Yours faithfully,
Orlando William Forrester.
This is a very interesting letter. Is it possible that the drones arriving
from other hives, and entering when the queen was alone, were really
suitors for her majesty's choice?
I do not like artificial swarming. I prefer to follow the instinct of the
bees, not to create new relations: others think otherwise.
* * * * *
_Brighton, August 30th._
Sir,--I trust you will excuse the liberty I have taken in addressing
you on purely personal matters. Your kindly, genial letters in _The
Times_ have induced me to do so. We wish greatly to increase a very
small income, and you have so strongly advocated the care of "bees,"
as both remunerative and agreeable, that we wish to try on rather a
large scale. I should not have troubled you on this subject, as you
have intimated your intention of publishing, but that I feared the
season for procuring stock would be over before the book appeared.
We wish to commence with not less than fifty hives; and, as many of
the authorities we have consulted are very conflicting, I have taken
the liberty of begging your aid in our dilemma. Might I trespass upon
your kindness so far as to ask your opinion as to the best method of
purchasing _bees_; also the best description of hives? With regard
to their care during winter, and their general management, we shall
doubtless be fully informed in your book.
Again apologising for thus troubling you,