author
Burton N. (Burton Noble) Gates
1881–1972
A pioneering American apiculturist, he helped turn beekeeping into a more careful, scientific practice. His writing is clear and practical, shaped by years of teaching, research, and close attention to the life of the bee colony.
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About the author
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Burton Noble Gates (1881–1972) studied at Clark University, where he earned his Ph.D. and began developing a lasting interest in apiculture. He went on to lecture on beekeeping and became closely associated with the Massachusetts Agricultural College, where he worked in the early years of organized academic bee research.
Gates is remembered for practical, science-based writing on bees and beekeeping. Works such as The Temperature of the Bee Colony and Soft Candy for Bees reflect his focus on observation, colony management, and the everyday problems faced by beekeepers. He also served as an inspector of apiaries in Massachusetts, connecting research with real-world agricultural work.
His influence lasted beyond his own publications. Archival collections centered on his papers and apicultural materials show how widely he gathered, studied, and shared information about bees, helping preserve an important chapter in the history of beekeeping.