22 THE BEE keeper's MANUAL. 



From the Leipzig lll-ustrated Almanac— Report on Agri- 

 culture for 1846. 



" Bee culture is no longer regarded as of any imporlance 

 in rural economy." 



From the same for 1851, and 1853. 



" Since Dzierzon's system has been made known an en- 

 tire revolution in bee culture has been produced. A new- 

 era has been crealed for it, and bee-keepers are turning 

 Iheir attention to it with renewed zeal. The merits of his 

 discoveries are appreciated by the government, and they 

 recommend his system as worthy the attention of the teach- 

 ers of common schools. 



Mr. Dzierzon resides in a poor sandy district of Middle 

 Silesia, which, according to the common notions of Apiarians, 

 is unfavorable to bee-culture. Yet despite of this and 

 of various mishaps, he has succeeded in realizing 900 dollars 

 as the product of his bees in one season ! 



By his mode of management, his bees yield, even in the 

 poorest years, from 10 to 15 per cent on the capital invested, 

 and where the colonies are produced by the Apiarian's own 

 skill and labor they cost him only about one-fourth the 

 price at which they are usually valued. In ordinary sea- 

 sons the profit amounts to from 30 to 50 per cent, and in 

 very favorable seasons from 80 to 100 per cent." 



In communicating these facts to the public, I have several 

 objects in view. I freely acknowledge that I take an honest 

 pride in establishing my claims as an independent observer ; 

 and as having matured by my own d^coveries, the same 

 systerii of bee-culture, as that which has excited so much 

 interest in Germany ; I desire also, to have the testimony of 

 the translator of Dzierzon to the superior merits of my hive. 

 Mr. Wagner is extensively known as an able German schol- 

 ar. He has taken all the numbers of the Bee Journal, a 



