viii PREFACE. 



ducts to exhaust the store-house of the pivine Knowledge, so as 

 " by searching " to " find out the Alnaighty to perfection." But 

 while " a present Deity " may be seen in all the wide extent of 

 Animated Nature, in few things has He displayed himself more 

 clearly than in the wise economy of the Honey-Bee : 



"What TTell appointed commonwealths ! where each 

 Adds to the stock of happiness for all ; 

 Wisdom's own forums ! whose professors teach 

 Eloquent lessons in their vaulted hall ! 

 Galleries of art ! and schools of industry ! 

 Stores of rich fragrance ! Orchestras of song ! 

 What marvellous seats of hidden alchymy ! 

 How oft, when wandering far and erring long, 

 Man might learn truth and virtue from the BEE ! " 



, Bowring. 



The attention of Ministers of the Gospel is particularly invited 

 to the study of this branch of Natural History. An intimate ac- 

 quaintance with the wonders of the Bee-Hive, while benficial to 

 them in various ways, might lead them, by drawing their illustra- 

 tions more from natural objects and the world around them, to adapt 

 them better to the comprehension and sympathies of those who 

 hear them ; they would thus, in their preaching, imitate more 

 closely the example of their Lord and Master, whose practice it 

 was to illustrate his teachings, from the birds of the air, the lilies 

 of the field, and the common walks of life and pursuits of men. 



It affords me sincere pleasure to aclinowledge my obligations to 

 Mr. Samnel Wagner, of York, Pennsylvania, for material assis- 

 tance in the preparation of this Treatise : to his extensive and 

 accurate acquaintance with bee-keeping in Germany, my readers 

 are indebted for much exceedingly valuable information. 



L. L. LANGSTROTH. 

 Philadelphia, March 10th, 1857. 



