PREFACE. 



The author of this treatise, having been taught from youth 

 to work with Bees, ever admiring their great sagacity, industry 

 and perseverance, and desiring to turn their industry to ac- 

 count as a matter of profit, directed all his efforts to acquire 

 a correct knowledge of their habits, wants and requirements 

 necessary to continued prosperity and profit. 



He observed, years ago, that when the seasons were fa- 

 vorable for producing abundance of honey, bees invariably 

 flourished and increased rapidly, yielding large returns in the 

 shape of surplus honey, bidding defiance to worms and all 

 other enemies, being evidently prosperous and happy; but 

 when scarcity prevailed, the very reverse of this condition of 

 things was true ; adversity took the place of prosperity — some 

 would starve, others would fall a prey to their enemies. The 

 succession of honey-producing flowers has been materially 

 influenced by the clearing up and bringing under cultivation 

 of our lands, essentially changing the condition of things, 

 affecting the prosperity of bees at certain seasons of the 

 year, in about the same ratio that it has cattle or other stock 

 which was permitted to run in the woods, as it was called 

 (when their pasture grounds were fenced in, then supplies 



(iii) 



