Chapter I: Front Matter

This etext was transcribed by Les Bowler

THE LORE
OF THE HONEY-BEE

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BY

TICKNER EDWARDES

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AUTHOR OF
“THE BEE-MASTER OF WARRILOW”

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WITH TWENTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS

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THIRD EDITION

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METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON

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_First Published_ _August 1908_ _Second Edition_ _October 1908_ _Third Edition_ _1909_

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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

THE COMB-BUILDERS _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE MOSES RUSDEN’S BEE-BOOK 28 BUTLER’S “BEES MADRIGALL” 34 JOHN THORLEY IN HIS STUDY 40 INVERTED STRAW HIVE 50 AN OLD SUSSEX BEE-HOUSE 60 COMB-FRAME FROM MODERN HIVE 72 WINTER IN THE BEE-GARDEN 86 DRONE-BROOD AND WORKER-BROOD 94 QUEEN-BEE LAVING 106 A QUEEN-CELL 110 THE HONEY-BEE, IN FACT AND FANCY 128 BROOD-COMB, SHOWING ALL STAGES OF BEE-LIFE 140 THE BEE-NURSERY 166 A SWARM IN MAY 174 A MAMMOTH SWARM 178 HIVING THE SWARM 182 THE SWARM HIVED 188 HONEYCOMB CONSTRUCTION 206 COMB BUILT UPWARDS 216 IN THE STOREHOUSE 230 QUEEN-BEE IN OFF-SEASON 248 BAD BEEMANSHIP 264 A FOREST APIARY 272