BEE

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BEE

lime-tree, by a chemical process; but we doubt whether the ex-pence attending this experiment would, in this country, be equi-valent to the advantages.

Bee-Rreap, a species of crude wax, collected by the work-ing-bee from the farina ol flower-cups, conveyed to the hive in thehollows of its hind-legs, and deposited in the cells with the egg,to serve as food for the young maggot. This sub-lance often va-ries in colour, according to the different flowers from which it isseparated ; and though generally white at first, it is afterwardschanged, by the impurities arising from the steam, &c. ofthe bees.

Ree-Glue, formerly’ called Virgin-wax (Propolis), is anotherbalsamic production of the b.-e, which deserves to be noticed : itis a kind of natural mastich, of a reddish colour, and very agree-able smell. Small pieces of it arc frequently found in the holesand crevices of the hives-, where it is employed by those littleartists, as a cement for excluding cold, rain, and noxious in-sects.

Stings of Bees are more virulent than even those of wasps,and sometimes attended with very violent effects. As the sting isbarbed, it is always left in the wound. When, therefore, a per-son is stung by a bee, the sting should lie instantly extracted ;for, by its peculiar form, it will penetrate progressively deeperinto the wound, and communicate more of its poison, accordingto the time it is suffered to remain. When the sting is com-pletely extracted, the wounded part should be sucked ; and little,if any inflammation, will ensue. If a few drops of spirit of harts-horn be immediately rubbed on the part affected, the cure willbe more speedily accomplished. An application of Goulard-water, or a cold saturnine poultice, would produce a similareil'ect. Another simple remedy, equally efficacious and expedi-tious, is a solution of indigo in water, speedily applied fo the in-jured part. Honey and olive oil may also be occasionally sub-stituted with advantage ; but their application should be repeatedtill the pain ceases.

BEECH, in botany. See Fagus.

Beech Gall, in natural history, a bird knot on the leaf ofthe beech, containing the maggot of a particular speciesof fly.

Beech Mast, the fruit of the beech-tree; a triangular seed;containing a whitish oleaginous pith, of a very agreeable taste.It is used for fattening bogs, deer, &c. It has sometimes, even tomen, proved an useful substitute for bread. Chios is said to haveendured a memorable siege by means of it.

Beech Oh., an oil drawn by expression from beech-mast, afterit lias been shelled and pounded.

BEEF, according to Dr. Cullen, (hough of a more firm tex-ture and less soluble than mutton, is equally alkalescent, perspira-ble, and nutritious: and if in the southern countries it is notesteemed so, it is on account of its imperfection there.

Beef-Eater.. Stevens derives it thus: Beef-eater may comefrom beuufetier, one who attends at the aide-board, which was an,-ciently placed in a beaufet. The business of the beef-eaters was,and perhaps is still, to attend the king at meals. A yeoman of theguard.

BEE-FLOWER. See Ophrys.

Beef Tea, in medicine, the substance of beef, extracted byboiling it in water; which is now very generally prescribed, andwith great success, in all diseases of debility, when the stomach isnot able to digest solid food.

IIee, Humble. See Bombylius.

BEELE, a kind of pick-axe, used by the miners for separatingthe ores from the rocks in which they lie; and called a lubber bythe miners of Cornwall.

REEMAII, a river of Ilindostan, in Deccan.

BEEMEN, or SHEEMEN, in astronomy, seven stars of the4th magnitude, following each other, in the 4th flexure of theconstellation Eridanus.

BEER, in weaving, 19 threads running through the wholelength of the piece.

BlsER, a fermented liquor, made generally from some farina-ceous grain, particularly from prepared barley or malt. SeeBrewing. During the scarcity of grain in this country, sugar,treacle, and molasses, were frequently used as a substitute formalt. Although malt alone might doubtless produce a liquor pos-sessing the spirituous properties of beer, yet such a preparation

would speedily turn sour and insipid, unless impregnated withhops, or another aromatic and bitter principle, derived from vege-table substances, w hich not only renders it less liable to undergothe putrefactive stage of fermentation, but al-o imparts to it anagreeable bitterness. Of this nature is the hop in a very eminentdegree, the price of which, however, has of late years been so ex-orbitant, that speculative brewers have substituted a variety ofother vegetable ingredients, and especially the wood, bark, androot of quassia, which is one of the few astringent substances pos-sessing:! considerable share of the bitter principle, without partak-ing ot the narcotic, healing, and intoxicating properties of oilierplants. A well-brewed and wholesome beer, whether ale or porter,ought to be of a bright colour, and perfectly transparent, that is,neither too high nor.too pale; it should have a’ pleasant aiid mellowtaste, sharp and agreeably bitter, w ithout being acrid or tart; itshould leave no particular sensation on the tongue ; and, if drunkin any considerable quantity, it must neither produce speedy in-toxication, with its concomitant ell’ects of sleep, nausea, vomit-ling, hcad-ach, langour, want of appetite, &c. lior should it be re-tained too long in the urinary pi-ssases, or be too quickly discharg-ed. Dr. James Stonehouse, of Northampton, inserted in theCentl.Mag. for January, 1758 , the following recipe for making beer oftreacle : “ To eight quarts of boiling water, put rue pound oftreacle, a quarter of an ounce of ginger, and two bay-leaves ; letthe whole boil for a quarter of an hour, then cool and work it withyeast, the same as oilier beer:” or, “ take one bushel of malt,with as much water and liops as if two bushels of malt w ere allowed ;put seven pounds of the coarsest brown sugar into the wort, whileboiling. This makes a very pleasant liquor ; is as strong, and willkeep as long without becoming; sour or flat, as if two bushels ofmalt had been employed.”—Dr. Stonehouse adds, that the latteris the preparation used in the Shrewsbury Infirmary, and lie doesnot hesitate to attest its w holesome and nutritive properties. Inthe sixth volume of the Museum Rusticum et Ccmmerciale, awork of considerable merit, we meet with a similar account ofmaking table beer, which may be made ready for drinking in thieeor four days:—“Take fifteen gallons of water, and boil one-half of it, or as much as can conveniently be managed ; put thepart of the water thus boiled, while it is yet of its full heat, to thecold part, contained in a barrel or cask ; and then add one gallonof molasses, commonly called treacle, stirring them well together;add a little yeast, if the vessel be new, but if it lias bee;i used forthe same purpose, the yeast is unnecessary. Keep the bung-holeopen till the fermentation appears to be abated, and then close itup. 'Elie beer will, in a day or two afterwards, be fit to drink.—It is usual to put tops of the spruce-fir into the water which is boil-ed for making this beer; and it is then called spruce-beer. But,though this is done at sea, when such tops can he obtained, on ac-count of the scurvy, yet it is not necessary, and may very well beomitted, where they are not to be easily procured. Scmvy-grass,other herbs or drugs, used in making purl, gill-ale, or any otherflavoured malt liquor, mnv be added at discretion. But a little ofthe outer rind of an orange-peel, infused in the beer itself, andtaken out as soon as it has imparted a sufficient degree of bitter-ness, will boih be found grateful, and assist in keeping the beerfrom turning sour. A very little gentian-root, boiled in the wa-ter, either with a little orange-peel, or without, gives also a verycheap, wholesome, and pleasant bitter to this beer.”—The follow-ing recipe is according to the proportions used in the Hon e ofIndustry "at Shrewsbury: To half a bushel of malt add fourpounds of treacle, and three quarters'of a pound ol hops ; Ibiswill make twenty-five gallons of beer, the cost of which (suppos-ing the value of the grain to be only equal to the expence offuel,) would be two-pence a gallon, where the materials werepurchased to the best advantage ; and, when bought at the retailshop, about three-pence. L have tried the recipe, and fotind thebeer very good ; it was fit for use in a fortnight ; but it is not cal-culated tor keeping, particularly in warm weather. \\ e have beeninduced to communicate these different methods of preparing aHire and wholesome beverage, in order to contribute our mite,lowever small, towards alleviating the burthens of domestic life,at the present critical period. And though we should not suc-ceed in persuading many persons, in the middle ranks of society,to adopt our suggestions, \y<* still may flatter ourselves with tliecheering hope, that they will humanely exert their influence onsuch families as may be benefited by "brewing their own liquors

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