Chapter I: Preface: To New Edition

THE original “BEE-MASTER OF WARRILOW”—that queer little honey-coloured book of far-off days—contained but eleven chapters: in its present edition the book has grown to more than three times its former length, and constitutes practically a new volume.

To those who knew and loved the old “BEE-MASTER OF WARRILOW,” no apology for the additional chapters will be required, because it is directly to the solicitation of many of them that this larger collection of essays on English bee-garden life owes its appearance. And equally, to those who will make the old bee-man’s acquaintance for the first time in these present pages, little need be said. In spite of the War, the honey-bee remains the same mysterious, fascinating creature that she has ever been; and the men who live by the fruit of her toil share with her the like changeless quality. The Master of Warrilow and his bees can very well be left to win their own way into the hearts of new readers as they did with the old.

T. E.

THE RED COTTAGE,
BURPHAM, ARUNDEL,
SUSSEX.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE
PREFACE 7
INTRODUCTION 13
I. THE BEE-MASTER OF WARRILOW 17
II. FEBRUARY AMONGST THE HIVES 24
III. A TWENTIETH CENTURY BEE-FARMER 31
IV. CHLOE AMONG THE BEES 37
V. A BEE-MAN OF THE ’FORTIES 44
VI. HEREDITY IN THE BEE-GARDEN 52
VII. NIGHT ON A HONEY-FARM 59
VIII. IN A BEE-CAMP 65
IX. THE BEE-HUNTERS 73
X. THE PHYSICIAN IN THE HIVE 80
XI. WINTER WORK ON THE BEE-FARM 86
XII. THE QUEEN BEE: IN ROMANCE AND REALITY 93
XIII. THE SONG OF THE HIVES 100
XIV. CONCERNING HONEY 107
XV. IN THE ABBOT’S BEE-GARDEN 113
XVI. BEES AND THEIR MASTERS 120
XVII. THE HONEY THIEVES 126
XVIII. THE STORY OF THE SWARM 132
XIX. THE MIND IN THE HIVE 139
XX. THE KING’S BEE-MASTER 145
XXI. POLLEN AND THE BEE 152
XXII. THE HONEY-FLOW 158
XXIII. SUMMER LIFE IN A BEE-HIVE 164
XXIV. THE YELLOW PERIL IN HIVELAND 170
XXV. THE UNBUSY BEE 176
XXVI. THE LONG NIGHT IN THE HIVE 182
XXVII. THE AUTOCRAT OF THE BEE-GARDEN 189
XXVIII. HONEY-CRAFT OLD AND NEW 196
XXIX. THE BEE-MILK MYSTERY 202
XXX. THE BEE-BURNERS 209
XXXI. EVOLUTION OF THE MODERN HIVE 214

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

A CORNER IN THE BEE-GARDEN 4 BROOD-COMB, SHOWING TWO SIZES OF CELL 24 THE BEE-MASTER’S COTTAGE 46 THE WAX MAKERS 60 HARD TIMES FOR THE BEES 86 HONEY-COMB: ITS VARIOUS STAGES 108 HIVING A SWARM 134 1. UPWARD-BUILT COMB 152 2. UPWARD-BUILT COMB 160 THE GUARDIAN OF THE HIVES 176 A NATURAL HONEY-BEE’S NEST 192 OLD COTTAGE-RUIN, WITH RECESSES FOR HIVES 214