FIFTY YEAES AMONG THE BEES IS 



PKEFACE. 



In the year 1886 there was published a little book written 

 by me entitled "A Year Among the Bees." In 1902 it was en- 

 larged, and appeared under the title "JForty Years Among the 

 Bees. In preparation fqj- the present edition I undertook the 

 revision with little thought of the number of changes to be 

 made or the number of pages to be added in order to bring it 

 fully up to date (about one-eighth being new matter), but it is 

 hoped that the changes and additions may make it of more 

 value to the reader. As I began beekeeping in 1861, fifty years 

 ago, the present name seems appropriate. 



However much some personal friends may like the brief 

 biographical sketch that occupies the first few pages, others 

 may think that the space could have been better occupied. 

 There remains, however, the privilege of skipping those few 

 pages. 



Most of the pictures are from photographs taken by my- 

 self xOr under my immediate supervision, at least so far as con- 

 cerns "touching the button." The Eastman Kodak Co. "did 

 the rest." 



Marengo, 111., 1911. C. C. Miller. 



INTRODUCTION. 



One morning, five or six of us, who had occupied the same 

 bedroom the previous night during the North American Con- 

 vention at Cincinnati, in 1882, were dressing preparatory to 

 another day's work. Among the rest were Bingham, of smoker 

 fame, and Vandervort, the foundation-mill man. I think it 

 was Prof. Cook who was chaffing these inyentors, saying some- 

 thing to the effect that they were always at work studying how 

 to get up something different from anybody else, and, if they 

 needed an implement, would spend a dollar and a day's time 

 to get up one "of their own make," rather than pay 25 cents 

 for a better one ready-made. Vandervort, who sat contempla- 

 tively rubbing his shins, dryly replied : "But they take a world 

 of comfort is it," I tbipk all beekeepers are possessed of 



