On my plan a complete revolution is effected in bee management, as will be shown in this work.
There is in my opinion no pursuit which offers greater inducements than bee keeping, especially to women. There are very many who are confined indoors nearly the whole time, excluded from the air and sunshine, to the great injury of their health; and after this sacrifice they barely succeed in obtaining a livelihood. To such, bee keeping offers great inducements, such as improved health, and a handsome recompense for all labor performed. I am acquainted with many who have commenced bee keeping on my plan, who are meeting with complete success. A lady bought a swarm of Italian bees of me in 1874, and she writes me that from that one she increased her stock to over twenty swarms the third season; besides she got over one hundred pounds of nice honey from the swarm I sent her the first season. Here I wish to be clearly understood; I do not wish to hold out inducements which will never be realized, for the purpose of causing any one to commence bee keeping; yet I believe bee keeping on correct principles should be encouraged, until bees enough are kept to collect all the honey now allowed to go to waste, and which if collected by bees and stored in nice glass boxes, would add millions of dollars to the wealth of the country.
Since the day I introduced my Controllable Hive and New System of Bee Management to the notice of the public, the worthless bee hive swindlers and their tools have been boiling over with wrath against me, lying and slandering me through the public journals, and especially through the Bee Journals, and all because, that I, a woman, had succeeded in inventing a bee hive and a new system of bee management superior to anything yet produced, and which was fast coming into use on its merits, among bee keepers: consequently the sale of other hives was decreasing in the same proportion. I first perfected the hive and system of management for my own use, with no thought of making it public; but through the kindness of my personal friends and others who have visited me to enquire into the new system, it has become known from Maine to Oregon, and adopted by many of the most intelligent bee keepers in the United States. And in compliance with that command in the good book which reads—"Let your light shine," I am determined to spread the truth, regardless of all opposition from the ignorant and selfish crowd which is constantly attacking me.
Without egotism, I claim a thorough knowledge of the habits and instincts of bees. Consequently I claim a thorough knowledge of the requisites of a hive, and all fixtures pertaining to it, as well as a knowledge required to make bee keeping successful and profitable and all this has been acquired in the school of experience and practice.
Kind reader, I respectfully submit the following pages, and ask for them a candid and unprejudiced consideration. Read carefully and understandingly, and apply to bee keeping, and I feel certain you will realize many times the cost of this book in the increased profits of your bees, managed as here directed.
The statements herein set forth are the result of many years' practical experience with bees with a view of making the raising of honey for market profitable, and the general management of bees successful.
Mrs. Lizzie E. Cotton.
West Gorham, Me., Aug. 5, 1880.
Since the publication of the first edition of this work, in 1880, and the use of the Controllable Hive for more than twelve years, I find only a very few minor points in the hive which can be improved. I have made a complete revision of the hive and all fixtures, with the view of correcting every imperfection, however slight, and I feel certain that the hive as now arranged is perfect in every particular.