xiv PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 



Let it be understood that we have no patented devices 

 to push ; we are free to choose out of the many apiarian 

 contrivances that have been offered of late years, and 

 we feel perfectly at liberty to praise or blame as our 

 experience warrants us in doing. It does not follow 

 that we necessarily disparage hives which are not 

 described herein ; we have sought as much as possible 

 to indicate the principles on which good hives must be 

 constructed, whatever their outward size or shape. All 

 through the work, we have endeavoured to adopt the 

 golden rule of "submission to Nature" by reference 

 to which all the fancied difficulties of bee-keeping may 

 be easily overcome. In none of the attempts of men 

 to hold sway over natural objects is the truth of Bacon's 

 leading doctrine more beautifully illustrated than in the 

 power that the apiarian exercises in the little world of 

 bees. 



Some persons may consider we have used too many 

 poetical quotations in a book dealing wholly with 

 matters of fact. We trust, however, that the examina- 

 tion of the extracts will at once remove that feeling of 

 objection. 



We venture to hope that the following pages contain 

 many valuable hints and interesting statements which 

 may tend to excite increased and renewed attention to 

 the most useful and industrious of all insects. 



Although bees have neither reason nor religion for 

 their guide, yet from them man may learn many a 



