Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-16
BEES AND HONEY.
How They Have Figured In tho
Worlds History.


How They Havo Figured in tho
Worlds History.
Tho honcy-bcc has been an object of
great interest from the very earliest
ages; tie most ancient historical records
make frequent reference to it. "a lit
lie balm and little honey" formed part
Of the present which Jacob sent into
Egypt 10 Joseph in the time of the great
famine. The "busy bee" figures also
In Greek rs well as Hebrew his
tory. The little creature has given
a name to many females ofhigh degree.
The Hebrew name OF the bee (Dcborah)
was given to Rebecca's nurse, as also
to that magnanlmous prophecies whose
courage and patriotism inspired the
tagging zeal and waning energies of
hcr dispirited countrymen. The Greek
name Of tho bee (Melissa) was given to
ono Of the daughters OF Melissus, King
Of Crete. 1t was she who, with her sis.
ter AmalthGa, is fablcd to have fed
Jupiter with the milk Of goats. She is
said, also, TO have first discovered tho
means of collecting honey from the
stores Of the bees, from which some an
cicnt writers inferred that she not only
bore tho name, but that she was actu-
ally changed into n bee.
Another Greek story tells Of woman
OF Corinth. also bearing the name of
Melissa, who, having been admitted to
olliciate in the festivals of Ceres, the
goddess of agriculture, afterward re-
fused TO initiate others, and was torn to
pieces for her disobed'cnce, q swarm of
bees being made to rise from her body.
The old Greek name for the bee seems
10 have fallen into d'suse in this coun-
Try MS a name given TO females, though
there can be no reason why its use
should not be revived, for 1t Is, at least,
as melod GUS as the Hebrew name of
the same significance still applied to
mony matron and maiden-a name
which is expressive Of honey6d sweet
ness, as also Of unwcaried energy and
untiring industry.
Those who have had personal knowl-
edge and experience OF bec-culture will
bear out the remark that bees are not
particular as 10 the size or the position
Of the home in which they choose TO
dwell, so that it suilices for them to
carry on with security their wonderful
operations. In their wild state, cavi-
I es of rocks and hollow trees are alike
available; and in their domestic condi-
tons they have no preference for a
straw skep over a wooden box, nor for
tie wooden house over the straw castle
The bee, which, while under proper
control and management is one of
mans best friends, proves, when as
sailed by him in any way. q terrible adj
versary. Allusion Is made TO this by
Moses in his story OF what bcfell the
lsraelites in their wilderness soiourn:
"Thc Amorites came out aga nst you,
and chased you as bees do, and destroyed
YOU" The strength and force of their
sting is such rs to enable them to pierce
the skin Of The horse and other large
animals and kill them. Their OF binary
speed when In flight, is. from sixty to
eighty miles an hour, and thcy have
been known to fly rast the windows of
an express train when travelling at full
speed. in the same direction. Their
manner Of attack is to dash straight at
the object aimed at; and commonly,
when excited by the presence of some
unknown spectator, and especially by
the intermcddling of some undexterous
or mischievous person, they will attack
the face, aiming especially at The eyes.
When, therefore. the thousand, which
inhabit n single hive are aroused by the
sound of alarm. well understood by all
the inmates, TO repel IN invader, they
saly forth with courage and deter.
mination which none can withstand,
attacking their foes on every side with a
fury 1t is impossible to resist. King
David must have witnessed just
such scene, which he repro
duces in his description of the
fierce attacks, the determined on
slaughts of his bitter and unrelenting
foes: "All nations compassed me about
- they compassed me about like
bees"
Somewhat recently, the mishap of a
porter in handling box of bees in tran
ST by railway created an amusing and
rather alarming scene at the station.
There was a general stampede of pas.
sengers and officials flying in every di-
rect on, chased by the infuriated bees.
II was only when some one, skilled in
the management of bees, catching the
queen and placing her in the box, re-
stored confidence and quiet, for, flock
ing Loyalty 10 her standard, the whole
colony returned to the case, which was
in due time forwarded to its destination
But even tn was small affair com.
pared with what is related in ancient
history OF persons being driver from
their habtations, and the inhabitants o
an entire town being compelled to flee
before myriads of bees Aelianus, who
ilourished about 200 A. D., gives an in.
stance of this in one of his seventeen
books on animals. Mungo Park, too,
the African traveller, mentions a mod
crn instance which took place near
Dooproo ave had no sooner unloadet
the asses than some of the people, being
in search of honey, inopportunely dis
turbed large swarm Of bees They
camo out in. immense numbers, and at
tackled men and beasts at the SAINT
time. Luckily, most of the asses wert
loose, and galloped up the valley; bu
tho horses and people were very
much stung, and obliged t
scampcr off in all directions
in fact, for half an hour the bee,
seemed to have put an end to our jour
ney. In tho evening, when they be
came less troublesome and we coul'