PREFACETO THE FIRST EDITION.
Havingwritten the "Cottager's Guide for the Management of his Bees, upon the Depriving System," which has been printed under the direction of the Suffolk and Norfolk Apiarian Society, for gratuitous distribution amongst the Cottagers, I am induced, at the particular request of several Apiarian friends, to enlarge the above little work, and to give in addition a description of Nutt's newly invented Hive, and other practical remarks in Bee-knowledge, resulting from nearly forty years close observation.
Should this little work be the means of inducing any person to promote the culture of Bees amongst the Cottagers in his immediate neighbourhood, upon the Depriving System, I shall be amply repaid for the trouble it may have occasioned me; and the hope that such will be the result, must be my apology for adding to the number of books (perhaps already too numerous) upon this subject.
Reaumur in a letter to M. de la Bourdonaye, in 1757, says, "The preservation and also the increase of Bees is an object of such interest to Britanny, that the peasantry cannot be too much encouraged to turn their attention to it." Surely this is equally applicable to our own country at the present time, when the condition of the labouring poor calls so loudly for relief.
I have little hesitation in saying, that Cottagers who are able to keep from four to six Hives of Bees, may make from four to eight pounds, yearly profit, after paying all expenses upon them. I paid last year to one Cottager seven pounds, fifteen shillings, and to another five pounds and one shilling for Bees and Honey.
The following anecdote has so much the appearance of truth in it, and is so well suited to my present purpose, that I cannot refrain from giving it.
A good old French Bishop in paying his annual visit to his Clergy, was very much afflicted by the representations they made of their extreme poverty, which, indeed, the appearance of their houses and families corroborated. Whilst he was deploring the state of things which had reduced them to this sad condition, he arrived at the house of a Curate, who, living amongst a poorer set of parishioners than any he had yet visited, would, he feared, be in still more woful plight than the others; contrary however to his expectations, he found appearances very much improved, every thing about the house wore the aspect of comfort and plenty. The good Bishop was amazed. "How is this, my friend?" said he, "you are the first man that I have met with a cheerful face and a plentiful board. Have you any income independent of your Curé?"
"Yes, Sir," said the Clergyman, "I have; my family would starve on the pittance I receive from the poor people that I instruct, come with me into the garden and I will show you theStockthat yields me an excellent interest."
On going to the garden he showed the Bishop a large range of Bee-hives.
"There is the Bank," he continued, "from which I draw my annual dividend.—It never stops payment."
Ever after that memorable visit, when any of his Clergy complained to the Bishop of poverty, he would say to them, "Keep Bees! Keep Bees!"
In the words of an Apiarian friend, I solicit information from every one who may have it in his power to transmit it to me, and on the other hand, I profess my perfect readiness to impart whatever knowledge I may possess in the management of an Apiary, to any person who will favour me with the application; my aim is general utility, and the establishment of a national advantage.