Cornell University's Albert R. Mann Library is delighted to announce the addition of the first twenty volumes of The American Bee Journal, a key American beekeeping publication, to its Hive and the Honeybee online library of historical beekeeping materials. U.S. beekeepers will be familiar with The American Bee Journal, the first English-language journal devoted to the beekeeping field. First published in 1861, The American Bee Journal featured contributions by major figures of 19th century American apiculture such as L.L. Langstroth, Henry Alley, Moses Quinby, A.I. Root and others. Still being published today, the ABJ exists as a monument to the long history of American beekeeping and the ingenuity of its practitioners. The ABJ’s first twenty volumes, now available at http://bees.library.cornell.edu/ , cover the years 1861 through 1884. From observations on Chinese methods for harvesting honey to tips on the use of wild onions and other herbs as honey plants, these early volumes present a treasure trove of often beautifully illustrated details on the theory and practice of 19th century American beekeeping. Online access to ABJ’s early volumes is the result of a multi-year initiative supported by beekeepers from across the United States. Contributions sent in from beekeeping associations from California to Maine made the digitization of these volumes possible, while matching funds from Mann Library’s preservation program have supported the scanning of an additional twenty volumes that will be available online by Spring 2009. The Hive and the Honeybee is a free, full text digital archive of selected works from Mann Library's E. F. Phillips Collection, one of the world’s most comprehensive apicultural libraries. This growing online archive, generously supported by American beekeepers, offers ready access to works of historical importance and usefulness to both scholars and practicing beekeepers today. In addition to the newly added volumes from The American Bee Journal, the site currently offers over thirty key historical monographs, including classics such as the 1623 edition of Charles Butler’s The Feminine Monarchie, and Samuel Hartlib’s work, The Reformed Commonwealth of Bees, published in 1655. Thanx to Mann Library and the generous donation of all beekeepers & beek associations who have made this possible! Mike Griggs FLBC ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * *******************************************************