INTRODUCTION. XXV 



moderate compass such information as can be 

 relied on. Strongly impressed by the im- 

 portance of the subject, I have for several 

 years devoted much of my time to its consi- 

 deration ; and independently of the pleasure 

 I have experienced in the prosecution of it, 

 as a most interesting branch of natural his- 

 tory, I have considered that by contributing 

 to extend and improve the culture of the bee, 

 I should assist in converting to useful pur- 

 poses some portions of those products of the 

 earth which might otherwise be dissipated in 

 the air, washed away by the rain, or chemi- 

 cally changed by the action of various sur- 

 rounding substances, and in either case be 

 rendered comparatively useless. 



Many of the tracts on bees are profes- 

 sedly written for the perusal of the cottager. 

 To him I do not so particularly address my- 

 self, as to the more intelligent members of the 

 community ; and so far as I am able to suc- 

 ceed in making an impression upon them, I 

 shall consider myself as virtually benefiting 

 the cottager. The latter is generally too 

 much of a machine to be the first to adopt any 

 improvement, however important ; he is more 



