61 



PAET SECOND. 



"We now come to the practical part of our -work; and our 

 aim shall he to make the reader understand everything 

 necessary to the successful and profitahle management of 

 bees. This book is not written for the benefit of the ad- 

 vanced students of bee-history ; and if they chance to look 

 into ■ its pages they wiU find some things twice repeated, 

 and evidence enough of an extra effort made to instruct the 

 most ignorant to manage his bees intelligently and well. 

 It is Cobbett who says that all books should be written 

 for the benefit of those who are entirely ignorant of the 

 subjects of which they treat. If this is necessary on 

 most subjects, it is absolutely necessary when the subject 

 of the bee-hive is considered, because the bees in that hive 

 have stings, which tend to prevent investigations being 

 made by new beginners. 



The reader is requested to remember, that our stating 

 certain facts and opinions will not make him, or anybody 

 else, an intelligent bee-manager, unless his miud be fully 

 convinced and held captive by the reasonableness of such 

 statement. All is to be weighed in the balance of his 

 own reason, and whatsoever is found light and wanting 

 he will cast aside. If a thing must be done, please to let 

 us have the why and the xoherefore; and then tell us liow 

 to do it. 



