out obstruction. The lowest is to be
left open as a passage for the bees, and the others are to be closed by
a piece of wood fitted to the aperture. A hive thus constructed may be
enlarged or diminished, according to the number of boxes; and a
communication with the internal part can readily be effected by removing
the cover.

BEE HOUSE. An apiary or bee house should front the south, in a situation
between the extremes of heat and cold. It should stand in a valley, that
the bees may with greater ease descend loaded on their return to the
hive; and near a dwelling-house, but at a distance from noise and
offensive smells; surrounded with a low wall, and in the vicinity of
shallow water. If there be no running stream at hand, they ought to be
supplied with water in troughs or pans, with small stones laid at the
bottom, that the bees may alight upon them and drink. They cannot
produce either combs, honey, or food for their maggots, without water;
but the neighbourhood of rivers or ponds with high banks ought to be
avoided, or the bees will be blown into the water with high winds, and
be drowned. Care should also be taken to place the hives in a
neighbourhood which abounds with such plants as will supply the bees
with food; such as the oak, the pine, the willow, fruit trees, furze,
broom, mustard, clover, heath, and thyme, particularly borage, which
produces an abundance of farina. The garden in which the bee house
stands, should be well furnished with scented plants and flowers, and
branchy shrubs, that it may be easy to hive the swarms which may settle
on them. See BEES, HIVING, &c.

BEEF. In every sort of provisions, the best of the kind goes the
farthest; it cuts out with most advantage, and affords most nourishment.
The best way to obtain a good article is to deal with shops of
established credit. You may perhaps pay a little more than by purchasing
of those who pretend to sell cheap, but you will be more than in
proportion better served. To prevent imposition more effectually,
however, it is necessary to form our own judgment of the quality and
value of the articles to be purchased. If the flesh of ox-beef is young,
it will show a fine smooth open grain, be of a good red, and feel
tender. The fat should look white rather than yellow, for when that is
of a deep colour, the meat is seldom good. Beef fed with oil cakes is
generally so, and the flesh is loose and flabby. The grain of cow-beef
is closer, and the fat w