PREFACE. 



Some years ago, I was induced by my respected 

 friend, Mr W. Thomson, then editor of 'The Gar- 

 de;ier,' to contribute a series of articles on bees for 

 that periodical. Mr Thomson heralded these ar- 

 ticles with a few complimentary remarks. He then 

 said : " We had practical proof of the extraordinary 

 success resulting from Mr Pettigrew's system of bee- 

 management when he was our foreman in the gar- 

 dens at Wrotham Park, Middlesex, twenty-five years 

 ago. We assure our readers who may peruse his 

 letters, that though he may recommend what may 

 clash violently with their present knowledge of the 

 subject, he is, notwithstanding, a safe guide ; and 

 that where profit is the object, no writer that we 

 have ever read can be compared to him. We predi- 

 cate that his letters will be of far greater value to all 

 interested than the cost of the journal for many years 

 to come.'' 



My father, James Pettigrew, was a labouring man, 

 and perhaps the greatest bee-keeper that Scotland 

 ever produced. He was so successful and enthusi- 

 astic in the management of his bees that he earned 



