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The Bee-keeper's Manual, or Practical Hints on the Management and Complete 

 Preservation of the Honey-Bee. By He^ry Taylor. Fourth Edition. 

 London: R. Groojibbidge and Sons, 1850. p.p. 184. 



In order to make the keeping of Bees a source of profit and not of loss, 

 it is absolutely necessary, that the habits, and, as it were, domestic economy 

 of the insect, should be thoroughly understood; so that in the management 

 of our hives and their inmates, we may not be acting in opposition to the 

 instincts of the Bees, but may rather assist them in carrying them out to the 

 fullest extent. This knowledge must be either acquired by long and patient 

 investigation, which few people have time or inclination for; or else, it must 

 be supplied by those who have, from choice, or necessity, paid the requisite 

 attention to the habits of these insects. The work before us is, evidently, the 

 production of one who has not only studied the best authors on his favourite 

 subject, but has also given a large portion of his time to his Bees; and who 

 has made excellent use of his opportunities for obtaining practical information 

 from the best possible source; namely, the Bees themselves. 



The whole work appears to us to bear this character; and the facts are 

 told in such plain and intelligible language, that no one can, we imagine, 

 misunderstand any of the details given; in addition to this, the whole work 

 is profusely illustrated with wood-cuts, producing a whole which will be a 

 most valuable addition to any Bee-keeper's library. The system which Mr. 

 Taylor recommends, is that which is called "The depriving System," as opposed 

 to the old plan, by which the Bees were all destroyed, in order to obtain 

 the honey. This system is not only more humane and rational, but is also 

 more profitable; and is founded on a knowledge of the natural history of the 

 Bee, as observed by the most accurate and eminent naturalists. 



In speaking of this system at page 14, Mr. Taylor says — 



"Opposed to the mode of management in which swanning is systematically encouraged, is 

 that whereby, under ordinary cii-cumstances, it may be usually prevented. Let us observe the 

 natural instinct of these little animals, and pro%ide them with such an addition, temporarily, of 

 storing-room, as will enable them to go on constructing fresh combs, to be filled with honey, 

 pure and unmixed -v^ith other substances. This being deposited in some separate receptacle, but 

 communicating with the stock hive, can at pleasure be obtaiacd possession of "with but little 

 trouble, and without any annoyance or injury to the Bees. The object being obtained, they 

 return again to their original habitation." 



Farther on, at page 16, when speaking of straw depriving hives, he goes on 

 to say — ■ 



"The form which I prefer for straw hives on the depriving plan, is a perfectly straight, or 

 cylindrical one, and quite flat at the top. Mr. Payne recommends them to be twelve inches wide, 

 and nine inches deep, withinside. Iily own experience leads me to prefer from half to an inch 

 more of diameter, and an inch less of depth. It may be well if, in this connexion, I introduce 

 the observations of Gelieu. "One of my cliicf objects" says he, "has been to ascertain what shape 

 of liivc is the most profitable ; and with this view I have tried all the diffcrcut kinds, and have 



