BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



but scientific men have given to practical ones not 

 only true methods, but reasons for their truth, and 

 so we logically place our scientific matter first, and 

 then look at our systems of operation in the light 

 thus gained. " Practice makes perfect," is but a 

 half truth. Practice, without intelligent insight, only 

 stereotypes ; but practice, hand-in-hand with accurate 

 knowledge and observation, works out perfection. It 

 is our hope, then, not only to delight the student of 

 Nature by introducing to him beauties of structure, 

 wonders of adaptation, and minute refinements, to 

 which our conception is almost unequal, but to aid 

 to the full the bee-keeper, who can be charmed 

 through the pocket as well as the imagination. 

 Apiculture may be, and often is, profitable, ah, 

 very profitable, in the hands of those who would 

 not claim any scientific acquaintance with it ; but 

 such from the teachings of others always adopt 

 scientific methods. While the course of events is 

 not unusual, deputed knowledge may be enough ; but 

 management of the highest type — i.e., the most 

 remunerative kind, can only be arrived at by some- 

 thing better than rule of thumb. In critical matters, 

 the best informed are the most trustworthy guides, 

 and knowledge, which appears to have little to do 

 with the practical side of the question, not infre- 

 quently turns out to be the solver of an otherwise 

 unsolvable mystery, and the source of the best, 

 because truly scientific, method of procedure. 



The ever-increasing zest attaching to apiculture, 

 the multiplication of bee-keepers, the competition of 

 dealers, and the ingenuity of inventors, has augmented 



