xiv AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 



Its preparation was undertaken at the request of 

 the Corpmittee of the British Bee-keepers' Asso- 

 ciation, who felt that, in their efforts to promote 

 intelligent Bee-keeping as a national industry, the 

 young should not be neglected, and that there ought 

 to be a book suitable for use — where found practi- 

 cable — as a Reading-book in Schools ; or, at all 

 events, one likely to find its way into the hands of 

 those young people of all classes, who soon will 

 be old enough to become bee-keepers. 



I have with pleasure, and gratefully, to record 

 the assistance I have received in its preparation 

 from my friends the Rev. G. Raynor and the Rev. 

 J. Lingen Seager — the well-known bee-keepers — 

 who have most kindly supervised my work. I am 

 also much indebted to Mr. Cowan, Chairman of the 

 British Bee-keepers' Association, for much kindness 

 and very valuable advice. I have also to thank 

 the ^Association, Mr. Cowan, Sir J. Lubbock, Mr. 

 Neighbour, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. Walton, for the 

 use of illustrations belonging to them. My especial 

 thanks are also due to Mr. VV. B. Carr and Mr. 

 Charles Jenyns for many original illustrations. 



F. G. J. 



Knebworth Rectory, Dec. 1885. 



