Page:Under the greenwood tree (1872 Volume 2).pdf/109

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HONEY-TAKING, AND AFTERWARDS.
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arranged, the matches fixed, the stake kindled, the two hives placed over the two holes, and the earth stopped round the edges. Geoffrey then stood erect, and rather more, to straighten his backbone after the digging.

'They were a peculiar family,' said Mr. Shinar, regarding the hives reflectively.

Geoffrey nodded.

'Those holes will be the grave of thousands!' said Fancy. 'I think 'tis rather a cruel thing to do.'

Her father shook his head. 'No,' he said, tapping the hives to shake the dead bees from their cells, 'if you suffocate 'em this way, they only die once: if you fumigate 'em in the new way, they come to life again, and so the pangs o' death be twice upon 'em.'

'I incline to Fancy's notion,' said Mr. Shinar, laughing lightly.

'The proper way to take honey, so that the bees be neither starved nor murdered,

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