INTRODUCTION. 



In preparing this bulletin, I have endeavored to treat the 

 subject of bee-keeping in a general way anid in terms which may 

 be understood with little study and care even by those who have 

 a limited knowledge of bees or honey production. 



A number of bulletins are issued by the Department of Agri- 

 culture at Washington, by authors expert in their profession, 

 which treat of bees and their diseases, the different methods of 

 honey production, wintering, and other problems. Most of 

 these may be obtained free of the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C. Others are available at small cost. This 

 work is not intended to cover the ground so thoroughly, but to 

 treat the subject from the standpoint of Maine conditions par- 

 ticularly, and from the author's own experience, covering over 

 twenty-five years of study, and the care of from a few colonies 

 to one hundred and one hundred and fifty each season. 



This is submitted with the hope that it may be the means of 

 creating an interest in this somewhat neglected profession, in 

 the minds of the reader which will lead to a more thorough 

 study of the subject, and the ownership of at least a few colo- 

 nies of bees which in turn, it is hoped may bring to their owners 

 a measure of the happiness and profit, which my years and 

 labors with these most interesting little creatures have brought 

 me. 



I desire to acknowledge the assistance given me by the A. I. 

 'Root Co., and others in preparing this bulletin. 



