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 the Stock that 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.
PREFACE
TO THE SECOND EDITION.
Since the first appearance of this little Treatise I am most happy in being able to state that Apiarian Science has in this neighbourhood and in the adjoining Counties, made very considerable advances, that the ridiculous notions, and foolish prejudices entertained respecting Bees, are fast wearing away—that the Cottagers are generally managing them upon the depriving system, making them a real source of profit and of comfort, and that a number of influential persons are making themselves acquainted with the practical management of Bees, upon the simplest and most profitable methods, for the sole purpose of setting an example, and for qualifying themselves to give instructions in the management of them to their poor neighbours. Nor is this spirit of well directed benevolence confined to these Counties only, for at Oxford a Society is just formed to promote an improved and more extensive system of Bee management among the Cottagers by the diffusion of information on the subject, and the loan of hives not the gift, their cost to be repaid from the produce, and also to promote a more extensive and scientific knowledge concerning the Natural History and cultivation of Bees among the higher classes; the society I find is flourishing, a piece of ground has been taken and laid out as an experimental Bee-garden, there is already a very considerable number of stocks of Bees placed in it in common straw, and experimental hives. Subscribers pay half a guinea a year, and non-Subscribers a shilling each visit This is an example worthy of imitation.