MANUAL OF THE APIABY. 23 



and great scientific ability. The book is of no practical value 

 to us, but to the student it will be read with great interest. 

 Next to Langstroth, I value this work most highly of any in 

 my libraiy that treat of bees and bee-keeping, if I may ex- 

 cept back volumes of the bee-publications. 



" The Apiary, or Bees, Bee-Hives and Bee Culture," by 

 Alfred Neighbour, London, is a fresh, sprightly little work, 

 and as the third edition has just appeared, is, of course, up 

 with the times. The book is in nice dress, concise, and very 

 readable, and I am- glad to commend it. 



A less interesting work, though by no means without merit, 

 is the "Manual of Bee-Keeping," by John Hunter, London. 

 This is also recent. I think these works would be received with 

 little favor among American apiarists. They are exponents 

 of English apiculture, which in method would seem clumsy 

 to Americans. In fact, I think I may say that in implements 

 and perhaps I may add methods, the English, French, Ger- 

 mans and Italians, are behind our American apiarists, and 

 hence their text-books and journals compare illy with ours. 

 I believe the many intelligent foreign apiarists who have come 

 to this country and are now honored members of our . own 

 fraternity, will sustain this position. Foreign scientists are 

 ahead of American, but wa glean and utilize their facts and 

 discoveries as soon as made known. Salicylic acid is discov- 

 ered by a German to be a remedy for foul brood, yet ten 

 times as many American as foreign apiarists know of this 

 and practice by the knowledge. In practical fields, on the 

 other hand, as also in skill and delicacy of invention, we are, 

 I think, in advance. So our apiarists have little need to -go 

 abroad for either books or papers. 



PROMPTITUDE. 



Another absolute requirement of successful bee-keeping, 

 is prompt attention to all its varied duties. Neglect is the 

 rock on which many bee-keepers, especially farmers, find too 

 often that they have wrecked their success. I have no doubt 

 that more colonies die from starvation, than from all the 

 bee maladies known to the bee-keeper. And why is this ? 

 Neglect is the apicide. I feel sure that the loss each season 

 by absconding colonies is almost incalculable, and whom must 



