned, at Two Shillings eac!: Copy, cheaperethan the firft Edition fold, viz. atFour Shillings ftitched} dnd Five’Shillings bound in Calf and titled ; and if Mr. Maxwell meet with equal Encowrage- ment by the Sale of this Treatife, as he got by the faid feleét Tranfactions, for which he returns ‘every Purchafer his molt hearty Thanks; he purpofes, at no yery diftant *Time, to offer another Tract upon the Subject of Hul- bahdry:: So if Gentlemen will'be pleafed,\to give their helping Fands to the Service of their Country in that ‘Way, by fendi: him Memorials; ifthe Wall find it proper to publifh the “> all poffible Juftice and Honour fhall be done 'to fuch “Zentle:uen, but ‘their Names fhall not be mentioned if'they difcharge it. shoe é‘ Cr swfird Books feller, his SHop~ in ‘the Parliament- sey . ———— wrertwi,tw?teh+h+i*#h#et si}, * | 2.) eee Practica, BEE- MASTER, Ge. Wied GET off eoet ge . dott iv) — . LL USBANDRY confifts of many Parts, sX€ the mote’ profitable the more: they aré BS! Conjoined, the more they are made to aiff oné another: All of them require ; Knowledge and Care_in the Manage~ 3 §’@ ment," but forne of them more ‘Labour ' and Bxpence than others, and fonie lefs ; of tlic laft Sort is the Husbandry of Bees X None of them.can- be. fo generally, and on fo fmall a'Stock, fo pfofitably followed as this. For, © °° 4° - 9.’Every Min. or Wonian, who has-only a Houfe anda ¥eard;"and Money: to: buy: one fingle Hive, who knows howto manage thefe leb6rious and profitable Crea- tires, ahd who will adhibite due Care, may, sfter-a few Yeats, raife a -confiderable Sum yearly out of this very Aititle alone’; and-miay, neverthelefs, carry on o- ther Bufinefs, withdut’ any:confiderable Interruption by the Bee Husbandry.? Yt 7 3. The Hiftory and Husbandry of Bees is one of the moft corioiis and entértaining Subje@s, and has employ- ed the Pens of the ableft Writers in differerit Kingdoms and in different Ages; but had thefe Writers omitted many unneceffary Speculations, and only, lef’ intent on Theory, offered more and better practical Rules for the Management of thefe highly beneficial Creatures in all Probable Occurrences, it ¢annot be doubted, - bet thae ; ‘ ) the ative es ae fie wt S&S Fw ER Be the Bee-Husbandry would have been more general, and more profitable to thofe who pradtife it; That Honey the Sugar of the Ancients would, ere now, have fupplied many of our Ufes of Sugar; Mead, or Britifh Canary, | of French and Spanifh Wines ; and that we might have had fufficient Quantities of Wax, not only for Home- confumpt, but likewife for Export: To prevent thefe Inconveniencies on the one Hand, and to obtain ihofe Advantages on the other, is the Defign of publifhing . this Treatife. hho 4. Bees are of three diftin& Species or Kinds. The . Sovereign-Bee, the Working-Bees, and Drones : Of So vereigns there is only one permitted to remain in every Hive, except young ones, until Swamming, for Sover to other Hives ; on this Sovereign the Good of the whole Family or Society depends, for, if removed, gr~killed, the whole Hive goes to -Rujn:,.Tho’ ’tis a Matter of Mmall, if any Confequence, ..whether this Sovercign is Male or Female, King, or Queen,-yetas poffibly it may divert:my Reader, I thall give my Sentiments about it, . \ 5D, Warper., pretends to: have diffe&ted Rees,. arid, by the Help of his Glaffes, to! have difcovered ‘their Ox- gans of.Generation,..whereby he Aays, ;.he found the So- vereign Bee to be a Female,. all the WorkingsBees ta be her Female Subjects, and the Drones to. be the Male Bees ; and.hence it is, that, according to his: Notion, ‘the Save- reign being a Female, and all the Working-Bees her Female Subjects,. carrying Arms for.the! Defence of their Queen, cand her Government, he cajls it. the Amgzonign Govern- ment; the Drones, called by"him the Males, having no Sting, ae 1 ar en ce top at 6.. The Door found a Conveniency in maintaining ahat this Soverpign was 2:Female: He7dedicated : his Book to the: Queen,. and gold,,Her, . 74e, Queen Bee go- verns with Clemency and Syeatne/j, fo dath your MajeRy, She is obeyed. and defended, out of fchoica..and Inclination, by her Subjects, [2 is pour. Majafy, for all thesthoyfands of Jaur Brittanpick Ural Effgem gour Majefy’s Pee aS o ef acréa, 60 edb en .er Te.Er ere oe Fok 2 ENE SRO OE ON co facred, and fearce fuch a Villain is among us, who would not lofe bis Life in Defence of your Majefly: You fee, he has made ‘a proper Ufe of his Qreen-Bee, and taken her Af- -fiftance to make out thefe fine Compliments. - 7, Fhe greateft Part of the Writers on this Subject, having been of the Opinion; That the Soveréign ‘was 2 Male, and that it is by Virtue of this King, ‘that the Wotkihg-Bees, who‘dte Females, are impregnate ;- the Door imakes merry, atid fays, ’Tis too mean an Office for himto-be the common Bull’ of the Herd. Joe --8. Iwon’t pofitively contradi@ what the Doétor pre- tends to-have feen, fince I have not diffeted' thefe Ani- mals, as he has done; yet I cannot help being of the ‘Opinion, That, as I have-faid, was generally received before the Do¢tor wrote, until I fee with my Wii Reyes, Caufe for altering nty Sehtiments, or find the ‘Reafons I offer, againft what he fays, fatisfyingly anfwered : They are, 1 ” ‘ 9s fh Government by a King feems to be the moft natural Kind of it.” -- - , 10. 2d. This,Bee .by Bulk -and Strength’feems to be a Male, for evéry Body who has feen him ‘engaged in Battle againit Rranger Bees, will have obferved him kill a greht many of them! °° 11, 34. What the ‘Deéfor ridicules, feems to have . -. Moré Weight than he'is-‘aware of, and perhaps is the prindipal Caufe why'theybear fo true Allegiance to him,’ and: Hazard: their-Lives' fo freely in his Defence ; for, ‘in my Opinion, ’tis natural to think, that the In- ftin@ thofe Creatures ‘are endowed with, of\being folici- tous to preferve theit SéVereign, more probably proceeds from his being the common Father, thari becaufe he is the common Defender of the Society. - - - - 12. I fuppofe none will deny, but natural Chil- dren are more’ engaged 'in Affection to their Parents, -than Political Children are to theirs, and it is, perhaps, becaufe this Sovereign is both Natural and Political Fa- ther, that their Love to him is fo great. 13~If it be objected, thatdt is not eafity to be imagine ed, how this Sovereign canbe .a Natural Father to fo amany, I anfwer, That any Body.who has thought of the Propagation .of Infects,.-will, not think this ftrange: For Example, Let us but confider the Silk- Worms, af- ter-they. have taken on the Form of Butterflies, what a Multitude. of Eggs. will be laid;in, one Day by ong-Fe male, all impregnate by one Male; But, _ 14. 4th, The Doétor by fuppoling the Drones to be ‘Male, brings himfelf under this Inconveniency, 9f affert - ing that the Females are all impregnate, {even or cight ‘Months before they lay their Eggs ; for 1 beliewe,s all know that the Drones do not furvive the Month of du- gut or September, ; a, 15, 5th. The Doéfor fays, when giving his Judgment about killing the Drones, That this. is not to be done, till the Warking-Bees begin to do it themfelves, and glledges, That you may as well kill all, the Rams of your Flock, and look for Lamibs from your Ewes, .as Yyou.can expect that Hive of Bees to thrive next Sum- mer, the Drones whercof you have killed this; but, T beg the. Doéfar’s. Leave.to tell my Readers, That a cu- rious and ingenuous Bee-Mafter mforms me, that,. for a ‘Trial of this, he has begun early jn the Month of June to kill the Drones of an Hive, and has continued {0 to do, from Day.,to Day,: until. he:could find no morc to kill ; and that he was very pofitive, that few, if any, efeaped his Knife, and that yet, that Hive .was as forward and thriving next Spring as any other, whence it may be concluded, that another Father, than the Drones, mu be found out, for the next Year’s Brood.. . .1 16. 6th, The, laft Argument, which I advance tq prove this Sovereign to be a Male, is, That when an Hive lofes this Bee, they never increafe any more, but daily diminifh till they dwindle to nothing. I know it will be objected, that this does not prove the Alledgeance, becaufe,. according to Dr. Warpgr, an Hive or Swarmty of Bees, dg nothing at all after they lofe, or are robbed of ~ their Sovercign. ‘ ., 17- To which I anfwer, That the Doéfor is there —_ {peak- (ao ee et aw oe ee eee. - — DY He iv Le Oo b* Es. No ag ing of a new. Hive, about which he has.riade very gonfiderable Difcoveries, as fhalt be, taken Notice of af terwards, but amald Hive and 2 young one differ: What- ‘ever Diforder or Difcontent,an old. Hive may thew, yet they der not, take ‘it: fo much te Sdeart. as: a new Swarm _ Koes, but will, continue as long.ad they live, to catry iA Honcy to,their, Hives, tho’ they: never work upon their _ Thighs,. knowing it is fruitlefs'to make any Attempt for Propagation, when the common: Parent.is gone... . - .. 18. Thus J have known them all gradually dio away, and yet leave,a ¢onfiderable Deal’of Honey, which ac- squnts for,Bees their forfaking their Hives, without. be- ing any Way difobliged, fo far as can be underftood, and yet Jceaying Plenty of Provifion behind them, which frequently hgppens, fo I muft be allowed to call their Sovereign a King, until thefe Objections are anfwered. . 19. But, if it he enquired what-is the Ufe of thefe Drones, and how are they-propagated? I anfwer, That, their Ufe feems to remain {tilla Secret, but Imake no Que- ftion that they have Male and Female among themfelves: ‘Nature has, no. doubt, matle them for fome Ule, and yet I could never find-any Man whocould fatisfy me what it was: Some alledge that they affift in hatching the young ones, for being bulky, and. fomeétimes very numerous, their Warmth ‘does not:a little contribute to the cherifh- ing of the Brood ; but how anfwer they this Objection, viz, What Way is the Hatching of the Young perform- ed in Apri, when the Weather is cold, many of. the Bees dead in Winter, and not a Drone to be {een in the whole Hive? .."" - a mo, - 20. I thought ‘to have left this Argument, in my O- pinion more. amufing than ufeful, with this further Ob- rvatioh'on Dr, WaRpER’s Opinion, that even he him- felf, {peaking of the Drone, is obliged to confefs, That it is only moit probable, that he is of the Male Kind, and that his being fubjedt to the other Bees, is an Argu- ment againft him: Now, if the Drone is not the Male: Bee, then there is none, according to his Doctrine ; but the natural Hiftory of Bees, as tranflated from the French, an - & OV 2 TEN EE EF RS SE Se | and the Female Moaarchy by the Rev. Mr. Thorley, both publifhed in the Year 1744, falling into my Hands; thefe ¥ cannot pafs over without. Remarks on what they fay, © concerning the Sex of Bees. . :) 2a. In the. Natural Hiftory mentioned, ‘a Dialogue betwixt Eugenio and Clariffa; Eugenio, fays-he, o the Sovereign Bee anatomically, and.affifted Clariffa by his: Ghafs, to fee ‘that ‘fhe, ‘the Sovereign Bee, is the fruitful Mother, that.the Drones are the‘Males, and that the Working-Bees are of no Sex: Dr. Warver fays they are Females: What fhall we believe? -> 22. ‘The Clergyman. gives us the Opinion of many Authors, as to the Sex of Bees, and’ their Manner of Procreation, and makes. '‘fuch Obfervations on them fe- -vetally,.as he thinks may beft-fuit his Purpofe ; there- after, From the .Premiffes, fays he, may we not juftly draw this Conclufon, That the Drones are not the Males, neither have they any Inflrumentality or Avency in the Ge- neration of Bees ?:Sofar, you may remember, I agree with him,, with Refpe& to the Pradudion. of the Working Bees, tho’ I doubt not but that, as Ihave faid; there are both Male and Female Droncs,and:that they breed by Copulation with one another. , 23. Uf this Point, fays he, is yielded to, then, he fays further, [ am moft fully perfwaded that they do not breed by Gopulation, the common Bees being neither Males nor Fenales, and the Sovercign being Female; and the only Fée- male. . : “ _ 24. 1 defire you may remark what he.comes to at laft: Afier all that has been offered on this Head, fayshe, it feems to be.a mute Point that will admit of a further Dif- pete; as L cannt-attain to a full Satisfaction therein my- Self, How can I expe that my Arguneni$ fhould admini+ fler the fame to my Reader, whom I muft leave to his own Judgment and Choice? : , . 25. Now, after fuch a Conceffion, What can we think he aimed at? Does the Clergyman doubt, that all living Creatures. were created Male and Female? Does he doubt, that the Males and Females of all living Crea~ tures Kr\SJ/a\¥) AVE] Ald) A ve mene ra " =~ ~ me aures wet@:preférved: in the’ Ark? uIf they were, 1 with he had told us what has deftroyed all the Male Bees fince ; but, ftrange ! Would he liave' us to believe, that a Female Bee can carry on the: Work of Generation, any other Way, than by the Affiltance’ and Co-operation of the Male. Se _ _ 26.1 fhall next give you a. more pasticular, tho’ fhort, Defcription of every partictilar’Species of them, becaufe this ‘Treatife may fall. ato Hands who have not, or waht Money, to purchafe Books, that delcribe 27. The King is confiderably larger than the Work- . ing-Bee, but fmaller than the Drone; He’s.bread-fhoul- deved, his Legs are, fomewhat red, and his Train is long: and taper, which makes his Wings look fomewhat fhort in Proportion to his Body ; HisSting is alfo‘fhorter thary that of the Working Bees, tha’, as.was hinted before, he knows well hew to ufe it when Occafion requises. - In Conclufion, he tas fo much Majelty about him, as. plainly diftinguithes him, at fir:View, from the reft.: 23. As to «the Working Bees, they being fo well: known, I need fay nothing about: them.; ‘the Drone-.is- as-large-as two of thern, but very cum{y, .and hasinist Sting ;. any Body ‘may fatisfy their Curiofity about the Drones, if in the, Summer-time they: go to an Hive, be- twixt Eleven o’ Glock in the Fotemootiand Two in the Af= ternoon, then they will come abroad in great Numbers, and. fly about, ‘making a buzzing ‘Noife ; it is indeed very hard te get'a View of the King, for there, being but” one in an Hive, and he coming feldom‘abroad, it is dif ficult to nick the Opporgunity: of feeing him, tho’ itis no Rarity to.get a Sight-of bum, when dead ;. for ifiany will take the Pains.fo. twn. over thc'dead Bees, of an” Hive that has been-figgaked, they will fearce mifStovfind : - him, or when two new Hives ase ‘put-topether, by turni ing the Mouth:of,thé,éne-upomthe Mouth of the other, as..fhall. be taught. hereafter; you'll very oftei find a dead King lying in-the Bottom. of the empty one, but be’s then {een greatly to the Difadvantage, Death hav- ing - 2 disfigured him, yet his Corps’ may be-eafily diftins ith’ . \ 1 +O ‘ 0. Having fo far fatisfied my Readers:.Curiofity, ¥ fhall now proceed to inftrudét, how to manage every Step of this Husbandry, fo as the neweft Begitiner may find both Profit and Pleafure, in the Study of thefe wonder= ful Animals, and reap the Benefit of every Year’s Labour: This is what I chiefly intended, tho’ it will afterwatds fall in my Way, to.treat more fully of the curious and fpeculative Part. But, as I:think, others: have made the Theory their principal Study, I refolve to be the more practical ; and, that I may avoid the commof Er- ror, as’ much as poffible, I fhall relate many Circum- - ftances, neglected by: others, tho’ abfolutely neceffary ta be confidered, and fliall give particular Diredtions. concerning them. re . 32. He who intends to. be a Bee-Mafter, fhould buy-2 "Fop Swarm in the End of Auguff, or-Beginthing of Sep- _ tember, when they have given over Working: Here’ you muft take Care to avoid the general -Miftake, which, 13, That the Hive,’ which is neither tod light nor too. heavy ,is.fitteft for keeping. Thefe who are of this Opi- nion, maintain, that the Hive that has ‘tod much Ho~ ney over Year, is indifferent and lazy in the Spting; and does not fet out to work -briskby; andohne, fay tHey; that is too light, will, unlefs fupplied, perift in Winter’ for “Want of. Food. . = ‘ ” . te wok wat 31. This Affertion concerning the light Hive is cer- - tainly true, but the other is not {, for the more Honey rie; tv) isi Cay Ste ee eee an Hive has, if there are Bees in Proportion in it, the ‘more brifk and forward: will they be in the Spring, tho” one that was but ofa moderate Weight may, in fome Seafons, do as well ds one that’ was heavier’; yet! that rarely:falls out ; it much oftenef happens, that the hea+ - viet: of ‘all will be pincht, and that thofe that’ were thought heavy ‘enough, mutt be‘fed, or die. .32.. The Reafon why @ lighter Hive does fometimes as well as a heavier: one, is, if the Spring is good and early, and a continued Tract of goad Weather follows, then BEE-MASTER | thén the Hive, that had only a fhort Allowance, does not come to know what Famine is’; but a greater Pa- radox than this is, the Lighteft fometimes outftrips the Heavier, and comes to good Account, when the other dies for want of Food ; but this falls out rarely. a 33. ‘Phe Cafe in which it Happens, is; when the ‘Weather begins to be tolerably good, in the End of March and Beginning of April, then the ftrong lively Hives fet out to work, and immediately begin to hatch ' anew Brood, which, toward the End of April, come to- régitiré a great Deal of Food, fo the Remains of the Win-: té? Provifion mult ‘go for their Maintainance ; and then if the‘ Weather is fo bad in May, that the Beés cannot go abroad for a Reeruit, their Provifion falls thort, their Fa- mhily Being {6 numerous, fo unlefs they be taken Notice’ df, and ‘fed, they muft die, while the Weaker and iefs forward Hives are living moderately, with'a finall Fami- Jy upon their Winter Stock ; but, as I-fhid before, this rarely happens, ‘{0'if‘ought not to be eftablifhed into a Rule, and therefore ftom what is faid, I think, ’tis plain,’ tlrat' the heavielt Hive is the fitteft for keeping, thu’ Dr. ‘Warper be of another Opinion. _ : -'34° That ‘you may Know, when an Hive is heavy e- nough for keéping, or whether the heavieft ‘you can find- be fufficient ;’ take the following Direétions. _ 2. 35+-&Top Swarm, in one of the ordinary Sort of the Bee-hives-ufed iri this Country, which will hold about one Peck, three Lippies of Barley, Linlithgow: Méafure, if it be hived, or caft, as we call it, before the roth of Fant, will probably’ be a fufficient éne for keeping, and Weigh about Thirty, of Thirty two Pounds Dutch Weight; Itis perhaps the Shortnefs of the Winter in England, that - makés: Mr.“WarbeR-propofe keeping of them, when they are only Twenty five Pounds: Ifthe Hive: you are- tobwy is ina Place of the C