14 THE BEE keeper's MANUAL. 



It is now nearly fifteen years since I first turned my atten- 

 tion to the cultivation of bees. The state of my health 

 having compelled me to live more and more in the open air, 

 I have devoted a large portion of my time, of late years, 

 to a careful investigation of their habits, and to a series of 

 minute and thorough experiments in the construction of 

 hives, apd the best methods of managing them, so as to se- 

 cure the largest practical results. 



Very early in my Apiarian studies, I procured an im- 

 ported copy of the work of the celebrated Huber, and con- 

 structed a hive on his plan, which furnished me with favora- 

 ble opportunities of verifying some of his most valuable dis- 

 coveries ; and I soon found that the prejudices existing 

 against .him, were entirely unfounded. Believing that his 

 discoveries laid the foundation for a more extended and 

 profitable system of bee-keeping, I began to experiment with 

 hives of various construction. 



The result of all these investigations fell far short of my 

 expectations. I became, however, most thoroughly con- 

 vinced that no hives were fif>to be used, unless they furnish- 

 ed uncommon protection against extremes of Jieat and more 

 especially of cold. I accordingly discarded all thin hives 

 made of inch stuff, and constructed my hives of doubled 

 materials, enclosing a^'dead air" space all around. 



These hives, although more expensive in the first cost, 

 proved to be much cheaper in the end, than those I had pre- 

 viously used. The bees wintered remarkably well in them, 

 and swarmed early and with unusual regularity. My next 

 step in advance, was, while I secured my surplus honey in 

 the most convenient, beautiful and salable forms, so to facili- 

 ate the entrance of the bees into the honey receptacles, as 

 to secure the largest fruits from their labors. 



Although I felt confident that my hive possessed some 



