ELENCHUS LIBRORUM DE APIUM CULTURA BIBLIOGRAPHIE UNIVERSELLE D'APICULTURE

small 8vo. cloth. 229 pages. Facsimile edition of Elenchus Librorum De Apium Cultura Bibliographie Universelle D'Apiculture originally published in Milan in 1881 by Ulrich Hoepli. De Kellers work is the first bibliography on apiculture, or beekeeping. The Feminin' Monarchi' or the History of Bees by Charles Butler, 1634, London, is considered the greatest of the early British bee books. Modern beekeeping had its inception in L. L. Langstroth's development of his movable-frame hive, patented in 1852. Langstroth's genius was to recognize the importance of bee space for optimal hive design. Langstroth (1810-95), a native of Philadelphia, at an early age took such an extraordinary interest in observing the habits of insects that he was punished for wearing holes in the knees of his pants while learning all he could about ant life. Although the first book on beekeeping printed in America appeared in 1792, it was based on the work of an Englishman. Various short works followed, many of which promoted patented hives. Thomas Miner wrote the first comprehensive guide for American beekeepers in 1849, a treatise that has always been overshadowed by the works of three giants of American beekeeping who followed him: L. L. Langstroth, Moses Quinby and A. I. Root. In all, 2250 titles are described. The arrangement of the work is alphabetical. An extremely scarce imprint. No copies are for sale online, and the title has never been reprinted. Contains 2 leaf pages. Besterman 436.…