Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-06-09
ODD FANclEs ABOUT BEES
old-Time Belief That Honey Was of
Celestial Origin and Other
Queer Notions.

In these days of scientific bee cul-
ture, when bees are trained to pack
their honey in pound boxes ready for
control of the beemaster as sheep are
of their shepherd, it is difficult to
realize what quaint decisions prevailed
only a few centuries back in every
thing relating to the hive and its in
habitants, says the Chicago Daily
News The sources and composition
of honey were subjects for many in
genious speculations. One old writer
affirms it to be made of the ayre.
most of all at the rising of the starres,
chiefly the dogge shining out early III
the morning" although he admits him
self in doubt as to whether it /be the
sweate of the heavens or a certaine
spittle of the starres or juyce that the
ayre purgeth from himselfe." This be-
| lief in the celestial origin of honey
runs through all the old treatises on
| agriculture, from the time of Virgil
| downward 1t was supposed to be
kind of mama from heaven, and its
quality depended greatly on the favor
able or unfavorable juxtaposition of the
stars at the time of its descent.
| Although the existence in each hive
Of one bee much larger than all the
others was generally recognized in old
en- times, this was believed to be mere
| ly ruler or king over the rest. That
the large bee was actually the mother
of the whole colony never seems TO
have occurred to anyone until recent
! times. This king bee is very fanci-
fully described as having "a lofty pace
and countenance expressing majesty,
and a white spot in his forehead glis-
tening like diadem.' In each hive,
also, there were Subordinate govern
ors and leaders and captains and
colonies, marked by crests, tufts or tas-
sells, on their heads, some yellow. some
murrey." Among various other duties
it was the kings part to go out each
evening in search of any bees that had
not returned to the hive by sunset, and
to show them the way home.
From the earliest times honey ap-
pears to have been held in extraor-
binary favor as universal specific for
human ills. AS hair restorer it was
largely recommended, rubbed in plen-
tifully night and morning, and if dead
bees were dried, pounded and worked
up into thick paste with the honey,
its hair-producing capabilities were
much enhanced This mess had to be
plastered on the bald places of the head
over night. with infallible results In
the morning, if one may credit a GER
tain fifteenth century writer. For
weak eyes the same authority says to
take a handful of the heads of bees,
burn them, and mingle the ashes with
honey gathered in the dog days. The
eyes were then aLointed literally with
the mixture, and clearness of vision
was the invariable reward
In the old days the situation of a
beehive was a matter of prime impor-
lance. 1t was to be placed always ou
the south side Of a stream of water,
and never in place where there wer3
echoes, as an echo was very injurious
to bees. A little gravel was to be put
down in the neighborhood of the hives.
as in windy weather the bees needed
small stones to carry about in their
flight as counterpoises. The beekeepes
was recommended to shave and keep
his head close-cropped, long hair on
head or face being extremely offensive
TO his charges, and in attire he was to
avoid anything of a red color, as this
was detrimental to the bees.