The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

OF BEES, and how to order them. [ 50]

THere is no Creature so industrious, and taketh such great pains as the Bee, go∣ing out early and coming Home late, never rest∣ing but in cold and wet Weather; for Idleness is so detestable a Vice amongst them, that none are tollerated thereunto but their Sovereign, every one being employed either abroad in gathering Food, or at Home in building Combs, feeding their Young, [ 60] or some other employ; and no Creatures live to∣gether in that unity and amity in one House or Habitation, as having no single propriety in any thing they get or do, all being as it were in common amongst them; nor is their Labour compulsive, but every one endeavours to out∣vie the other in their industrious Labours.

There is nothing more ad vantageous to be kept than an Apiary, and there must be a con∣venient, and necessary place made choise of for that purpose, which should be square, or rather more long than broad, and extending from East to West, and facing the South, to the end that the Bees returning late Home at Night may the better see their way in. But some are of another opinion, and that is; to let them have the benefit of the Morning Sun, as much as possible, that time being the best to gather Honey; but the surest way is to let them have as much of both Morning and Evening Sun as the place will ad∣mit of; for the Morning Sun makes them swarm early in the Day. Let the Apiary be well defend∣ed from high Winds, especially towards the North; but let not the Fences, be so high as to hinder the Sun, nor so near as to obstruct their Flight; also let it be remote from ill Smells, and not fre∣quented by Poultrey: Let the Ground be kept mowed, not digged or pared if it be Grass, for in the Summer it will be too hot, and in the Winter too cold; and let it not be too remote from the House, that you may be often with them at Swarning time, or upon several other occasions. Likewise it would be very necessary to plant at some reasonable distance from the Bees, Fruit-trees, that they may pitch upon the Boughs in Swarming-time near at hand.

The usual way to set the Stocks of Bees upon, are Stools, Benches, or Seats.

The Stools are placed at different Heights, but about a Foot is well. They must be set shel∣ving that the Rain may run off, and made two or three Inches wider than the Hives, with a place before for the Bees to light upon. They may be made of Wood, or Stone, but Stone is not so good, as being too hot in Summer, and too cold in the Winter. The Stools ought to stand about five Foot one from another; in a strait Rank from East to West; and if they are placed one behind another, they should be eight or nine Foot asunder, and the Stools of the one Rank to be placed against the open places of the other, and free from all incumbrances to hinder their Flight.

Benches are the most common in use, and known to every one; but they are nothing near so com∣modious as Stools, being subject to divers incon∣veniencies.

Seats are esteemed the best, for every Stock of Bees make a small House of about two Foot Square, and something higher, which should be placed upon four Legs about a Foot above Ground, and covered with Boards or Tyles, to cast off the Rain, with the North side closed up, the East and West sides to be made with Dores to open and shut at pleasure; and the fore part or South side to have a falling Dore to cover the one half thereof, which is to be raised up as oc∣casion requires: and it likewise serves in the Sum∣mer Season as a Pent House to shelter them from the extream Heat in the mid part of the Day, which is apt to melt their Honey.

On these Seats may be placed any sort of Hive, whether of Straw, Board, or Glass, which will preserve them to a longer continuance

than if placed on Stools or Benches.

Although in some Winter days the Sun shines seemingly warm and confortable, yet it is not convenient to open the Doors to let them out, neither too early in the Spring, before they can find employment for gathering of Honey.

The most usual Hives are the Straw; but of late there is a new invented one of Wood made in Squares, and so ordered to be one Story above the other; I cannot say much in praise or dis∣praise [ 10] of it; but the Invention did not much take, the chief design being to preserve the Stocks of Bees, and yet take the Honey, which by the com∣mon way are smothered.

Glass-Hives suit the disposition and nature of the Bee, who delights to see their workmanship go forward, insomuch that by Observation they will be more laborious, as it were endeavouring to out do one another in their diligence. Also these sorts of Hives afford great delight to the [ 20] curious by seeing how they work, and order their affairs to wonderful admiration.

For the dressing the new Hives, the inside must be very smooth, and free from Straws and Sticks, which much offends them. As for the rubing them with sweet Herbs, and splending them, (that is setting up the Sticks) it is common and well known to most Countrey People, so that I shall pass that by.

If you would have your Stocks to encrease, [ 30] make your Hives smaller; and if your design be to have good quantity of Honey, make them lar∣ger; for a few Hives well ordered and in a thri∣ving condition, will afford Bees enough to Stock many of the larger Hives.

As for the Swarming, if the Spring be dry, cold and windy, it will much retard their Swarm∣ing, nor will there be many that Year; but if it be mild and calm with gentle Showers, they will Swarm early and the oftner; about mid May in [ 40] an early and kindly Spring they may begin, and then comes in your care to look after them; but you may have timely notice of their Swarming by observing these Signs. They will hover about the Doors in cold Evenings and Mornings, and in sultry hot Mornings, and Evenings they will hang out; they will run hastily up and down, cast out their Drones, and there will be a moistness upon the Stool. Also if the Weather be hot and gloo∣my, and after a Shower or gloomy Cloud hath [ 50] sent them home, and that they hang out toge∣ther, then expect a suddain Swarming.

But on the contrary, if they continually lye forth, especially about mid June, 'tis a Sign of their not Swarming; Also much stormy and win∣dy Weather obstructs their Swarming, although they are ready, and causeth them to lye out; the like doth Weather that hath been very hot and dry, for some continuance.

Now for the causing them to Swarm, keep [ 60] the Hives as cool as possible, by watering the Ground near them, by shading the Hives, by enlarging the Doors to give them Air, and by forcing them into the Hives gently with a Brush, suffering them not to cluster together.

As concerning the Signs of After-swarming, there is more certainty to be observed; for when the Prime Swarm is gone, about nine or ten Even∣ings after, when another Brood is ready, the Hive being overcharged with them, the next Prince begins to tune in a treble voyce, and in a day or two after the old Queen will make her re∣ply in a base Note, as it were declaring her con∣sent for their Swarming. In the Morning before they Swarm they come down near the Stool, and there call some what longer, and at the time of their Swarming they come down to the Stool, and beginning their Notes more thicker and shril∣ler, they all come forth in great hast.

If the Prime Swarm be broken, the second will both call and swarm the sooner, probably the next day, and after that a third, and sometimes a fourth, and all within a Fortnights Space.

Sometimes a Swarm will cast another that Year; but if late, 'tis not worth the keeping, ac∣cording to the old Rhime,

A Swarm in July, Is not worth a Fly.

It is customary when Bees Swarm, to make a tinkling Noyse upon a Bason, Kettle, Pan or the like, thereby the better to gather them to settle; but by the Judicious and such as have made trials concerning the same, 'tis found very idle and foolish, rather causing them to fly away; for all great Noyses are offensive to them; there∣fore your business should be only to watch their setling, and if they fly aloft and are like to be gone, then cast up Dust amongst them to make them come down.

The Swarm being setled, as it were like a Cluster of Grapes, and the Hive well rub'd with sweet Herbs, &c. shake them off the Bough into the Hive, which should be of a fit Size answerable to the bigness of the Swarm to fill it that Year; and having a Sheet, or such like Cloth spread upon the Ground, set the Hive thereon, for some time, until the Bees are setled therein; or if the the Bough is small on which they Swarm, you may cut it off, and put it into the Hive under the Sheet, as aforesaid.

If the Swarm separate, and light in two places, but in sight of one another, disturb the lesser parcel, and they will fly to the rest; but if not in sight, then Hive them in two Hives; then bring them together, and shake the Bees out of one of the Hives on the Sheet whereon the o∣ther Hive stands, and place the other Hive on them, and they will take to it.

When Swarms come late, and are but small, 'tis convenient to unite them, by which means they will be more industrious in their labour. The manner of uniting them is thus; Place the Hive, whereing you have newly put your Swarm you intend to drive into another, in a place that the Skirts may be uppermost, and set the other upon him, binding them about the Skirts with a long Towel, and so let them stand until Morn∣ing, and the Bees will all ascend, that you may the next Morning set the Receiver on a Stool, and after this manner you may put two or three Swarms together; but be sure to unite them the same Evening, or the next at furthest that they Swarm.

For preserving your self from stinging in the time of Swarming, the best and surest way is to be provided with a Net made of fine Thread or Silk, with a close Mesh, which cast over your Head, Hat and all, compassing your Face; and for your Hands have on Gloves. And if not∣withstanding you happen to be stung, pull out the Sting as soon as possible, and for the asswag∣ing the swelling, heat a piece of Iron red [ 10] hot, and hold it as near to the place grieved as possible, and for as long a continuance as you can endure it, and it will attract out that fiery Venom caused by the Sting. But the most com∣mon way is to rub the Wound with the leaves of House-leek, Mallows, Mary-golds, Rue, Holly-hock and Vinegar, or Salt and Vinegar; but none of these are so good.

As soon as a Swarm hath entred the Hive, they lose no time, but begin to work and gather [ 20] Wax for the building their Combs, so that it is a Sight worthy to be seen to observe how these poor Creaturs frame their curious Workmanship; which may be done, if put into transparent or Glass Hives, or in Wooden Hives that have Glass Windows.

The best Season to remove an old Stock of Bees, is about Michaelmass, that is, a little before and a little after; also about the end of Febru∣ary, or begining of March at the latest. Let the [ 30] time be in the Evening, when all the Bees are quiet, and when the Weather is fair. The Hive must be put on a Board, and gently car∣ried to the place where it is to be set, for jog∣ging Spoyls the Hive, loosning the Combs, and dis∣turbing the Bees.

It oft times happens, that through a cold, dry and unseasonable Spring, as also by a cold and early Winter, that Bees will not have a Stock of Honey sufficient to keep them. [ 40]

In this case they must be fed, and the best Food is Honey mixt with sweet Wort, which must be conveyed into the Hives by small Canes or Troughs dayly, until the approaching Summer affords them provision abroad. Instead of Ho∣ney you may give them Sugar. Some gives them Toasts of Bread sopt in Ale; others dry Meal, or Flower of Beans.

There are several things very offensive and in∣jurious to Bees, as Smoak, ill Scents and Smells, [ 50] Noyse, ill Weather, as Winds, Cold, Heat, and Rain, which may be prevented by well placing the Apiary; Noysom Creatures, as Spiders, Snails, Frogs, Toads, Moths, &c. and devour∣ing Creaturs and Insects, as Birds, Mice, Wasps, and Hornets are also injurious to them. [ 60]