Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/259

Rh of honey. Although we are no advocates for such schemes, nor do we give credit to the marvellous reports circulated to confirm their success, yet we consider the recipe given by the late Prof., in his Family Dictionary, sufficiently curious, if not practically useful, to communicate it to our readers: Take a handful of sweet yeast, one dram of camphor, half a dram of musk dissolved in rose-water, a sufficient quantity of yellow bees-wax, and oil of roses (which last, however, being an expensive article, may be safely omitted); pound the first two ingredients well together, and put them into the melting wax; then add the oil of roses, and make it up into a mass, which should be cool, before the musk is incorporated with it. Of this composition, place a piece of the size of a hazel-nut at the side of a hive, and it will be found, that it not only increases the number of the bees, but also enables them to improve the honey, in the proportion of three to one. Yet the learned editor does not inform us, whether this improvement is productive of a superior quality, or larger quantity of honey, or perhaps of both.

With respect to the Diseases of Bees, we shall mention a few hints, extracted from the above-mentioned work.

Bees are sometimes afflicted with a diarrhœa, in consequence of feeding greedily on the blossoms of the milk-thistle, and elm. The best cure is, pounded pomegranate seed and honey, moistened with rich, sweet wine; or raisins mixed with similar wine or mead, in which rosemary has been boiled.—When they are infested with vermin, the hive must be cleansed, and perfumed with a branch of pomegranate, or the wild fig-tree, which will inevitably destroy them.

Butterflies are said to conceal themselves in the hives, and annoy the bees: these intruders may easily be exterminated, by placing lighted candles in deep tin pots between the hives; as the flame will attract them, and conduce to their destruction.

In order to extirpate hornets preying upon the honey, it is only necessary to expose shallow vessels near the hive, with a little water; to which these predatory insects will eagerly repair, to quench their diirst, and thus easily drown themselves.

To prevent bees of one society from attacking or destroying those of another, Dr. recommends a board, about an inch thick, to be laid on the bee-bench, and the hive to be set on this board, with its mouth exactly on the edge; the mouth of the hive should also be contracted to about an inch in length, and a semi-circular hollow made in the board, immediately under the mouth of the hive. By this simple method, the assailing bees will be constrained to act with great disadvantage.

If, however, this should not succeed, Dr. advises a removal of the bee-hive to a distant part of the garden, and to a more easterly aspect; as he has from experience observed the good effects of such a change. This acute philosopher farther observes, in his admirable "Phytologia," when treating of the glands and secretions of vegetables, that the depredations of insects committed on that nutritious fluid, honey, is probably injurious to the products of vegetation; and that some plants are more exposed and accessible to bees than