Humanity to Honey Bees:

The first edition of this significant work describing a new, more humane, hive design.

'In 1832 (before moveable-frames) Thomas Nutt wrote a book, Humanity to Honeybees, to persuade beekeepers to harvest their honey without killing the bees. He designed and illustrated a collateral hive; the honey combs could be removed from chambers at the side without disturbing the brood nest in the central box' (Crane, 'It Started with Honey Hunting', Country Life, July 4, 1974). Nutt had prominent patrons and his book was influential, being republished a number of times and translated into German and Hungarian. His collateral system was adapted and improved-upon by Henry Taylor and other notable apiarists.

First edition; 8vo; folding frontispiece and woodcuts throughout the text, errata leaf, contents unopened, some pencil marks in the text, spotting and marks to the title and frontispiece and scattered through the contents; contemporary brown cloth, printed paper label to spine, binder's ticket of Ben Gough of Bartholomew Close, London, joints split, corners and ends of spine bumped and worn, dampstaining, spotting, and uneven tanning of the cloth, very good condition; 240pp.

British Bee Books 215.