16 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



more or less of the same spirit. Their own inventions and 

 plans seem best to them, and in many cases they are right, to 

 the extent that two of them, having almost opposite plans, 

 ■* would be losers to exchange plans. 



In visiting and talking with other beekeepers I am generally 

 prejudiced enough to think my plans are, on the whole, better 

 than theirs; and yet I am always very much interested to know 

 just how they manage, especially as to the little details of 

 common operations, and occasionally I find something so mani- 

 festly better than my own way, that I am compelled to throw 

 aside my prejudice and adopt their better way. I suppose 

 there are a good many like myself; so I think there may be 

 those who will be interested in these bee-talks, wherein, besides 

 talking something of the past, I shall try to tell honestly just 

 how I do, talking in a familiar manner, without feeling obliged 

 to say "we" when I mean "I." Indeed, I shall claim the privi- 

 lege of putting in the pronoun of the first person as often as 

 I please ; and if the printer runs out of big I's toward the last 

 of the book, he can put in little i's. 



Moreover, I don't mean to undertake to lay down a 

 methodical system of beekeeping, whereby one with no knowl- 

 edge of the business can learn in "twelve short lessons" all 

 about it, but will just talk about some of the things that I think 

 would interest you, if we were sitting down together for a 

 familiar chat. I take it you are familiar with the good books 

 and periodicals that we as beekeepers are blest with, and in 

 some things, if not most, you are a better beekeeper than I; 

 so you have my full permission, as you go from page to page, 

 to make such remarks as, "Oh, how foolish!" "1 know a good 

 deal better way than that," etc., but I hope some may find a 

 hint here and there that may prove useful. 



I have no expectation nor desire to write a complete 

 treatise on beekeeping. Many important matters connected 

 with the art I do not mention at all, because they have not 

 come within my own experience. Others that have come within 

 my experience I do not mention, because I suppose the reader 

 to be already familiar with them. I merely try to talk about 

 such things as I think a brother beekeeper would be most in- 

 terested in if he should remain with me during the year, 



