_Palladivs_ writeth, that the best Hiues be those, which are made of the barkes and light corke of trées, bicause they be neither too colde in the Winter time, nor too hote in the Sommer. And of this, those Hiues whiche be wroughte and made of the small Osier or Willow trée, or of the Vine stickes knit togither, or Canes cleft in the middes (whiche be of like condition to the barke) wroughte close togither, and stopped close aboute wyth flockes and clay, tempered togither with water and salte, may aptly serue, if you will. But if neither of those fashioned Hiues like you, then may you make the Hiues of the woodde of a hollowe trée, or of light bourdes made square, and stowpyng somewhat afore. The worste Hiues be those, which be made of turfes or earth, bycause they be ouer hote in the Sommer, and ouer colde in the Winter. There be other two kinds of hiues, as the one made of drie hard Cow dung, and the other of tiles. Of whiche the one doth _Celsus_ rightly condemne, bycause the same is so lightly burned, and the other he alloweth, althoughe he dissembleth the speciall commoditie of it, bycause the same, if néede requireth, cannot easily be remoued and carried into an other place. And among these, I suppose oure forme of Hiues here in Englande, are not altogither to be disallowed, although they be in like daunger, to be easily burned, as the other Hiues aboue taughte, in that they be made with strawe. But to be briefe, for a greate swarme you ought to haue in a readinesse a greate hiue, and for a small swarme a little Hiue. And the Hiue also oughte to be a foote and a halfe, or two foote high, and in breadth aboue two foote and a halfe, or somewhat larger. Hauing besides two very small and narrowe holes, somewhat asunder, and so little ought the mouths to be, that neyther Béetle, Butterflie, gret Moth, Humble Bées, Euet nor Mouse may enter in, to spoile the Honny combes. Some suppose, or rather affyrme of experience, that the Bées are delighted with this closenesse, in that they more ioy to do their works and businesse in the darke, than otherwise. ¶ Of the clenlinesse and sweetenesse of the keeper of Bees, and howe Hiues ought to be fenced aboute, and prepared within. Cap.xvij.