In the preface to this Second Edition of HONEY GETTING, I refer to my second book, SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING, which was the first book on the behavior of the bee colony as affected by Thermodynamics. It stresses the fact that the work done in this field by Dana F. McFarland, Research Engineer, coauthor of SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING, is in harmony with the instincts of the bees. It gives some basic scientific facts concerning heat and loss of heat in relation to the natural instincts of honey bees and the bee colony. In addition it has several chapters addressed especially to those who would like to begin beekeeping in the modern way. The following notes relate HONEY GETTING to SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING.

Page numbers refer to this edition of HONEY GETTING only.

Note 1, page 12: Here we have stressed the importance of locality differences as they affect apiary management. We say: "The stimuli to which bees react may differ in quality or intensity in different localities. The same stimuli in any locality always produce the same reaction. This simplifies beekeeping, because the beekeeper knows that, when there is produced, naturally or artificially, a certain series of external conditions to which the bees must react, the results will, in every case, be the same. " On this statement is based the use of thermodynamics to produce the desired reaction from the bees.

Note 2, page 20: "A beekeeper can do almost anything with bees, if he works in accord with their natural reactions to their surroundings. " SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING shows how the use of Thermodynamics enables the beekeeper to exercise almost complete control over the behavior of his bees by controlling their surroundings.

The natural conditions under which bees must work are, as is well known, largely due to temperature - to the weather. The whole idea of the use of Thermodynamics or of supplemental heat and air conditioning in bee-hives fulfills the above statement that a beekeeper can do almost anything with bees if he works in accord with their natural reactions. In every respect, the use of thermodynamics is in accord with the natural reactions of bees, and is, therefore, a sound basis on which to work. Along these lines, we have developed the theme of SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING.

Note 3, page 28: Here we show the contrast between beekeeping in a warm climate and in a cold climate, referring particularly to the slow or unequal rate of development when a colony is subjected to rigorous and changeable spring climates. "With good queens and good care, " we state, "building up a colony during a honey flow is easy; but to build up a colony at a time when nectar and pollen are not coming in freely with promise of more to follow, is exceedingly difficult; yet, in many localities, that is exactly what must be done. "

SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING tells how to do this by feeding pollen, and by the use of Thermodynamics

Note 4, page 34: The colony must expend much food and effort in keeping up, during cool weather, the high tern-perature required for brood rearing unless unfavorable spring conditions are ameliorated by the use of Thermodynamics.

Note 5, page 35: Colonies must start work in the supers promptly at the beginning of the honey flow, and keep it up without interruption. The use of supplemental heat makes this not only possible, but easy, because comb-building temperature can now be maintained in the supers even during the coldest nights of the honey season.

Note 6, page 42: Uniformity of strength of colonies is of prime importance. With the use of heat as now recommended, poor queens can be culled quickly in early spring, and all good colonies brought up to uniform strength, irrespective of outside weather conditions, by feeding pollen and by using Thermodynamics as recommended in SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING.

Note 7, page 48: The SIXTH ESSENTIAL OF PRACTICE IS SWARM CONTROL. This has previously been our most difficult problem because of the lack of uniformity in colonies and the effects of unseasonal weather. Now, by the use of pollen and heat, we can have a strong colony at the beginning of the honey-flow, and can have it go into the flow with the storing instinct dominant. Under such conditions a colony does not swarm. A colony that is kept in the right condition by Thermodynamics will store honey and not swarm.

Note 8, page 51: We have discussed Afb and resistant bees. We have evidence indicating that bees kept under optimum temperature conditions are resistant, while the same bees, exposed to unfavorable and changeable temperatures are not resistant. This is still open to experiment and we make no claims for it other than that, with bees as with humans, infection with any disease is difficult under optimum conditions of living.

Recommended Books

All recommended books may be obtained from:

EARTHMASTER PUBLICATIONS Roscoe, California

First Lessons in Beekeeping, Dadant........$1. 00

Starting Right With Bees, Root.................50

Honey Getting, Sechrist. -........................... 1. 00

ABC & XYZ of Beekeeping, Root 2. 75

The Hive and the Honeybee,

Grout - Dadant............................................ 4. 00

Scientific Beekeeping, Sechrist &

McFarland ................................... 1. 00

Bee Journals

American Bee Journal, Hamilton, 111. -1 year $1.50; 2 years $2.25.

Gleanings in Bee Culture, Root Co., Medina, Ohio-1 year $1. 50; 2 years $2. 25.

Beekeepers' Magazine, 3110 Piper Road, Lansing 15, Mich. -1 year $1. 50; 2 years $2. 25.

Modem Beekeeping, Walter T. Kelley, Paducah, Ken. -1 year $1. 00; 2 years $1. 50.

Southern Beekeeper; Alden H. Hale, P. O. Box 94, Hapeville, Ga. -1 year $2. 00; 2 years $3. 50.

Western Canada Beekeeper, 303 Kennedy St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada-1 year $1. 00; 2 years $1. 50.

Canadian Beekeeper, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada -1 year $1. 25.

The Scottish Beekeeper, Aberdeen, Scotland -1 year 90c.

Australasian Beekeeper, P. O. Box 20, West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia - International Money Order, 5 shillings (Australian).

New Zealand Beekeeper, Omakau, Central Otago, New Zealand-1 year 5 shillings. The Bee World, Apis Club, The Way's End, Foxton, Royston, Herts, England-1 year 10 shillings, 6 pence.

South African Beekeeper, 14 Riebeck St, Worcester, C. P. South Africa - 1 year 5 shillings.

Indian Bee Journal, Ramgahr, Dist., Nain Tal, U. P., India-1 year 7 shillings 6 pence. Welsh BEE Journal, 51 Allt-yr-Yn View, Newport, Mon., Wales. 75c International M. O.