PREFACE. IX 



Refutation of Schirach's do&rine, I mall only 

 briefly declare, that at firft I was fTrongly 

 prejudiced in its favour ^ and urged thereby 

 to purfue a feries of experiments according 

 to his directions, with the moft fcrupulous 

 exactnefs and care, for eight years, but 

 without a single result in confirmation 

 of his fcheme. I diverfified the experi- 

 ments, and alfo invented a more fuitable 

 apparatus to perform them, yet liill met with 

 the fame lamentable disappointment. In 

 this purfuit many bees and many ftocks 

 were unavoidably ruined, befides an accu- 

 mulation of vexation and trouble. But 

 my anxiety to acquire io defirable an end 

 urged me beyond the bounds of prudence. 

 1 hope vanity will not be imputed to the de- 

 claration and inference, that if one of long 

 experience in the handling of bees, and hav- 

 ing every conveniency, yet could not, in fo 

 many trials, fucceed, it is more than proba- 

 ble that others, with only common know- 

 ledge, and deftitute of a proper apparatus, 

 will not be more fuccefsful, and confequently 

 that Schirach's method cannot prove of pub- 

 lic utility. 



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