14 THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 



points in the physiology of the honey-bee, together with 

 much valuable information never before communicated to 

 the public. 



It is now more than twenty years since I turned my 

 attention to the keeping of bees. The state of my health 

 of late years having compelled me to live much in the 

 open air, I have devoted a large portion of my time to a 

 minute investigation of their habits, as well as to a series 

 of careful experiments in the construction and manage- 

 ment of hives. 



Very early in my Apiarian studies I constructed a hive 

 on the plan of the celebrated Huber ; and by verifying 

 some of his most valuable discoveries became convinced 

 that the prejudices existing against him were entirely 

 unfounded. Believing that his discoveries laid the founda- 

 tion for a more profitable system of bee-keeping, I began 

 to experiment .with hives of various construction. 



Though the result of these investigations fell far short 

 of my expectations, some of these hives now contain 

 vigorous stocks fourteen years old, which without feeding 

 have endured all the vicissitudes of some of the worst 

 seasons ever known for bees. 



While I felt confident that my hive possessed valuable 

 peculiarities, I still found myself unable to remedy many 

 ot the perplexing casualties to which bee-keeping is liable ; 

 and became convinced that no hive could do this, unless* 

 it gave the complete control of the combs, so that any or 

 all of them might be removed at pleasure. The use of the 

 Huber hive had satisfied me, that with proper precautions 

 the combs might be removed without enraging the bees, 

 and that these insects were capable of being tamed to a 

 surprising degree. Without a knowledge of these facts, 

 I should have regarded a hive permitting the removal of 

 the combs, as quite too dangerous for practical use. At 



