PUBLISHER'S PREFACE TO THE 

 FOURTH EDITION. 



The fact that a fourth edition of this handbook has been 

 called for leads us to hope that it has fulfilled its purpose 

 as a practical and complete manual on the proper manage- 

 ment of bees. During the twenty years that have passed 

 since its first appearance, rapid progress has been made 

 in practical and scientific bee-keeping, and numerous appli- 

 ances have been introduced for the convenience of bee- 

 keepers, as well as for the purpose of increasing the return 

 of surplus honey. Many of these inventions have been 

 noted in this edition, and additional engravings have been 

 introduced to illustrate the descriptions given. Whilst 

 some of the more important appliances must be purchased, 

 there are several others which can be made by a person 

 who is handy with tools, and it is a good principle in all 

 rural industries to endeavour to do the best of work with 

 the minimum expenditure on appliances. 



Thanks to the efforts of the British Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation, it is but rarely that brood frames are met with that 

 are not those known as the " standard " size, and it should 

 be borne in mind that hives to hold frames of a special 

 size should never under any circumstances be purchased. 

 Though some bee-keepers — and these are often enthusiastic 

 amateurs — agitate from time to t'me for a larger brood 

 frame, it is to be hoped that no alteration will be made, 

 since the present size gives almost universal satisfaction, 

 and having one British "standard" brood frame adds greatly 

 to the pleasures of bee-keeping. 



