INTRODUCTION. Vii 
Bees came with the Puritan fathers to the New 
World in 1670, and have long since become one of 
our economic necessities. They followed their de- 
scendants to California in 1853 and subsequent 
years, whence come fabulous accounts of their pro- 
digious thrift. 
With staple tribute for our tables and dollars 
for our pockets, they pass out of the realm of fine 
introduced the subject by expressing a fear that his friend had 
gone to an unusual and injurious expense to entertain him, and 
that it would entail privation upon him afterwards. 
“Not at all,” replied the curate. “I can well afford to enter- 
tain an old friend once in a while without any inconvenience.” 
“Then,” rejoined the bishop, “I must. congratulate you, I 
suppose, on having received a fortune with your good lady.” 
“You are wrong again, my lord,” replied the poor curate. “I 
had not a shilling with my wife.” 
More mystified than ever, the bishop resumed: 
“Then how is it possible for you to have those comforts around 
you that I see, out of a hundred a year ?” 
“Oh, my lord, as to that, 1 am a large manufacturer as well 
as clergyman, and employ many thousands of operatives, which 
bring me inan excellent living. Ifyou will walk with me to the 
back of the premises, I will show you them at work.” He ac- 
cordingly took him into the garden at the back of the house, and 
there was a splendid apiary, with a Jarge number of bee-hives, 
the source of the curate’s prosperity. 
The bishop never forgot the circumstance, nor did he ever fail 
to make use of it as anargument; for when he afterwards heard 
some poor curate complain of the scantiness of his income, he 
would cut the matter short by exclaiming : 
“There, there, let’s have no more grumbling. Keep bees, like 
Mr. ; keep bees, keep bees !” 
