A profitable instruction of the perfect ordering of Bees/First Treatise/Chapter 17
Of the clenlineſſe and ſweeteneſſe of the keeper of Bees, and howe Hiues ought to be fenced aboute, and prepared within. Cap. xvij.
{{bl|THe keeper of Bees which mindeth to handle and looke into hiues, ought the day before to refraine the veneriall acte, not a perſon fearefull, nor comming to the hiue with vnwaſhed handes from all ſmelling meates, poudered meates, fryed meates, and all other meats doe ſtinke, like as the Leekes, the Onions, the Garlicke, and ſuche like, whiche the Bees greatlye abhorre. Beſides, to be then ſweete of body, and clenly in apparell, minding to come to their hiues, for in all clenlineſſe and ſweetneſſe the Bees are muche delighted. Nowe thus prepared & in a readineſſe, open ye hiues firſt of the Bees, about the viij. or x. day of Aprill, being then a cleare & warme day, & purge the hiues of all ſuch filth which be gathered in them all the winter before, like as Spiders webs, which oughte eſpecially to be wiped awaye, bicauſe they corrupt the combes, not with hands, but w a gooſe wing, the ſame ought to be done. After that, the Hiue oughte to be ſmoaked with Oxe or Cowe dung, for in that (as it were, by an affinitie of the kinde) do the Bees greatly delight. The little wormes alſo, whiche ſome name Maggots, that breede in the combes, throughe the blowing of the Butterflies, and alſo the Butter-flyes ought to be killed and purged oute of the hiue. If the combes happen to fall throughe infection or corruption in them, then make a ſmoake with the drie dung and marowe of an Oxe or Cowe mixed togither, that the ſauour may go vppe to them, whiche for that time will cure the weake combes, ſtrengthen the Bees, & cauſe thē to worke the luſtier afterward. And from the beginning of May, vnto the laſt of June, ye hiues ought then to be diligently looked vnto, that the yong ſwarmes flye not away. Alſo from the tenth of June, vnto the tenth of Auguſt, the hiues ought to be opened now & then, & to be ſmoked with ſuch like as afore is taught. Whiche althoughe it be grieuous for the time to Bees, yet the ſame is very profitable, and ſtrengthneth them. And from the beinying of the Dog dayes, vnto the eighteenth of September, ought the Bees to be carefully looked vnto and defended, from the violence of the Hornet Bees, which often awaite before the mouthes of the Hiues, to ſet vppon and eate the Honny Bees. Nowe the keeper in a fayre ſunny daye, ought to clenſe the Hiues of al maner annoyances as before is taught, and diligently to ſtop the chincks, or clefts about, ſauing the mouthes of the Hiues, with Oxe dung & clay mixed togither. And this ought to be done, for two or three daies before the change of the Moone, the better to defend the Butterflye and others, from creeping in. THe Hyues beſides ought to haue two bigge ſtickes cleane ſcraped, and running a croſſe from ſide to ſide, and ſprinckled rounde about within, and ſweete and pleaſant wine, or elſe the ſtickes to be harde rubbed ouer, with the greene braunches of the Fennell or other ſweete ſmelling herbs or w a little hony & leaues of the Pere-tree, togither, or with the branches of the herb Time flouring, or Sanerie, or Maiorame, or the hearbe Balme, and Honny togither. Some annoint the ſtickes and hiue within, with the ſweete creame of the newe Cowe milke, or with water and Honnye ſodden togither, and that ſprinchled aboute within the Hyue, that the Bees maye be the rather and ſooner moued to tarrie and dwell ſtil in the Hiues.}}