934 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dh-C. 15. 



at the request of the North Americau Bee-keep- 

 ers' Association, I took charge of the American 

 Bee Journal, and removed it from Washington 

 to Chicago, his daughter, Mrs. Cowan, wrote 

 me, at his request, a letter of approval and en- 

 couragement, his head trouble being then upon 

 him, so that he could not write himself. He 

 also promised help in carrying on the journal 

 should his health permit. Shortly afterward 

 the sickness and death of Mrs. Langslroth took 

 place, which were a sore trial to him. It was a 

 merciful mitigation of his affliction that his 

 health was so far restored to him that, during 

 the ten day's illness of his beloved partner, he 

 was able to be with her every night but one. 

 The letter he wrote me in announcement of 

 this sad event was a gem In its way. Some 

 passages in it were so beautiful and touching 

 that, though not meant for publication, I took 

 the liberty of inserting them in the American 

 Bee Journal for March, 1S73. I think it would 

 be an interesting feature in its symposium if 

 Gleanings were to reproduce that letter, as it 

 gives a lovely picture of our departed friend's 

 bearing under one of the sorest afflictions that 

 can befall mortals in the present life. 



Mr. Langstroth belonged to a class of bee- 

 keepers who are numerous In Great Britain, 

 but comparatively scarce in this country, who 

 engage in the pursuit, not so much for the 

 money there is in it, as for the interest they 

 feel in observing the nature and habits of these 

 wonderful insects, and trying to uplift and 

 ennoble the occupation as worthy a place of 

 honor among intelligent and educated people. 

 It is common in some quarters to despise and 

 disparage this class of bee-keepers; but for 

 what reason I can not divine, so that it is al- 

 most necessary to defend the memory of this 

 great and good man from the undeserved 

 obloquy of not being a specialist in this line. He 

 was one of those who do not believe money- 

 making to be the all-important business of 

 human beings in this world. Though he did 

 not enrich himself by keeping bees, he perform- 

 ed services for others, the value of which are 

 untenable. It is a poor return for these services 

 which have done so much to ennoble bee- 

 keeping, both as a science and an art, to belittle 

 the performers of them because they do not 

 count their colonies by the hundred nor their 

 gains by the dollar-and-cent standard. Prac- 

 tical bee-keepers should hail those of the 

 Langstroth class as allies and helpers, and be 

 glad that any and all, according to their several 

 ability, should aid the pursuit.^ 



As a writer, Mr. Langstroth wielded a power- 

 ful and graceful pen. He was a master in con- 

 troversy, and some of his articles of this char- 

 acter, that are on record in the earlier volumes 

 of the American Bee Journal, are models of 

 their kind. He did not fear to call a spade a 

 spade. lie dealt in no hollow compliments; 



and, while respectful and courteous toward all, 

 he spoke the unvarnished truth as he believed 

 it, without fear or favor. Nothing low or 

 vulgar ever marred his writings. Theve was a 

 charm about his style that could not fail to in- 

 terest all who read them. A memorial volume, 

 embracing some of his best articles, along with 

 biographical sketches from those who knew 

 him best, ought to find ready and large sale 

 among bee-keepers. 1 am glad to know that 

 abler hands than mine are to set forth the 

 merits of his invention, and what it has ac- 

 complished in the apicultural world: also its 

 relative value as compared with the inventions 

 of others who came before and after him. 



I have tried to fulfill the task assigned me. 

 and give "some recollections of Langstroth," 

 and only regret that, owing to my few oppor- 

 tunities of personal intercourse with him. they 

 are so meager. It would be easy to enlarge on 

 the many estimable qualities of our departed 

 friend; but I fear to encroach further on val- 

 uable space, and will only add in the words of 

 another: " If I have done well, and as is fitting 

 the subject.it is that which I desired; but if 

 slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could 

 attain unto." 



Guelph, Ont., Nov. 1. 



"LANGSTROTH, THE NESTOR OF AMERICAN 

 APICULTURE, 



WHOSE NAME I.S KNOWN AND WHOSE WORK IS 

 APPRECIATED ALL OVER THE WORLD." 



By Thotnas O. Newman, former Editor of the 

 American Bee Journal. 



This is the subject assigned to me for coi»- 

 ment. Other themes presenting the many 

 noble characteristics of the late brother will no 

 doubt be ably introduced by those having them 

 in charge, and so I shall enter at once upon my 

 topic. 



Father Langstroth's invention of the mov- 

 able frame, in 1S52, was so perfect, when an- 

 nounced, that time and experiments have not 

 improved it. While in different countries and 

 climates its dimensions have been modified 

 somewhat, yet the movable frame in use to-day, 

 the world over, is substantially the same as 

 Father Langstroth introduced to the world 

 after he had privately experimented and se- 

 verely tested it. in 18.53. 



That invention completely revolutionized the 

 pursuit of bee-keeping in all the civilized 

 countries of the earth, and gave it such an im- 

 petus that it has now become one of the leading 

 agricultural industries of the world. Its in- 

 ventor's name will endure as long as bees are 

 cultured, and will be remembered and revered 

 by generations yet unborn. 



His classic book, "The Hive and Honey-bee," 

 stands at the head of bee-literature, and has 

 been translated, in whole or in part, into all the 

 principal languages of the world; and on the 



