The introduction in the mid-nineteenth century of a practical moveable frame hive, of new management techniques, and an improved understanding of bee biology and reproduction transformed beekeeping into something that could be practiced on a more extensive scale, in a more lucrative manner. The pursuit of profit and profitability was a major goal of apiarians throughout the century. For some authors, such as William Cobbett, bees offered a practical solution to the problem of rural poverty, an inexpensive means for individual farmers to enhance their income with minimal effort. From the mid-nineteenth century onward, a scientific approach to beekeeping began to produce results that promised even greater profitability. Bees became big business.

Name recognition has always been an effective source of new book sales. In the 19th century, the Polish apiarist Jan Dzierzon would become synonymous with scientific bee management, and at the turn of the 20th century, the American apiarist C. C. Miller would spend decades publishing books on bee management. In Dzierzon’s case, later authors often connected themselves to his methods in order to legitimize their claims, while with Miller, we see one man’s attempt to create a name through years of experience, self-promotion, and publication.

[ Bees as business ][ Cobbett ][ Doolittle ][ Dzierzon ][ Miller ]