⟨Directions⟩ for the buying, removing and managemenent of Bees.
O store yourfelf, there are three manner of ways; either by buying them, taking wild ⟨swarms⟩, or making them by art. If you buy your ⟨bees⟩ observe they be lively, little, smooth and shining; rejecting the rough and unseemly ones, and ⟨above⟩ all, let the king, or master-bee, be long, (illegible text)inning. and chearful not too great or too small for ⟨upon⟩ his (illegible text) depends the welfare of the whole ⟨swarm⟩ Observe, likewise, that the swarm be whole and great, which you may know by looking into the ⟨hive⟩, or observing great numbers cluftering about ⟨the⟩ door: if these two observations fail, finding them ⟨all⟩ at rest, blow in amongst them, and by the greatness of smallness of the answering found, you will ⟨perceive⟩ them to be more or less. If you transport ⟨them⟩ far, the change of the air many times incom(illegible text)odes them; to remedy which you must let them in ⟨pleasant⟩ gardens, or scatter sweet smelling herbs ⟨about⟩ their hives. The best way to carry them is ⟨upon⟩ a man's shoulders in ⟨sheets⟩ upon a pole; one ⟨hive⟩ behind, and the other before, in the ⟨night-time⟩ when they are at rest, being very cautious of (illegible text) them for fear of mashing their comb; and ⟨the⟩ ⟨best⟩ time to remove is in the month of April; (illegible text) sure you carry them not from a pleasant place ⟨to⟩ one that is otherwise, for if you do, they will (illegible text) leave you. When you have brought them to ⟨the⟩ place you intend, if it be day time, you must ⟨neither⟩ open nor place them till night, to the end ⟨that⟩ s(illegible text) the quiet ⟨rest⟩ ⟨in⟩ the night, they may ⟨go⟩ ⟨chearfully⟩ to work the next, ⟨morning⟩; and be ⟨sure⟩ ⟨you⟩ observe them narrowly for two or three days
