CHAPTER V. 



THE COTTAGE SYSTEM OF BEE MANAGEMENT IN THE OPEN AIR. 



It is my intention in this chapter to follow through two years of his 

 experience the fortunes of some imaginary bee keeper, of the cottager 

 class, who is supposed to have been well instructed in my peculiar plan. 

 If I shall seem prolix and over minute, I must crave the indulgence of the 

 kind reader, who will, I trust, bear with me, a principal .object in this 

 chapter being the complete guidance of the novice in the somewhat 

 delicate manipulations necessary to success in this matter. I have 

 been greatly surprised at the idea of mystery which many persons 

 seem to attach to the simplest of bee operations, as well as at the 

 amount of courage thought requisite by not a few in approaching bees. 

 "With respect to the latter, I am bound to confess there are few per- 

 sons more afraid of these insects than myself, and yet I have obtained 

 a perfect command over them, as witness the success of my experi- 

 ments. The fact is, knowing from experience that I am never safe 

 from an attack, I take care always to be well protected against their 

 stings ; and this is the secret of my coolness and daring in conducting 

 any, however difficult, process, of bee management. Should any of 

 my readers labor under a similar fear of bees' stings, let me suggest to 

 them the use of a bee dress, which will render them proof against all 

 possible attack from any number of these insects, otherwise so justly 

 formidable. As to mystification, I have yet to learn wherein it con- 

 sists. There are many persons, however, so extremely simple,' so ut- 

 terly " lost for want of hints," that unless everything be explained in the 

 minutest manner, it does not fail to wear an appearance of mystery in 

 their eyes. To such persons, I address myself in this particular chapter. 

 First year . — Let us suppose, then, that our commencing bee mas- 

 ter, having purchased a stock* in March or April, or in the preceding 



* I do not notice the case of a cottager who may hare commenced his apiary hy the 

 purchase of a swarm, as he will learn from the second year's treatment of the apiary, as 

 given further on, everything requisite for him to know in the matter. 



