PREFACE. 



In 1904 we began the publication in "Gleanings in Bee Culture," an 

 illustrated semi- monthly magazine, a series of articles from the pen of Mr. 

 E, W. Alexander, of Delanson, Schenectady Co. , N. Y. For a period of 

 nearly forty years Mr. Alexander had been keeping bees in a large way, 

 producing honey by the carload. He was regarded during a large portion 

 of that time as the most extensive bee-keeper in Northeastern New York; 

 but it was not till later that he began to give to the public the secrets of 

 his success. 



His first writings were so valuable, coming from so ripe an experience 

 covering so many years, that, as editor of "Gleanings," I finally induced 

 him to furnish us a short series of articles. So much impressed was I with 

 the value of his teachings in practical apiculture that I tendered him a sum 

 far in excess of what I had ever offered any other new contributor, and 

 with only one exception did I ever pay any writer more than Mr. E. W. 

 Alexander. After he had completed us his first series I induced him to 

 continue as a regular contributor, and this he did with more or less regu- 

 larity up to the time of his death, September 19, 1908. 



During a good portion of the time that he was furnishing us matter for 

 the journal he was a great sufferer; and his disease finally compelled him 

 to lay down his pen, which he had used so long and so well in behalf of 

 his brother bee-keepers all over the country. After his death there came 

 an almost universal demand for those articles in book form. So insistent 

 were these calls that we were finally prevailed on to pick out the best of his 

 ideas, and we now have pleasure in presenting them to the general public. 



In this series of articles Mr. Alexander gave out many useful hints and 

 " tricks of the trade. " Some of these seemed to be almost revolutionary, 

 not to say unorthodox; and occasionally his methods were criticised as be- 

 ing "unpractical and valueless." But in order to understand the man 

 and his writings one needs to know something of his locality as well as his 

 methods of management; for his forty years of experience had shown that 

 they were in perfect harmony, and, so far as he was concerned, he had no 

 desire to recall anything he had said. While at times he may have seemed 

 unorthodox, yet it must be remembered that he occupied a locality where 

 conditions were peculiar, not to say remarkable. He was the only bee- 

 keeper in the United States who was ever able to manage from 700 to 800 

 colonies all in one yard. Others have had as many as 500; but this has al- 

 ways been regarded as an extremely high figure for one place. Mr. Alex- 

 ander's apiary was located, and is now, in fact (under the management of 

 his son) , on one of the hills near the little town of Delanson, N. Y. It is 

 probably one of the finest, if not the finest, buckwheat bee-ranges in the 



