258 ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 



who uses them, will experiment, at least, on a small scale. In 

 this way, we may hope that those points in the natural history 

 of the bee still involved in doubt, will, ere long, be satisfac- 

 torily explained. 



There is a large class of bee-keepers— not "bee-masters" — 

 who desire a hive which will give them, however ignorant or 

 careless, a large yield of honey from their bees. They are 

 easily captivated by the shallowest devices, and spend their 

 money and destroy their bees, to fill the purses of unprincipled 

 men. There never will be a "royal road" to profitable bee- 

 keeping. Like all other branches of rural economy, it de- 

 mands care and experience; and those who are conscious of a 

 strong disposition to procrastinate and neglect, will do well 

 to let bees alone, unless they hope, by the study of their sys- 

 tematic industry, to reform evil habits which are well nigh 

 incurable. 



