PREFACE. 



IN deference to repeated requests, made by many 

 unknown correspondents, as well as by those who 

 have listened to his Courses of Lectures, the Author 

 has prepared the following pages for publication ; and, 

 in presenting them to the attention of the Scientific 

 and Bee-keeping public generally, he also fulfils a 

 promise, given ten years since, in his " Practical 

 Bee-keeping," for the very flattering reception of 

 which he now tenders thanks to his numerous 

 readers. 



The unique character of the present work will 

 explain and excuse the delay in its appearance ; 

 for the Author has never scrupled to devote time 

 without stint to the solution of any difficulty, 

 and has preferred, in every possible case, to put 

 generally received statements to the test of careful 

 experiment before adopting them as his own. 

 This has led to numerous discoveries, which alto- 

 gether change the aspect of some parts of the 

 subject ; while many old landmarks have had to 

 submit to modifications in their positions, or absolute 

 displacement. The Author acknowledges that he 

 possesses rather the spirit of the progressionist and 

 investigator than that of the antiquarian, and, should 

 he in any case be suspected of having been led 



