A Profitable Instruction of the Perfite Ordering of Bees / With the Maruellous Nature, Propertie, and Gouernemente of Them: and the Necessarie Vses Both of Their Honie and Waxe, Seruing Diuersly, as Well in Inward as Outward Causes: Gathered Out of the Best Writers

by Thomas Hill

And the snow heateth and cherisheth the earth, by the thicke couering of it, and defendeth the gréene wheat and other séedes sowen, from the sharpe and vehement colde then of the ayre.

And the snowe may be kept all the yeare under the earth, couered with strawe, and profitable it is to mixe with the wine in hote sommer, and necessarie also to coole the ayre about sick persons.

And the vnprofitable falling of the deawe, mistes, or fogges (especially when all crescent thinges doe bud foorth, and shewe theyr floure) as in the Moneth of Aprill and May, as well on the trées, corne and grasse, which beastes then feding on be greatly harmed, through the deaw fallen, and all other thinges also much harmed by the same, as hath bene often obserued by the ancient and wise husbandmen.

And the ouermuch falling of raine, frostes or haile, especially in the spring time, and in the winter time, whilst the corne is yet as grasse, the excesse of raine also doth then threaten the scarcitie of vittailes to ensue that yeare.

And the great plentie of beanes, after the opinion of the common husbandmen, through the much raine fallen, doth fore shewe the scarcitie of corne, and especially of wheate that yeare.

And a like iudgement may be giuen of the Oke and Holly trée, which if they beare plentifully, then a fruitfull yeare followeth, and contrariwise bearing but few, then a deare yeare of corne to ensue.

And the great plentie of Grashoppers, wormes and Catterpillers appearing in their proper time more than customably, doe not only declare harme to vines and séedes sowen, but to all fruites that yeare.

And the great store of windes, not only cause little fruites, but scarcitie of corne to ensue that yeare.

And a stilnesse in a manner throughout the yeare, doth declare a likelyhode of the plague to ensue shortly after.

And the auncient Hipocrates writeth, that when in the Sommer the North winde long continueth, and in the Harvest, the South winde with store then of raine, it doeth after threaten in the Winter the headache, hoarsenesse of voice, the coughe, consumptions or impostumes to ensue.