176 Account of kh Manner of treating Bees,&c.[Sept.

ysed in this country, which, at eightpence the quartern Joaf; has been computed with Sufficient correctness for the present enquiry to cost twelve millions of money. Suppose the bounty Should occasion an advance to tenpence the quartern Joat, it will give an accession of wealth to the returns on the land of no less than three millions: if the price Should in- Crease to twelvepence the quartern loaf, the profit in this article will Swell to Six millions of money beyond its natural ratio.

Inner Temple, 1 am, Sir, your most humble Servant, Sept. 14th, 1804. 3. 1.D. nd nn ACCOUNT.OF THE MANNER OF TREATING BEES IN PORTUGAL.

To the Editor of the Agricultural Magazine.

SiR,;

J Have seen some papers in your Magazine on a favourite

and ijndustrious insect, which is less attended to in this country than it deserves, from a variety of causes it is not DeCesSary now toe explain.. A gentlemau, who rtesided in Portugal, has given a Short account of the mode of manage- ment of bees in that kingdom, which I have thought could not be unacceptable in your Miscellany.

"To forim a colony ot bges, a Spat of ground is chosen for the bives, exposed towards the South er South-east, well shel- tered trom the northern blasts, and Surrounded with Shrubs and flowers; of. the latter, the best is rosemary. The richer ibe neighbouring ground the better, for bees are Said to range tor food to the distance of a league from their homes. The Situation being chosen, lanes must be cut through the shrub- bery-thickets of five or Six feet wide. The fences between the lanes Should be about the Same dimensions, and formed at intervals into Small recesses, like bowers or niches, to receive the hives.

Tove figure of the hives are in general cylindricalz in height about twenty-Seven inches, by fourteen in diameter. They are tormed of the rind ot the cork tree, and covered with a Dan of eaithen ware inverted, the edges of which project over the hive like a cornice. The whole is fastened with pegs made of Some hard and durable wood, and the joints Stopped with peat. In the froutof the cylinder, at ihe height of about eight inches, there 1s a Small aperture where the bees enter, Tbe inside is divided into three equal divisions, whieh are Separated by cross Sücks; here the bees form their combs or cells,

When the bees swarm, which is usvally in the' month of May orJune, the hives are placed to receive them where they