98 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Feb. 9, 19CS. 



The ABC of Bee Culture. 



Probably no other bee-book in any language has had the immense sale the A B C of Bee Culture has enjoyed. The last edition, bringing- 

 its sales up to 100,000, is just from the press ; and so rapid are the sales that frequently editions have been exhausted before the new ones could 

 be taken from the press. Of the last 3 or 4 editions, so great has been the demand that anywhere from 1500 to 2000 copies have been ordered 

 before these editions were even off the press. The secret of its large sales may be in part explained by the testimonial below. 



It contains over 500 double-column octavo pages, bound in cloth, half morocco, or full leather, to suit the taste of the purchaser. It is 

 not an A B C in the sense that it is written for beginners only, but an exhaustive cyclopedia for the veteran as well, covering every subject re- 

 lating to the practical management of bees. Its rapid sales have made it necessary to revise it at least once in two years, and sometimes oftener. 

 Neither time nor money is spared to bring it clear up to date in every department of our rapidly advancing pursuit; and so extensive have been 

 the changes that many of our customers get a new copy as fast as each new edition is issued. 



The whole work wiis originally set up in standing type, so that it is very easy to add new matter or change old, blending the whole into 

 one complete treatise. The latest edition, that for 1905, was revised and rewritten after the reviser had traveled some 10,000 miles among bee- 

 keepers in various parts of the United States to study the methods and practices in vogue among the most successful honey-producers. Photos 

 were taken by him and the major part of all the material gathered has been incorporated in this volume. The articles are prepared in such a 

 way that they fit every locality in the United States. The subject of Swarming, for instance, has been modified to fit the peculiar conditions as 

 they exist in Texas, California, and the far West, as well as in the Eastern and Central States of the North. The chapter on Wintering now 

 applies to every locality in the country. Then there is a special article on " Location ", and its bearing upon methods and practices in different 

 parts of the United States. Besides the methods of management of the bees themselves, the general subject of preparing the crop for market 

 and selling the same is exhaustively considered in its various phases. 



Some of the new subjects that have been incorporated in the new edition are the following : Beginning with Bees ; Bees as a Nuisance ; 

 Bees, Stingless; Bellflower; Black Brood; Foul Brood; Canada Thistle; Candied Honey; Encalyptus; Gloves for handling Bees; Guajilla; Log- 

 wood; Marigold; Orange-blossom Honey; Organizations of Bee-Keepers; Overstocking; Profits in Bees; Queen- Rearing; besides a large number 

 of changes, more or less extensive, important ones, too, in nearly all of the older subjects. 



A.XJTIIOR, SHIP. 



The book was originally written by A. I. Root, who, as far back as 1877, saw the need of a work of this kind. There are still quite a num- 

 ber of the articles remaining written by himself; but ill-health, together with interest in other things, made it necessary for him to drop the 

 work he had so grandly started. The general work of revision and keeping the book up to the times has devolved on his son, E. R. Root, who 

 has probably written two-thirds of the work as it now stands. 



The Need of Bee-Literature. 



BT O. C. GKBINEB. 



During the 30 years of my bee-keeping 

 I have been a constant reader of at least 

 one bee-periodical ; at times two, and even 

 three, have been my regular visitors. I 

 always supposed that by keeping in close 

 touch with the writings of our most prom- 

 inent experts, any bee-keeper would be 

 enabled to keep up with the times. This 

 is one reason why I never, until recently, 

 owned one of our standard textbooks on 

 bee-culture. Accidentally, for that is all 

 the reason I can assign for it, I ordered a 

 short time ago a copy of the "ABC of 

 Bee Culture ", and I must confess I was 

 surprised in more than one way. 



When I opened the package I was fa- 

 vorably impressed with its outward ap- 

 pearance. Neat and tasty in its general 

 make-up, it would be a desirable addition 

 to the most scrupulously selected library, 

 especially as its contents are in harmony 

 (as I afterwards found) with the outside. 



The next pleasing feature was the point 

 of expense. Comparing the size of the 

 book, its workmanship and the amount of 

 reading matter it contains with the price, 

 it is well worth the money the publishers 

 ask for it ; it is within the reach of any 

 moderately-stocked-up pocket-book. 



But its contents struck my fancy more 

 than anything else. The way it is written 

 — encyclopedia style— makes it an index 

 by itself, so that any subject desired can 

 be readily found. In looking over its 

 pages I find that it is not only an indis- 

 pensable guide to the beginner, but it is a 

 great help to the veteran of many years' 

 experience. It covers the ground com- 



pletely, from the first rudimentary princi- 

 ples to the most scientific observations 

 and discoveries of the present day, thus^ 

 making its perusal interesting as well as 

 instructive to the readers of all classes. 



Under the impression of a little over- 

 rated self-estimation we are sometimes in- 

 clined to think that we know all that a 

 text-book of this kind contains, or at least 

 all that is of any importance to the suc- 

 cessful management of our business. This 

 is an illusion. We may by years of expe- 

 rience and study become experts in cer- 

 tain lines, but we are not above improve- 

 ment and progress. There are many good 

 hints found in the "ABC of Bee Cul- 

 ture" which, if heeded and applied to 

 practical use, would benefit any bee- 

 keeper in a more or less degree. 



On the other side, I can not say that I 

 agree in every particular with the writers 

 of the book, and this is only natural con- 

 sequence. During so many years of toil 

 and labor we form certain habits, become 

 accustomed to certain ways and appli- 

 ances, that it would be a great hindrance 

 to break off and follow somebody else's 

 instructions. But in my opinion, it the 

 beginber would take the "ABC of Bee 

 Culture " for his guide, and follow its di- 

 rections to the letter, his way to success 

 would be open. 



In closing this little sketch I would not 

 miss mentioning one more fact. The book 

 is profusely illustrated ; every department 

 has its share of descriptive illustrations, 

 and the scenic representations at the front 

 and in the back part are exceptionally fine. 

 It is a pleasure to look them over. 



La Salle, N. Y. 



If 



Price, in cloth, postpaid, $1.20 ; in half leather, $1.75 ; in full leather, $2.00 

 sent by freight or express, deduct 20 cents from any of the above prices. 



For sale by all dealers in bee-keepers' supplies, also by all publishers of bee-jour- 

 nals, and many aj^^ricultural and other periodicals ; also by book-stores and others. 



THE A. 1. ROOT COflPANY, 



MEDINA, OHIO. 



m. B.— Gleanings in Bee Culture one year and a cloth-bound "ABC ", postpaid, for $2.00. Fbbnoh Edition of the "ABC" ready 

 about May 1. Price, $3.00, postpaid. 



