But perhaps more than all has the earlier part of our work been enlarged and emended--that which treats on the insect itself, its natural history, its reproductive economy, its habits, and its structure. For this course of improvement we are largely indebted to the very masterly and exhaustive treatise of Baron von Berlepsch, "Die Biene und ihre Zucht in beweglichen Waben" ("The Bee and its Culture in Movable Combs"); after this to Dr. Dzierzon's latest work, "Rationelle Bienenzucht;" to Schmid and Kleine's "Leitfaden;" to Samuelson and Hicks's "Honey Bee;" to Mr. John Hunter's very comprehensive and readable "Manual of Bee-keeping;" and to the _British_ and _American Bee Journals_, the former for letters from correspondents, and the latter also for the very able articles by which that remarkably well-conducted periodical is distinguished. To Mr. Frederick Smith, of the Entomological Department at the British Museum, we have also to acknowledge our indebtedness for courteous personal communications rendered more than once. Reference should also be made to aid in the translations from the German Treatises before mentioned, as well as to some other literary assistance which we hope has added to the interest of this work. 149, Regent Street, London, _August 1877_. [Illustration] PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. OUR apology for preparing a bee-book is a very simple one. We are so frequently applied to for advice on matters connected with bees and beehives, that it seemed likely to prove a great advantage, alike to our correspondents and ourselves, if we could point to a "handy book" of our own which should contain full and detailed replies sufficient to meet all ordinary enquiries. Most of the apiarian manuals possess some special excellence or other, and we have no wish to disparage any of them; yet in all we have found a want of explanations relating to several of the more recent improvements. It has more especially been our aim to give explicit and detailed directions on most subjects connected with the hiving and removing of bees, and also to show how, by judicious application of the "depriving" system, the productive powers of the bees may be enormously increased.