Beekeeping was a small but important industry in the United States during the early 19th century, pursued by hundreds of individuals across the country, usually for slender profit. By the middle of the 19th century, however, technological advances and improved techniques in bee management laid the groundwork for greater profitability for the beekeeper and for production on a larger scale.

The apicultural collection at SCUA contains a number of key works in American bee literature, including the principal publications of apiarists such as A. J. Cook, L.C. Root, and the most influential of all, Lorenzo Langstroth. From scholarly texts on natural history and management to more practical tracts on field work, American authors pursued a variety of approaches to apiculture, pioneering technologies such as new designs for smokers and innovations in hive design.

[ American bee books ][ Bevan ][ Miner ][ Langstroth ][ King ][ Cook ][ Root ]