Newport daily independent., 1905-06-14
oDD RANCHES ABOUT BEES.
old Time Belief That Honey Was of Celestial Origin and Other
 Queer Notions.

Tn these days of scientific bee cul. ture, whom bees are trained to pack their honey in pound boxes ready for market, and are as much under tho control of the beemaster as sheep arc of their shepherd. 1t is dimoult to realize what quaint dslusions prevailed only . few centuries back in every thing relating to the hive and its iu- habitants. says the Chicago Daily News. The sources and composition oe honey were subjects for many in- genious speculations. One old writer aMrms 1t to be made of the ayrs. most of all st the rising of the starrss. chiefly the doggs shining out early in the morning" although he admits him- self in doubt d to whether 1t be the sweate of the heavens or . csrtaine spittle of tho starres or juycs that ths ayre purgeth from himselfe." This b. lief in the celestial origin of honey runs through all the old treatises on apiculture. from the time of Virgil downward. It was supposed to be a kind of mama from heaven. and its quality depended greatly on tho favor able or unfavorable juxtaposition of the stars at the time of it's 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 pAcs 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 colonels, marked by crests, tufts or tas- sells on their heads, some yellow, some murrey" Among various other duties 1t 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- dinary favor as a universal specific for human ills. As hair restorer 1t 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. it's 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 cer- tain fifteenth century writer. For weak eyes the same authority says to take handful of the heads of bees. burn them, and mingle the ashes with honey gathered in the dog days. The syes were then aEointed liberally 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- tance. It was to be placed always op tho south side of stream of water, and never in place where there were 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 beekeeper 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 red color. q this was detrimental to tho bees.