INTRODUCTION. 



WHEN a bee-keeper has only a few stocks of bees, 

 and these are kept for amusement, it matters very 

 little whether he keeps a note-book or not; but when a 

 large number of bees are kept for profit, it is absolutely 

 necessary that accurate entries be made of all observa- 

 tions and operations. There being no satisfactory note- 

 book to assist the bee-keeper in this work, the following 

 Tables have been arranged in the hope that they may 

 supply a long-felt want, frequently expressed to the author, 

 There are sufficient Tables for one year's entries in a large 

 apiary, and the moderate price at which this Note-book 

 is issued will place it within the reach of every bee-keeper. 

 To those who are in a position to do so, it would greatly 

 assist the science if they would record observations with 

 respect to the weather, and for this purpose Tables I. and II. 

 will be found useful. At present very little is known as 

 to the relation of the secretion of nectar in plants in re- 

 gard to the weather, and if reliable statistics from various 

 districts could be collected for a number of years, the laws 

 regulating the production of honey might be discovered. 



Most of the other Tables are so simple as to require 

 no explanation. 



Chapters on making hives and bee-houses have been 

 added in this edition in response to the frequent applica- 

 tions for this information. 



This Note-book is intended as a pocket companion for 

 the bee-keeper, therefore a few rules on general manage- 

 ment of bees, such as he may require, are given at the 

 end. 



For the complete and practical management of bees in 

 moveable-comb hives the bee-keeper is referred to the 

 British Bee-ke^er's Guide-hooJc, hj the same author^ 



10 B-mhingham Street, Strand, London, W.G,, Jan. 1904. 



