PREFACE 



The first editions of the work of Langstroth were honored 

 with the title of "The Classic in Bee-Culture." The first re- 

 written revision was published in 1889, and this was so well 

 received in the bee-keeping world that Mr. Charles Dadant 

 translated it into the French language. With the help of 

 Edouard Bertrandi it was published at Geneva. A little later 

 a Russian edition was published — by Kandratieff, of St. Pe- 

 tersburg — which has caused a revolution in bee-culture in Rus- 

 sia. A Spanish edition is published in Barcelona by Pons Fab- 

 regues. 



Mr. Charles Dadant died in 1902. Meantime progress has 

 continued and we again have to bring this classic work for- 

 ward by additions and a fewVorrections. 



In this edition we have aimed to preserve the first experi- 

 ments and quotations made, whenever they have proven cor- 

 rect. We believe in giving credit to the first man who has 

 ascertained a fact in natural history or has made a discovery. 

 We have discarded all the cuts from Girard, because it was 

 evident that most of his anatomical studies were copied from 

 Barbd and Clerici, without giving them credit, and we have 

 jjreferred to secure permission to copy the latter^ whose work 

 has not yet been excelled. It was published in Milan, under 

 the title of "Atlante Di Apicoltura," by A. De Rauschenfels, 

 former editor of L'Apicoltore. 



Experienced bee-keepers will notice that we do not describe 

 many new implements. It is because we believe in teaching 

 beginners to use only that which has been thoroughly tested 

 and is unquestionably good. Many new things will not stand 

 the test of long years of practice. It is sufficient, among other 

 things, to quote the metal corners for frames and the reversible 

 hives. Metal corners were recommended at the time of our 

 l^rst revision, and we gave them a mention; they are now di§- 



