In my early efforts at bee keeping, I met with many failures and heavy losses, from being confused by the contradictory teachings of selfish or ignorant bee keepers, and from a lack of that personal knowledge which experience, and a close study of the nature and habits of bees has now placed in my possession. After many unsuccessful experiments, and careful investigation, and a close study of the natural habits and instincts of bees, I have succeeded in inventing a hive and new system of bee management which completely changes the whole process of bee keeping, and renders the business _safe_, _pleasant_ and _profitable_. _The hive and system of bee management recommended in these pages is entirely original with me, and is not patented._ I invented the hive and plan of management for my own use, as I am engaged in raising honey for market, and wish every swarm of bees I keep to produce the greatest possible amount of surplus honey, and in the most convenient and attractive marketable form. I am induced to place this work before the public at the earnest and oft repeated requests of friends and correspondents. The work has been hurriedly written, as I had but little spare time to devote to this matter, consequently sentences are not all, perhaps, grammatically arranged. I have made the beautiful of secondary importance to the useful. I have endeavored, however, to make my statements so clear as to be readily understood and comprehended by every person of intelligence, although he may be wholly unacquainted with bee keeping. Every person, who has a farm or garden, should keep bees, at least one or more swarms, to furnish honey for the use of the family. There is no greater luxury than nice honey in clean snow-white comb in nice glass boxes, such as is produced by my new system of bee management. This best of all sweets is now within reach of every one who has a plot of ground large enough to set a hive of bees upon. After bees are once located in my hives but very little expense is required to keep them in proper condition, so that they will give a good quantity of nice box honey every year. Under the old methods of bee keeping, bees required a great deal of care and attention, especially during the summer season. And then the winters were very destructive to them, many often losing their entire stock; or if they were not a total loss, they were so damaged by the winter as to be of no profit, and two severe winters in succession were quite sure to finish them. This was very discouraging, and many have abandoned bee keeping, entirely discouraged. On my plan a complete revolution is effected in bee management, as will be shown in this work.