Introduction to the First Edition 
BY A. I. ROOT. 
About the year 1865, during the month of August, a swarm of bees passed overhead 
where we were at work, and my fellow-workman, in answer to some of my inquiries 
respecting their habits, asked what I would give for them. I, not dreaming he could by 
any means call them down, offered him a dollar, and he started after them. To my 
astonishment, he, in a short time, returned with them, hived in a rough box he had hastily 
picked up, and, at that moment, I commenced learning my A B C in bee culture. Before 
night I had questioned not only the bees but every one I knew, who could tell me anything 
about these strange new acquaintances of mine. Our books and papers were overhauled 
that evening; but the little that I found only puzzled me the more, and kindled anew the 
desire to explore and follow out this new hobby of mine: for, dear reader, I have been 
all my life much given to hobbies and new projects. 
Farmers who had kept bees assured me that they once paid, when the country was 
new, but of late years they were no profit, and everybody was abandoning the business. 
I had some headstrong views in the matter, and in a few days I visited Cleveland, 
ostensibly on other business, but I had really little interest in anything until I could visit 
the book stores and look over the books on bees. I found but two, and I very quickly 
chose Langstroth. May God reward and forever bless Mr. Langstroth for the kind and 
pleasant way in which he unfolds to his readers the truths and wonders of creation to be 
found inside the beehive. 
What a gold mine that book seemed to me as I looked it over on my journey home! 
Never was romance so enticing—no, not even Robinson Crusoe; and, best of all, right at 
my own home I could live out and verify all the wonderful things told therein. Late as it 
was, I yet made an observatory hive and raised queens from worker eggs before winter, 
and wound up by purchasing a queen of Mr. Langstroth for $20.00. I should, in fact, 
have wound up the whole business, queen and all, most effectually, had it not been for 
some timely advice toward Christmas, from a plain practical farmer near by. With his 
assistance, and by the purchase of some more bees, I brought all safely thru the winter. 
Thru Mr. Langstroth I learned of Mr. Wagner, who shortly afterward was induced to 
recommence the publication of the American Bee Journal, and thru this I gave accounts 
monthly of my blunders and occasional successes. 
In 1867, news came across the ocean from Germany, of the honey-extractor; and by 
the aid of a simple homemade machine I took 1,000 lbs. of honey from 20 stocks, and 
increased them to 35. This made quite a sensation, and numbers embarked in the new 
business; but when I lost all but 11 of the 35 the next winter, many said: “There! I 
told you how it would turn out.” 
I said nothing, but went to work quietly and increased the 11 to 48 during the one 
season, not using the extractor at all. The 48 were wintered entirely without loss, and I 
think it was mainly because I took care and pains with each individual colony. From the 
48 I secured 6,162 lbs. of extracted honey, and sold almost the entire crop for 25 cents 
per lb. This capped the climax, and inquiries in regard to the new industry began to 
come in from all sides. Beginners were eager to know what hives to adopt, and where to 
get honev-extractors. As the hives in use seemed very poorly adapted to the use of the 
extractor, and as the machines offered for sale were heavy and poorly adapted to the 
purpose, besides being “patented,” there really seemed to be no other way before me than 
to manufacture these implements. Unless I did this I should be compelled to undertake 
a correspondence that would occupy a great part of my time without affording any 
compensation of any account. The fullest directions I knew how to give for making plain 
simple hives, etc., were from time to time published in the American Bee Journal; but 
the demand for further particulars was such that a circular was printed, and, shortly 
