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230

HONEY SENT FROM HEAVEN.

alike for goodness, but may be double as heavy in one year as they are in another; though the profit is much the same every year.

When Hives are heavy and good, in general, the honey will sell in many places for less than sixpence per pound, and the wax for less than a shilling; but when they are light and bad, the honey will sell for more than a shilling, and the wax for more than two shillings; and as at such times more Bees are burned, ten to one, than in a plentiful season, the covetous Bee-master immediately thinks this to be the time to make something of his Bees, while honey sells well.

Others think, that when Bees are light, if they do not burn them they will die in the winter, not considering, that the same kind Providence which provides for man and beast, takes care also of the insects; for I never knew a bad season for Bees, but the following winter was always in their favour.

This may also be often observed in the summer season, if the weather be wet and bad in the months of May and June, when the flowers are in their prime, and the Bees have been able to get honey; to make up that deficiency, they have been provided for in much the same manner as the children of Israel were, and honey has been sent them so plentifully from the clouds, that in the latter end of the summer it may at times be seen in full drops on the oak and other leaves. Thus the Lord opens his hand and satisfies the desires even of the Bees, as well as every other living thing.

But all Bees are not thus favoured. Some swarms which come in July, and bad weather follows, have no opportunity of getting combs, and to such the honey dews are of no advantage, because they have no cells to put it in, and therefore they must die for want. Let this, therefore, be attended to; and if you desire your Bees to live and pay well, never suffer a Hive to swarm after the first of July, but raise them up with a small hoop as already mentioned, and they will pay more by standing thus, than by swarming.

DRIED BEES-NEIGHBOURLY CONDUCT.

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The utility of the Bees is still greater. By what has been observed above, it is plain that we gain only food and raiment, and yet these are very considerable advantages. But we may ask, "Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" They are salutary and efficacious also as a medicine. How many lives have, to appearance, been prolonged by the Bees? If Bees, when dead, are dried to powder, and given to either man or beast, this medicine will often give immediate ease in the most excruciating pain, and remove a stoppage in the body, when all other means have failed.

I have, therefore, for many years past, desired persons when they have killed their Bees, to preserve as many as possible, in a clean paper, which have been found at times to be of great service. I have been often applied to for dead Bees; and in some particular cases, in order to save life, I have gone and put my hand into my Hive and took out as many live Bees as necessary, and killed them.

I was once applied to for some Bees by Thomas Padfield, who had a cow near death. I took what were wanted out of my Hives, and a person present blamed me for thus destroyiny my Bees. On my asking him whether he would have been willing for me to have done it, supposing it had been his own cow his answer was, "I would sooner give a guinea for a Hive of Bees, and kill them all, than lose a cow worth five or six." From hence I observe, that a man who would kill a whole Hive of Bees to save his own cow, and would not kill a score to save his neighbour's, cannot be said to "love his neighbour as himself," or to "do unto others as he would that others should do unto him." But there are many who call themselves neighbours, who neither "fear God, nor regard man."

From hence, I would recommend to all that keep cattle to keep Bees also; but if a man have no cattle, or even family, it would be advisable, for his own safety, to have one or more Hives; who knows how soon nature may be stopped, and how far a man may send for relief, and be denied? But many will not try the Bees until every thing else has failed; and then

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OLD WOMEN'S MEDICINES.

we need not wonder if this fail also, when nature's resources are exhausted, and the parts to be operated on are destroyed.

It is certain that honey and wax are also very profitable and useful, and should be kept in every family. If the honey is taken, after it has been well clarified, moderately, and at proper seasons, it is a great preservative of health, as well as a restorer of nature when decayed.

Some will affirm, that it prolongeth life itself, and will tell you that in those countries where the inhabitants do feed daily on honey, they live longer, and are healthier than those who do not use it.

But as I desire to be as concise as possible, and do not see it needful to enumerate the many cures said to be done by it; neither would I write down what I have not proved, and know to be matter of fact. And it would, moreover, be contrary to my present purpose, to enlarge on the medicinal effects of Bees and their produce; for as these instances will be sufficient to shew their great efficacy as a medicine, so many of my readers will probably be of that part of mankind who are not acquainted with their effects in other cases, which are usually known by the name of "old women's medicines," though frequently of the greatest service.

Hoping I have satisfied my readers, for which I have exerted the utmost of my slender abilities, and communicated every observation and experiment worth mentioning, I have only to request their candour and indulgence; and if this Treatise shall be instrumental, in any respect, to benefit and profit my fellow-creatures, I shall be amply rewarded for the labour and pains I have taken for that purpose.

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