XXIV INTRODUCTION. 



such opinions to the attention of my readers, 

 as have been confirmed by repeated experi- 

 ment and observation, and to the recommen- 

 dation of such practices as have been found 

 useful by myself, or by others on whose re- 

 ports I can place the fullest reliance. 



Among the writers who have improved 

 the domestic management of bees, may be 

 enumerated WARDER, WHITE, THORLEY, 

 WILDMAN, KEYS, BONNER and HUISH, all 

 of whom have devoted many years of their 

 lives to this important object. Persevering, 

 however, as have been the efforts of the be- 

 fore-named writers to obtain an accurate 

 knowledge of the physiology of bees, and to 

 discover the best plan for their management, 

 there is still much to be learned in both these 

 departments, before the former can be tho- 

 roughly understood, or the latter satisfactorily 

 regulated. I do not presume to imagine that 

 I can throw much light upon either of these 

 topics; but, judging from the difficulties which 

 I have myself encountered in collecting the 

 scattered materials of apiarian science, I think 

 that I shall confer a benefit upon future in- 

 quirers, if I enable them to possess within a 



