This etext was transcribed by Les Bowler THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE * * * * * BY TICKNER EDWARDES * * * * * AUTHOR OF “THE BEE-MASTER OF WARRILOW” * * * * * WITH TWENTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS * * * * * THIRD EDITION * * * * * METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON * * * * * _First Published_ _August 1908_ _Second Edition_ _October 1908_ _Third Edition_ _1909_ * * * * * TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION, THOMAS WILLIAM COWAN, F.L.S., ETC., TO WHOSE LABOURS AND RESEARCHES THE WRITER, AND ALL OTHER BEE-KEEPERS, ARE UNDER A LASTING OBLIGATION. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION: THE OLDEST CRAFT UNDER THE SUN ix I. THE ANCIENTS AND THE HONEY-BEE 1 II. THE ISLE OF HONEY 18 III. BEE-MASTERS IN THE MIDDLE AGES 28 IV. AT THE CITY GATES 50 V. THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE HIVE 67 VI. EARLY WORK IN THE BEE-CITY 84 VII. THE GENESIS OF THE QUEEN 94 VIII. THE BRIDE-WIDOW 117 IX. THE SOVEREIGN WORKER-BEE 127 X. A ROMANCE OF ANATOMY 146 XI. THE MYSTERY OF THE SWARM 174 XII. THE COMB-BUILDERS 195 XIII. “WHERE THE BEE SUCKS” 219 XIV. THE DRONE AND HIS STORY 233 XV. AFTER THE FEAST 248 XVI. THE MODERN BEE-FARM 257 XVII. BEE-KEEPING AND THE SIMPLE LIFE 267 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS