PREFACE. 11 



Under the old methods of bee keeping, bees re- 

 quired a great deal of care and attention, especially 

 during the summer season. And then the winters 

 were very destructive to them, many often losing 

 th«ir entire stock ; or if they were not a total loss, 

 they were so damaged by the winter as to be of no 

 profit, and two severe winters in succession were 

 quite sure to finish them. 



This was very discouraging, and many have 

 abandoned bee keeping, entirely discouraged. 



On my plan a complete revolution is effected in 

 bee management, as will be shown in this work. 



There is in my opinion no pursuit which offers 

 greater inducements than bee keeping, especially to 

 women. There are very many who are confined 

 indoors nearly the whole time, excluded from the 

 air and sunshine, to the great injury of their health ; 

 and after this sacrifice they barely succeed in obtain- 

 ing a livelihood. To such, bee keeping offers great 

 inducements, such as improved health, and a hand- 

 some recompense for all labor performed. I am- 

 acquainted with many who have commenced bee 

 keeping on my plan, who are meetingwith complete 

 success. A lady bought a swarm of Italian bees of 

 me in 1874, and she writes me that frorti that one she 

 increased her stock to over twenty swarms the third 

 season ; besides she got over one hundred pounds 

 of nice honey from the swarm I sent her ^& first 

 season. Here I wish to be clearly understood ; I 

 do not wish to hold out inducements which will 

 never be realized, for the purpose of causing any 

 one to commence bee keeping ; yet I believe bee 



