sSfctfR" i*^>. ft *-» ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York State Colleges of Agriculture and Home Economics at Cornell University EVERETT FRANKLIN PHILLIPS BEEKEEPING LIBRARY flrhnftf , £.&.£&• , ■ ■ /* SF&3 ¥* G£? i - Licenfed May 1 8. 1676. . Roger L'Efirange. A NEW DISCOVERY OF AN Excellent Method O F AND COLONIES, WHICH FREES The owner's from the great charge and trouble that attends the Swarming of Bees,, and delivers the Bees from the evil reward of Ruine,for the benefit they brought their Matters; advantaging their Owners many-fold, above what ever any Method heretofore pra&ifed doth. Experienced Seven Years by John Gsdde Gent. In- ventor-, and approved by the Royal Society at Crsjham Collsdge. €\)t 3$MS Priviledge and Authority of u(tng pratfijing, exerciftng and enjoying the new AH and Invention for the Im- provement of BeeS} during the fpace of fourteenTears^ according to the Statutes made in that be- half; Barring and excluding all others what foever from Makings Vjingj TraUifing) Counterfeit- ings Imitating^ or Refembling the fame} without the Special Licence and conjent of the Jaid John Gedde and his Partners^ orDe- putees, firft had and obtained^ under the Penalties by the faid Statutes in like cafe provided* TO THE reader; HAving formerly given the Public^ fome directions concerning the right way and manner of improving Bees, in the form tf/Bee-Houfe, Boxes, and Colonies, which have been put in pra&ice in many parts of thefe Kingdoms^ Efpecially in twenty and f even Counties of "Eng- land, where they have had a full years tryal and experience there- of y to their great fatisfa ion } fo that now the demonfiration of the invention^ is experienced fo practicable^ and profitable^ that I fcarce thinks there needs any more arguments to perfwade all A 3 hidti- Tp the Reader. jnduftrious ferfons to tak? 4nd make ufi of it $ But becaufe (as all Bee -m afters know) there is not a. year, in which thefe pretty Ar- iifts produce not aliquid No- vi, worthy obfervation , which (though to experienced Bee- Ada- fters, may prove a great encou- ragement) to the unexperienced affords ground of new objections. Therefore, for the fatisfa- Bion of fuch 9 who have already raifed objeBions 3 and for the better informing of all perfens to pra&'ife the fame in a right may and manner , / have been at expenfes and much travel through the Country, to learn my Jelf and cattfe others to take no- tice of all the objections raifed by anyiperfon^ worthy conjiderati' oh : and all obfervation s worthy thepubliftjing. Ml which I have caufed to be added in this Editi- on to what was in the for met lit- tle To the Reader, tie TraB : I have alfi amended fame considerable faults , occa- sioned by the mifplacing of fi- veral Letters in the explication of the Scheme of the Boxes and Houfi? I have taken away all, which I judged fiperfluous, that fi yon need be troubled with no- things but what is neceffary, for your better under fi an ding and praUiflng this new Inventi- on : Alh which I have done - for the satkfa&ion of all con- cerned, and for the advance- ment of this fi public/^ a good, that it may be pra&ifed not on- ly by the Rich, but even by the pooreji countryman. j I will ma\e no Apology either for the ftyle 9 or any other de- feats, which may be obvious to. the Critical Reader 5 The ap- probation of the Royal Society, and of the moji famous Fee- Mafiers in England 5 The ecu- A 4 lar To the Reader. far demonfiration of the pra&ice of this invention^ in Jome hun- dreds of places in England, my own fiven years experience^ the Experience of many Terfins of Vitality % and many others of all Ranhji with the approbation of his Royal Majefty, is afuf ficient Testimony of the com- modioufnefs and benefit of this new invention* NEW DISCOVERY Of An Excellent Method O F BEE-HOUSES A N D COLONIES. THE many famous and learned Authors, who have writ concerning the Honey- Bee, have Co abundantly enlarged them- felves in the praifes of that excellent Creature, which by Co [10] fo long and many experiences, is found to be fo induftrious and profitable, that not only the laborious and learned, but even many Kings and gteat Men have accompted it a delight- ful and profitable labour, to be- ftow time and expences, to pro- vide convenient places for their prelervation, work, and feed- ing. Amongft thefe, Mdijfus King of Crete, is reported to be the firft who invented and taught the ufe of Hives , and Honey. Culhlmus a Conshis writes that in his time, a Ro- man Conful yas fo much de- lighted with this excellent Creature, that he caufed Hives of fineHorato be ere&ed j£ his Gardens,that through the Horn he might obferve their work. Hiftory affords many more inftances of Honourable Per- fons, who, in all ages, have delighted [II] delighted in this ©are of Bees: Yea, many ac this time in To- land^ud other Kingdoms, make good Revenues by the profita- ble improvement of Bees, and it is certain, that if Apifa&o- ries were encouraged, a King- dom might be conliderably ad- vantaged thereby. But the ufual forms of flraw- Hives, arefubje&tofo many in- conveniences, charge, trouble, and other cafualties, that men have been much difcouraged from the pleafant and profita- ble improvement of Bees. This many have difcovercd and com- plained of, and have tryed many experiments to get a full and clear profpecl of their work and labour, and to continue the fame in their Gardens fo long as they could .* all thefe inconveniences I found in my experience, which acimated me to to effay, if by a new form of Hives, thefe might be redreffed or prevented 5 After I had try- ed feveral forms, at laft I found one which anfwered my ex- pectation. And after I had communica- ted in general my experience to feveral perfons of Quality, they judged the invention more commodious, and better than any hitherto ufed, and deHr^d me to publilh it 5 which I was unwilling to do, untill by fur- ther experience I had found the great advantage and conveni- ency of the fame. But while I thought only of communicating this invention to my friends and acquaintance, I was advertifed by an ingeni- ous Gentleman , that the il- luftrious Etoyal Society at Ore- Jfjtim Colledge (thofe great en- couragers and promoters of Learning C«33 Learning and all good inven- tions) had in a Tranfa&ion £Numb. 96. July 21. 1673*) given a defcription of one of my Boxes (which they had got- ten from the learned Sir Robert: Murray , and he from Sir William Thorn/on^ who had got it from me, together with a written de- scription of its parts and ufe, not intended for publication^ but for private fatisfa&ion on- ly) and that they had appro- ved the fame;, as the belt form of Hives yet invented. This encouraged me to the publication of the Houfe and Hives together 5 for (I fuppo- fed) if the Muftrious Society efteemed fo much a lame and defective reprefentation of a part, then would they much more approve the whole Inven- tion when certified of the long experience 5 commodioufnefs , and [Hi and conveniency of the fame. But becaufe I defign not to heap up more words than are oecerTary for a plain underftand- ing of the right improvement of the induftrinus Bees$ I re- commend the Curious to the obfervation of the Creature it felf, where they may have fatif- fying contemplations dayly re- newed. Before I proceed to the pra- ctical part of the experiment, I (hall only add a word of the ufefulnefs of Wax and Ho- ney. There is none who knows not how much they conduce to the health and fatisfadHon of man 5 it is thefe which adorn your Feafts and Funeral they have their own fhare in your food and Pbyfick. They who would be better informed of their particular ufes may con- fult VUnie> Diofcorides or any other other Naturalift. I (hall con- clude this with the anfwer of DemocrituS) who lived (as they write) an hundred and nine years, and being asked by what means men might continue in perfect health, and live long, anfwered, by anointing their bodies with Oyl, and eating Honey. Before I defcribe the Boxes, Colony, and Houfe, for their fecurity and prcfervation , 1 would propofe the following Hypothefes or Fundamentals, proved by experience of all Bee-Mafters, upon which, as on a bafe or foundation, the whole ftrufture of the enfuing dif- courfe is founded, and they are thefe. ; ■■ .. i . Firft, it is natural for all Bees to begin at the top, and work downwards. 2. That Bees fwarmmg «- broad, broad, is occafioned through their want of room at home. 5. That a great hinderance of their labour, is confufion a^ bbut fwarming abroad., and mi- Ipending their time in luxury. 4. That idlenefs caufes lu- xury, extravagant, unprofitable and unfeafonable increafe of Bees 5 which being by this com- modious method, in the right u(e thereof, prevented, the ufual, but unkind requital of (mothering and drowning is like wife avoided. 5. That Bees do not live in vigor above three years, and that all of them ordinarily die in four years at raoft. 6. That the great charge, and trouble in attending on the fwarming of Bees, does difc courage the owner, and con- fume his profit, : Tk [17] The Defcripion of the Boxes or Hives. TH E Boxes may be made of Wainfcot or Fir Deals, or of the fame materials, which Pails for carrying water are made of, or as your Buftiel or Peck meafure. For their difflenfion, it h convenient, that each Box be of that Iargenefs a that it may con- tain a Bufhel, the height not exceeding ten inches 5 and its breadth eighteen inches, that they may more conveniently ftand upon one another, and that when the Bees come in loaden, they may not have a great height to go up. The Box is in figure an OBa- gon or eight fquare, each fquare Bit nine [i8] nine inches in breadth h it is coveredclofe at the top, having a fquare hole in the middle, four inches long, and broad, with a (butter that Aides to and fro in a grove 5 about half an inch longer than the hole: It hath four window?, each in figure a Rhombus or fquare, or like an ordinary Pane of Glafs, oppo- site to one another } in them are Panes of Glafs with Shuttersto cover them. The door for the Bees is divided into fix holes, or two large ones 5 at the bot- tom ofthat fquare which (hnds for the front, each hole half an inch broad,and an inch high,for helping the Bees better to carry out their dead 5 each of tbefe holes have a (butter which Hides up and down in a grove, to cover lefs or more as rhe feafbn requires, or as occafion offers.- Each Box hath two iron handles [19] handles with joints to be placed about the middle of the Box,on the fides thereof, for lifting it up when another is to be placed under it, or for tranfporting the fame for ufe when the Bees have wrought down to the lower 6ox, At the top of the Box there is a creafe or rebbet all round it about half an inch in depth on the outfide, and an inch in height, and another in the inner fide at the bottom, which fcrves to fix them when placed upon one another. Each Box hath m$) a hole at the fide which (huts with a Aiding cover, or little Door with hinges 3 this is to be open'dand ufed (when the Boxes are pla- ced upon one another, and the uppermofl: is full of Honey, and when all the Bees are wrought down to the lower Boxes) for (hutting the fquare hole in the B 2 top top of the lower Box, that fo its cover may divide and cut the work in the upper Box, from the work in the lower, and for this end it is fit, that the fquare end of the Aiding (hutter be covered with Latten, or iron well fbarpened, that it may cut the work the better. Within each Box there is a fquare Frame made of four Ports, joyned together by eight fmafl (ricks, and four others eroding thefe, and one (landing perpendicular in the middle of the Frame: the whole Frame confuting of the four Poftsandof thirteen fmall (ticks, is to be put within the Box, and faftned to four (ides thereof, by eight Screws, two in each Poft. Upon this Frame do the Bees fatten their work, which is very convenient, for when you have removed a full EOXj Box, you need but unfcrew the Frame, and thf n may you take out all the work without breaking it 3 or the Box or Frame, and then you may with pleafure behold the excel- lent Fabrick which thefe indu- (trious Infe&s have ingenioufly framed. The ufeofthe Panes of Glafs, is not only for pleafure, that through them you may behold the work and labour of the Bees, but alfo to let you know their ftrength , idlenefs , ful- nefs or want of room, that fo you may enlarge or remove them as you pleafe. And where fome may think that the work of the Bees will darken the Glafs 3 I declare that I have al- ways found the contrary by ex- perience. 2J3 A A Defription of the fever at Fi- gures of a jingle Box, its Frame 3 and of a Colony or three Boxes placed on the top of one another in a houfe. Fig. i. Reprefents a Box proje&ed, lying on its fide, with its open erid to the eye where the Frame is projected. BBBB The Box. C C C C The Screw- pins tq fatten the Frame in the Box. D D The Frame within the 3ox. E E The Windows. FF The Doors for the Bees to go in and out. G The place by which the cover of the hole in the topis fliut. H H The inner rebbet or creafeat the bottom. I The fquare hole in the top of tfceBox. F?g. 2. D>3] Fig. 2. Prefents the Frame. a The Frame for the Bees to fatten their work on. Fig. 3. A Reprefents a Box (landing upright, B The fquare hole through which the Bees work down. C The fhutter that covers the hole upon occafion. D The piece of wood that fills up the grove in the Box that is upmoft. E The Doors for the Bees. F Shutters for covering ttye doors in Winter. G The windows with panes of Glafsin them. H Handles for lifting the Box when full. I Therebbet orcreafe at top for faftning the Boxes upon one another. K The Pegs that fatten the Boxes together. B 4 Fig. 4- [2 4 ] Fig. 4 A R.eprefents a Houfe with the doors ftanding open, with one Colony of Boxes ftanding therein. It needs no defcription, for it is nothing elfe but three Boxes placed a top one another. B The Bees flying out and in at their little doors. Th [25] The Defcription of the Bee-Houfe. * I "*H E Houfe may be made |_ either of Wood, Bricks, or Stone, &c. and covered ei- ther with Lead, Tile, &c. yet whatever it be covered with 3 it muft be fiel'd clofely with good well feafon'd Wood 3 To fmooth- ly that no Vermin may have ac- cefs or place to lodge in, alfo the bottom muft be lin'd with boards well joyned together. It will be convenient that it be two foot,, high above the ground, and ftretched half a foot without the door, that the Bees may more conveniently reft on it before they enter the Haufe, or when they come forth to view the weather, or to lay and [26] and fup themfelves in a good day. This extendon of the floor will ferve ai fo for pre- ferving the Houfe from Ver- min that none creep up the wall and enter. A The height of the Wall of the Houfe, which is two yards from the floor to the lower part of the roof. B The Doors ftanding open, being the fore-part of the Houfe, which muft be fo co- vered as at convenient times it may be all laid open to the, Sun} wherefore it muft have C Firft a long and broad door hanging down upon iron hinges to fold up, and fo faft- ned by an iron. The breadth of this Door muft be half the height of the wall of the Houfe 3 and it is fo long as betwixt one corner of the Houfe and the other. E Two E* Two Doors faflned with iron . binges fide ways joining in two creafes made in them, as two opening doors are com- monly made to join, they are of equal breadth and length. F Two narrow Doors each in length equal to the pre- ceeding, but far lefs in breadth. Thefe open fides- ways and fhut in a rebbet or creafe made as in the former door.Thefe are open all the fummer 3 aud (hut all the winter. The reafons why the doors are thus fafhipned and faftned are firft, the greater Door hanging downward , is only to be lifted up 3 and open- ed once or twice in theyear 3 at mod, when you are to re- move any Boxes for taking your Honey, or when you are to sdd a Box more 3 then are all opened. The other two doors next it are opened upon the like occa lions ©ccafions or ofter, as the Bee- Mafter plea fes, when he defires to view their work, for they give light to theglafs windows, Co that when he looks through the doors in the back of the Houfe, the glafTes receiving light at the other fide will (how the work better 5 but obferve, this mufr. not be done in the heat of the day. The upper folding-door is kept fhut aifo at thofe times, to keep off the rays of the Sun from the Boxes and Bees. In the figure of the back of the Houfe C C C reprefent the three doors therein oppofite to the three Colonies placed with- in the Houfe 5 if you place more Colonies, you may make more doors. H Reprefents that part of the floor of the Houfe, 'which below the two loweft doors 1*91 doors in the front of the Houfe is protradled fome three or four inches. I Each Piller of the Houfe muft be protra&ed one half foot below the floor, for feet for the Houfe to ftand on, and to keep out Vermin. K, Your Houfe muft be fur- ni(hed with good Locks, Hin- ges, and other things thereto belongings alfo you muft have a fpout of Lead to convey the water, which drops from the roof to the corners of the Houfe, that it fall not upon that part of the floor in the front of the Houfe, where the Bees reft themfelves ? when go- ing out or coming in, left it fbould kill any Bees. . The Houfe may be made nine foot long and a yard in breadth within from tide to fide. As for the height of the roof above above the walls, it may be made flavor of any convenient length as the Bee-Mafterpleafes. Of the Convenient Situation of your Bee-Houfe. HAving defcribed the Boxes and Houfe, it will be con- venient in the next place to ad- vife you how to fituate your Houfe with greateft cooveni- ency, for the warmnels, quiet, and conveniency of flying 2- broad and returning home of your Bees; 1. Firft, of all your Gardens, Commons, and inclofures, that upon which you would beftow moft pains in planting and hedging, is the fittefl: place for building your Bee-Houfe, for Bees Bees get their rnoft profitable food off Trees. 2. Take care you be well guarded from the North- winds or cold ftorms, and fee that the Houfe be fenfible againft all their enemies and yours* j their enemies are ordinarily Swal- lows 3 Mice, Smoak and all uncleanly things 5 yours and theirs are Thieve?. 5 Place your Houfe in the rnoft Vally ground, that the af- cent may be when they go a- broad, and the defcent when they rtturo home loaden. 4. Place not your H op fe di- rectly Eaft and Weft, but a point or two from the South- Eaft to the North- Weft, be- caufe the Bees come not forth in the Morning before the Sun is rifen above an hour, and they continue above an hour at work and exercife after the Sun [32] Sun is fet, i£ the night be fai* and calm, whereby feveral days forne hours are gained to their advantage. 5. Beware you overlay not your ground with too ma- ny Colonies, for you will have •more profit of a few Colonies well nouriftied, than of many in overlaid ground 5 but where there are Forefts or Woods, there can be no overlaying, wherefore build your Houfe according to your ground. 6, ft will be worth the ex- pence and pains of sny Bee- Mafter to plant fuch Trees in his ground as conduce moft for the food and nourifhment of Bees, fuch are the Oak, Sal- low Tree of all forts, except the Privie Sallow, but efpeci- ally the Willow which is the gray Sallow, and hath a green early bud before Eafter, which are C?3J if e called by the Vulgar,, Palms, upon which the Bees begin their early work, as alfo upon rnoft others. It will be cons- ilient to plant in their Gardens of Tyrrie and Balm abundance, with many other fweet-fmelling Garden herbs. 7. You may build your Houfe nigh Meadows, where Gattel feed, for it will conduce for their thriving t for it is ob- ferved that Cattel thrive beft: where there are molt #ees. The reafon may be that the Bees fuck out Come of that which may hurt the CatteL Your Bee-houfe being built: of Timber, Brick or Stone, and (ituate in a convenient place, is next to be furnifhed with Co- lonies of Boxes made of proper Materials, and thofe Boxes with Bees according as is direct** cdL Which that you may the € better [34] better do, take thefe following in ft r u ft ions. Firft. it's necefiTary that fuch afsMtre not fiirnilhed with Bees already, do provide themfelves with frocks of good old Hives. The beii Bees are known by their great noifeand bu2, after you have Blown hard in their Hives h for u is not always the heavieft Hive which is ftrong- eft in Bees. As for their bo- dies, they are black, bright, fmail and fmooth. The moft proper feafon for tranfplant- ingof Bees is betwixt Michael- mas and Candlemas, that is, if the Bees are to be brought from a far place, becaufeinthe Winter Bees ate. molt' at reft. Secondly, Your Bees being once fetled in the place where you intend to keep them, muft be transplanted from the old Form of Straw-Hives into their eew new Colonies of Boxes, at of a- bout the beginning of Match, as the feafoo (hail favour 5 that fo they may begin their labour with the early fpring, and their owners may at the end of fix or feven Months of the fame year, both reap the profit^ and m?.ke proof of the contrivance. Yea (baking a Swarm off from the bough of a Tree into your Boxes, may prove a very fuc- cefsful way of planting them, if they be good early Swarms. The manner of tranfplanting your Bees out of the Straw Skeps into the Boxes is as fol- lows, viz. Take one of your #oxes, rubbed with Honey, fweet Herbs 5 Water 5 and Salt} as youufe todrefs your old Skeps when a Swarm is to be put in- to them 5 Then having opened the fquare hole in the top of yout Box, and your Colonies C 2 placed at equal diftance from each other in the Houfe, take your ftrongeft and beft fumi- (hed Straw- Hive, and place it on the top of the aforefaid Box, with its front to the front of the Box, and plaifter it round, fo as to (top all pafTages where- by the Bees might come out any other way than through the little holes in the lower part of the front of the Box 5 let all the windows of the Boxes and all the doors of the Houfe be (hut and kept clofe, except at fuch times as you have oc- cafion to look through them (which ought to be at the Evening or Morning) either to obferve what progress the Bees make in their work, or for plea- fure and delight, only the fmall ledge at the bottom muft always be kept open unlefs in Winter, for then the Bees by their [37] their going abroad receive much damage and no advan- tage. When you perceive your firft Box full of work and Bees, take another prepared as the former, and lifting up the firft Box with the Straw-Hive frill on its top, place this fecond under it 5 which when you obferveto be full as the former, you muft in like manner fupply a third, unlefs it be very late in the year, which continual fupply of Itoxes, as often as occafioo requires, and eonftant circle and fucceffion of work therein, is an unqueftionable convenience (which many have attempted, but none ever heretofore attain- ed} for preventing the Swarm- ing of Sees, abroad , which are known never fo to Swarm, un- lefs for wa^nt of room and fit- ting accommodation for them- felves and their work. #ut if € 3 any £#1 any be defirous that their Bees Swarm out of the Boxes in or- der to the planting of new Co- lonies, this you may eatiiy ef- feQ by forbearing to fupply them with an additional Bgk when needful : fo may you at once be furnifhed with a Stock for a new plantation, and with a convincing proof, that want of room is the only reafbn why Bees Swarm abroad, for it is not in the leafl: to be queftioned, but that the Bees will defcend and continue their work out of the Straw-Hive into the Box on which it is placed, and out of that into the next under it,and fo ftill on in purfuit of their labour, it being Natural for Bees ever to begin their work in the top and upper part of their lodging, and from thence to work downward. The manner of taking your Honey 3 ts0 Honey* according to this new Model is briefly thus, viz, Re- gard mufi: be had to the fealon, the riehnefs at the frore, and ftrength of the Bees 3 that is, if there be two Boxes full of Wax and Honey before Auguli^ you may remove the Straw- Hive when you pleafe, where- in you w'til find no Bees but Wax and Honey, and ihen will there be no more ufe for any Straw- Hives. At Mich&dmas which is the ufua-1 time for tak- ing of. Hooey, if the third Box be placed before this, and the Bees have; fome work in it, you may take off the upper B; x, which will alfo be full of Ho- ney '■> and after a right Judgment made anent the ftate of your Bees, you may take half or whole of the Honey and Wax therein according to difcretion. Thus for the firft year, and fo C 4 yearly, [40] yearly., as the feafons prove good or bad. The way of removing the Boxes when full of Honey is this/ z//2S. to open the little door in the fide of that Box whiqh is uppermoft, and with the (butter at once to cut the work (perfectly dividing be- twixt the Bees and upper work} andclofe thefquare hole of the lower Box, thereby (ecuring the Bees and their work in the lower Foxes 5 fo that by this, dextrous and commodious way of removing the Honey, the defhu&ion of the Bees, by ftifling, drowning, violent dri- ving or ot,her ways i^the ufual but unkind requital of their in- duftrie) and one great reafon of the fcarcitie of Honey arid Wax, and of the adulteration of both, is prevented 5 and fuf- ficient winter ftore is referved for 10 for the Bees, according to the feafons judgment being made thereof by infpe&ion through the Glafs Windows. If through tbeindifcretion or miftake of the Bee-Matters, by reafon of an ill feafon, too fmall a quantity of provifion (hall be left 5 then, feeding them may be uecefiary : For this end the beft expedient is to put a Box with fuitable provifion under them. There are feyeral forts of prpvifions ufed by Bee-Ma- fters, as Hqney, boiled Wort, J?ean Meal mixed with Honey, and many others, to which we refer perfbns according to the Conditions of their Family and the Country. Jf there be no fmall Springs or brooks, wherein there are Pebble Stones, a little (brmoun- ting the furface of the Water, then fet Troughs with Wa- ter £42] ter, and little chips fwimming in it for the Bees tolight on, that they may have the advantage of the Water without hazard. Of the Excellency of this New Method above the old. 'HE Excellency of this New Method above the Old., will moft clearly appear by comparing them together, and Slewing the inconveniencies of the Old and the conveniences of the New 5 for it is an appro- ved axiom., Contraria juxta. fe pdfita magis elucefcunt: Fir ft I (ball propofe the inconveni- encies of the Old Method: which' are, i. The charge of keep- ing a perlon,, near the whole three C43] three Months qi Hay and Corn HarvePc to attend them. *. The trouble of prefer- ring them in their Swarming, from going away, and then, the difficulty of getting them into their Wives. Here may be (defervedly) reckoned the great inconveniency which may follow upon the Swarming of Bees, if they (hall chance to have bad or ftormy weather, then run they the hazard of be- ing ftarved and famiihed. 3. There is a great lofs of time, in the confufton which they are in before they Swarm, for three Weeks or a Month, and their unfettlement for a week afterwards, which takes up one third of their time. j 4. The mifpending of their time in idJenefs and luxury, wherein they only beget a nu- merous brood of beggers who die [44] die in the Winter, in (lead of employing all that time in a courfe of profitable labour for their owners, which with the former lofs makes two thirds of their time. 5 . The deftroying of the moft induftrioqs part of the Sees by fmothering or drowning, which is 'an ill reward of the ioduftry of (b good fer vants , and a great loft to the owners of them. 6. A further Inconvenience, is their being expofed to Gattel, Vermine, exceffive heats and colds, with many other cafual- ties. Secondly I will propofe the conveniences or advantages of this new way. i. In this new way there is no need of any to attend them. It will prove a recreation to the tfee-Mafters to take infpeftion of them, aqd mark how they go C4$] go forward in their work, fince they never Swarm here, but only hive themfelves by an ad- , ditional Sox. 2. By their additional Sox which preferves them from Swarmingjidlenefsj and luxury, there are two thirds of their time gained for their owners profits and the Sees are freed from the hazard of being ftar- ved, though the weather fhould be never fo bad. 3. All the vigorous Sees are preferved alive to repeat their induftry for their Ma- tters advantage. 4. 5y the commodioufnefs of your Houfe which is dole and ftronga and the conve- nience of your Soxes which are alfoclofe, you have fafe- ty and prefervation to your Sees. 5. Sy reafon of your Glafs lights lights you are always able to make a Judgment of the State of your Bees : The pleafure of beholding thefe excellent Ar* tiftsfirft build, and then reple- nish their Houfes, their excel- lent order in all their work, and many other rarities which you may fee daily in all their Houfes, may juftly be ac- compted among the conveni- ences of this method, which the old had not. All which considered;, it may be very eafily competed, what great gain, profit and advantage may redound to the publick, and every Bee-Mafter in parti- cular, from this new form and method of improving, beyond any other whatfoever Bees, through the excellency of the Honey and Wax, which is free from fmoak and water, its great encreafe and quantity 9 and ad- vantage CW.3 vantage in poiat of time, two entire Months at.leaft, and that in the chief feafoit of the year, being gained by this new way which was wholly loft by the other, through the great con- fufion and uofe* dement of the Bees before \ in and after Swarming. ObjeBlons Avjwered. ObjeB, i» Since the Bees are frill preferved from deftru&i- on, then we find by Calculati- on, they will increafe to fo great a number and Swarm, that the Colonie will not be able to con- tain them. Jnfw. I. Suppofing all to be true which the objection affirms, the inconveniencie would be no more than this, that we would be obliged to have a great number of Colonies, for keep- [48] keeping thefe induftrious Crea- tures in. And fare there is fcarce any fo churlilh, that he would not be at the expenceto buy them a tfoufe, who will requite him with double yea treble intereft, arid pay him the principal the very firft year. But Anf. 2. \i the ffoney be feafbnably taken from them, fo as room be left to work in 3 they will be more induftrious and lefs luxurious 5 fo that ex- perience will teach you, that they increafe to excefs* only beeaufe of idlenefs and heaty for thefe make them luxurious. Anf 3. It is fare by ex- perience that Bees live not a- bove three years in vigour, and after that time they ordinarily die} fo that according to the courfe of Nature they live not above four years, in all, which is the chief reafon for provid- ing _ [49] ing three fo convenient rooms for each Colony. Objeff. 2. That by depriving them of their Honey and not deftroying them, you preferve them alive to be ftarved in Winter. Anfi It being clear by the premifies that they have re- deemed of their time, and con^ fequently made two third parts of provifion more in that time, the Owners may alfo fafely take 4way two third parts of their Honey upon a right Judgment made by infpe&ion through the Glafs, and leaving but one third, as they who leave a ffive full of Bees and Honey. ObjeB. 3. Why might not the Boxes have been made four fquare rather than OcYagonal? Anf. 1. The Cells of the Bees themfelves (as may be eafily marked) are Sexagonal, and f £) have CM have found the Oftagonal fi- gure convenient for the Bees working. Anf 2. There is not any fquare which is not needful^ and has not fome one part or other of the Frame joined to, ir 3 as you may evidently fee if $rou but take a view of it with- in the Box. For anfwering any other objections, I judged the pe- rufal of the following Letter would be very neceflary, writ- ten to me by a worthy and Re- verend Gentleman 3 who for ma- ny years paft hath been a curi- ous obferver of the contri- vances of thefe moft curious and induftrious Creatures., with the anfwer thereunto, as fol- loweth. The\< [5i] The Copy of a Letter di- refted by the Reverend Mr. Samuel Mew % to Mr. John Gedde. ' Worthy Sir, I Have with a great delight perufed the dire&ions you have given the public 4, concern- ing, your new invention 3 and excellent Method for the better ordering and improvement of Bees j for their conveniences and fifety 3 and the owners profit. Vpon the review of the whole (the Frame 3 the Boxes , the Colonies 3 the Houfe or Cafe, and your excellent deftgn by all thefe) I mutt needs fay t that to me the contrivance Jeems curious and ingenious , befit- ting thofe admirable Creatures , D 2 you [52] youfo indutfrioufly provide for and that (ni lint vatum pra*- fagia vana j you have built your felf a Monument as well as them an Houfe 5 there is not a Bee which is not your debtor for her eafe and life, and that will not be yet more induflrious to preftrve her benefaUonrs name in Honey* t have had for thefe twenty years and upward* the opportu- nity and content to obferve thefe pretty Artifls, you con- trive for, at worh^, through Glafs placed for that purpofe % and therefore am an ocular witnefs of what you mofi tru- ly affirm, that they all begin their worh^ at the top of their Hive 3 and I alfo eaflly believe that their Swarming is for want of room in their old Jlfan- Jtons, and that Swarming is as well an hindrance to them as C53] it is certainly a trouble and charge to the owner. Good grounds thefe for your undertaking 5 and you have alfi happily made ufe of them : hut there is one thing yet (it's not to find faulty but to be informed, that this uncivil But comes in) which my obfervation will not let me Jb readily Jubfcribe to. Ton are pleafed to fkppofi, at leafi D if not affirm , that when the upper "Box is full of wor^ and more room is made for the workfolk*) by the underlet- ting of an empty Box, that they will fi generally quit the full one y as to betake themjelves wholly to the empty Boxj and that they may after fome conveni- ent time, without, confiderable dammages be fhut from their rich labours, this is thai which Qumblesme, for at this infiant I am writing* the nppet D 3 &orj ftory of my Glafs Hive is as full as it or any other Hive can well be imagined to be , of Combs and Honey , and the Bees have for this fourtnight continued their work^ down unto the lower part^ and their great buftnefs at prefent is there* Now flwuld 1 at any time of the day adventure to fever between tkefe two fiories (which might be done, for they are loofe') it could not I conceive be without great dammage^ if not ruin of the whole : for beftdes that at the bufieSi time of the day when moft are employed abroad, there is a confiderahle number of the mofl indufiriom Bees mending or viewing or fecuring their worky there is alfo the Queen Bee in perfon with her guard and attendants , as within this three or four days, others with my felf had the content for 7$> but real Friend and Servant, Samuel Mevf* The [57] the Copy of a Letter fent by Mr. John Gedde, to the Reverend Mr. Sa- muel Mew, Minifter of Eaftoa in Gloucefierfhire^ in anfwer to the former; SIR, YOurs I received, and re- turn you hearty thanks for the encouragement of the fmall endeavours ufed by me for preventing the Cruelty com- mitted upon and the violent death of fi profitable friends and fervants as our Common friends the Beesj which (from fuch a worthy and intelligent perfon as you) may be a fitffi- cient fiade and Jhelter from mofl other prejudices, But, C$3] But, Sir, fir anfwer to the obje&ion which you very mo- deftly raife, which is, that you doubt, whether or no the Bees will fb generally quit an wp» per full Box j for the room of an empty one put under themi For your fatisfa&ion herein , I fhall tell y oh what I have ma-' ny times found in my expert' ence, and what I have ftill ob- Jerved of late, in the viewing of fcveral Bees in England, which are in this new form of Hives, which to all Bee- Ma- fters is evident -, that when Bees have wrought the upper Box full, they continue their worJ^ through the Jquare hole in the empty Box, and fo down to a third under Box,' as the feafon is good. Then may you eajily be- hold the body of the Bees down with the workers $ and few or none Q59] none in the upper Box, yea at fitch times of the day or night there are fear ce any (if you ex- cept a ftraying Bee, as if it were a Sentinel) to be Jeen in the up- permost Box, but the whole bo- dy of the Commonwealth will be in the loweU , as hath been faid'-i wherefore at fuch times \, by opening the door in the fide of the Box, and Jlmtting the Jlider in the grove which covers the hole in the top of the fee on d Box, you will eafly feparate betwixt the Bees and their uppermofl wor^ without any dammage to the Commonwealth or Co- lony. Of this there are many pra&ical demonstrations to be now feen in England .* And for your further fatisfaftion,! have fent with the Gloucefter Carrier one Colony of Boxes, one Li- cence^ and a Book,, of direUions, to to be ufed by you, as a Token of my Refpe&s to a Perfbn of fi much worthy and fi profitable to the Commonwealth you live in 5 hoping that after you have received and viewed the Colony^ there will reji no place for any further Jcruple , from fuch ah obje&ion^ l will add ho more but that I am, London, SIR, iS.Dec. 1675. Your humble Servant, Joh'ii Gedde; Another a*? ] Another Obje&ion that \ha;d the like inconvenie'nces,in the managing of their Bees, , according tqitftis new way, | hew (et down! the rapft material of the fame, as follows. E I. Such 1661 i. Such as are too late in the year in Transplanting their Bees, when brought from the place of their old Abode and Acquaintance to a new one, where they are intended to be placed on Boxes, which is moft proper betwixt Michaelmas and Candlemas, 2. Such as have Bee? al- ready . ftanding in the places where they intend to fet their Colonies, being too late in placing of them on their Co- lonies $ which is moft proper in March. 5. Others neglecting to make their houfes clofe, to -be a dif- fident (hade from the violence of the hot Sunlhine , which furprizes,and breeds fuch aCon- fufion and Reeling among the Bees 5 that fometimes provokes an C<5 7 J an untimely, unadvifed and un- prepared (warming,to the great prejudice of that Common- wealth from whence they are. 4. Others not only giving them bad houles or (hades, but none at all, more than the ordinary Hives 5 expofing the Boxes to be rent, crackt and tome, with the heat of the Sun 5 that fo the Bees have no peace at all ia them 5 but in a continual confulion, and in a much worfe condition than if they were in ftraw Hives. 5. Others not feafoning the Boxes rightly with Water and Salt firft, then with fweet fen- ted Herbs, and anointing the corners of the Boxes and the (ticks with Honey. 6. There are others that are E 2 too [68] too long in placing fecond Boxes under the firft} which hath occafioned an unexfpecled forced (warming out of thefirft Boxes '-, wherefore fpecial no- tice would betaken, toobferve when the Bees have wrought down three quarters of the firft Box, that they be always fupplied with an empty Box prepared as before j efpecially If if be in the month of May or June. 7. Others there are who through their unsklfulnefs (ne- ver being much acquainted with Bees) take no care to af- fift them feafonably, in destroy- ing the drones who confume their Honeys which a few hours attendance, in fome hot days, when drones come forth, may do, efpecially in the months of Jme or July. J 1 Thefe Theie Defedfs being. helped and amended, without doabt they will find this Invention" 5 commodious both for profit' and pleaiure. ' Befides thefe ihconveniencies through mismanagement of Bees, I hear there are Tome' who do (tumble and fcruple, in the pra£tife of this new ! way of Improving Bees, by o'ccafi- on ofa difcoyije, lately ! pub- lifned •-, wherein the Difcourfer would pretend to tfne beft way for Improvement and ad vance- merit of BeeY^ and yet in the dVfcourfe'it feff, of thefe foufe- fql., Creatures', the whole fcope and' aefrga (eenis to be, to d if- fwade all from uling any means or ihdeavours to preferve the^ life of thefe excellent ArtiftjL andjby what Arguments he can,, to perfwade arf'to <^e(troy them by vtolence,infmbtheJ:ing- 1 hem t't with with Brfrnltone, &c. which cer- tainly is a moft unjuft and un- grate requital of fo careful and induftrious (ervants , by their cruel Matters, if poffibiy they can know any way how to pre- vent it. Therefore for further and fuller fatisfadion to all who Ihall meet with this Diicourfers Arguments } I do hereby de- clare, that what is afferted therein, or rather ignorant- ly propo(ed, is exprefly con- tradidory , to the manifold known , received , and reite- rated experiences , of many hundreds of (everal perfons, who have pra'difed the afore- faid new way for Improvement of Bees, and have been care- ful to obferve the Diredions 3 For there is none that have (et up their Colonies in March^ and placed their Hives on them, and obferved the Printed Dire- dions 3 [-711 ftions i> but before the twentieth day of July, they might with fafety, in a Convenient time, take off the firft Hives, without trouble, hazard- or harm to the Body of the Comonwealth of Bees 5 and the few Bees that may be lying or lurking a- mongft the Combs , may by a due care had of the fea(bn of taking , ( being to (hut your Aider in the middle of the day, and at evening, or timely in the morning. Thereafter, to .remove your Hive for ufe) be alfo preferved, if any good Bees be there, by brufhing them off the Combs, and they will go to their Colonies 5 or if they be drones,by killing them 5 a part of both will be there un- doubtedly. But that the full bo- dy of the Commonwealth, will be in the lower Boxes, many experiences have proved. And E 4 that [72] 'that they 1 go on in good gdvtrV 'tnent, and flout Working, is ap- parent to all Beholders. Which anftvers all obje£Hbns^ and may TatisFy all^dB'ob'ts that arife throtfgh want qf r the Queen, or inch like. I, hear alfd, that forne others alfedge an4 obje$:, that this new way is deat and coftly to "■begins they like the invention, the wlay they would try, but its chargeable. Unto fuch, no- thing but a vifibledemonftrati- on,bf a vifibleand evident pro* ■fit, will be cleared: evidence for ; jthe fatisfy iiSg that obje&iorf , whidH profit may appear to them as Wdl as it dqth to many per- have told me by word, /arid I 1 hive Teen proof thereof myYelf $ . yereyen about Lgfidon, Where pees Cannot Co probably thrive a s in C73] in the Country) that they who have laici forth and beftowed on their Houfe, Licences, anc} Colonies ( confiding- Of nine Boxes, being three Colonies) all made of Dale , at the beft hand y with all Conve- niences needful, and the price of all not exceeding Four Pounds Ten Shillings,* have already taken off three Hives, of three Colonies ,- and left their 1 under Boxes full of work and Honey* for the Bees main- tenance, a