406 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



June 



ramblings and new inventions, every little 

 while we have to come back again to Lang- 

 stroth. In regard to double top-bars, see 

 editorial in our previous issue, page 38i». 



KAMBLB NO. 24. 



IN MONT(JOMERy CO., N. Y. 



Early in December last, the Kamtiler dropped 

 quietly off the West Shore train at Fort Plain, 

 Montgomery Co., N. Y., and found that Sprout 

 Brook, the home of the Van Deusens, of flat-bot- 

 tom-foundation fame, was eight miles away. Mud 

 was the chief staple en the surface of the earth 

 then, and we hesitated to embark by stage, and 

 travel so far inland. We were, however, in search 

 of things new and novel; and though the roads 

 were as bad as any we ever saw, we do not regret 

 our trip. 



Sprout Brook is a charming little village with a 

 church, a store or two, and a hotel. Nearly a mile 

 from the village lives Mr. J. Van Deusen and his 

 sons J. A., O. J., and C. C. The homes of the Van 

 Deusens and their factory are located in a flat- 

 bottomed valley, and form a very picturesque little 

 village as you look down upon it from the hill. A 

 stream winds its way slowly along through this 

 valley, and years ago the water-power here was 

 utilized to run a woolen-factory. But since the ad- 

 vent of improved bee culture, the woolen machin- 

 ery has been taken out and flat-bottom-foundation 

 machinery put in. Like all country streams, the 

 water fails during dry seasons, and an engine has 

 been added to keep the wheels of business running 

 at such times. 



The Rambler's call was made at an unfortunate 

 time, as the elder Van Deusen had just buried his 

 wife, and was that day from home. C. C. was con- 

 fined to his bed by a severe sickness; and as he was 

 the apiarist of the establishment, our bee talk with 

 the others was of short duration. 



C. C. has charge of about 300 colonies, and he finds 

 that the highest yields are realized when only 40 

 colonies are located in a given field. Basswood is 

 not abundant, but clover and kindred flowers give 

 that Mohawk and Cherry Valley honey, which is 

 hardly surpassed by that produced in any other 

 locality in the country. Cellar wintering is prac- 

 ticed by nearly all bee-keepers in this portion of the 

 State, wifh usually, good results. Flat - bottom 

 foundation is, however, the great specialty, and is 

 manufactured in a large building. J. Van Deusen 

 and two of the sons devote their attention to this 

 work. 



The venerable and pleasant face of J. 

 Van Deusen is well known at our conven- 

 tions, and is always supplemented with a 

 sample of beautiful flat-bottomed foun- 

 dation in hia hand. His position in the 

 firm is to work up trade, attend to cor- 

 respondence, and take in the cash. 



On the first floor of the factory is an 

 engine, saw-tables, planers, etc., used "■s^ 

 for the manufacture of packing-boxes 

 for the foundation, which is manu- "^^^ 



factured in the upper story. Flat-bottomed foun- 

 dation is a patented article, but it seems that pat- 

 ent-laws are not strong enough to protect the man- 

 ufacturers, and great secrecy environs the second 

 floor of the factory, which is rigidly closed against 



visitors, and especially against ramblers. The Van 

 Deusens, of course, claim to make the best founda- 

 tion in the world, and advocate the idea that any 

 foundation that runs less than 13 square feet to the 

 pound, and is not flat-bottomed, is not fit for comb 

 honey. They also lay the broad claim that it is 

 worked out quicker than any other foundation 

 made. Their method of cleansing the wax makes 

 it cleaner than any other manufacturers can possi- 

 bly get it; but we shall have to take Bro. Van Deu- 

 sen's word for it, for their process is a secret. 



For a lubricant, lye, starch, soap, etc., were vig- 

 orously condemned, and pronounced detrimental 

 to the production of a good article. Their lubri- 

 cant is as pure as the breath of an angel, and is also 

 just as secret. Theirs are the only rolls that can 

 manufacture wired foundation. As to how it is 

 done is also— a secret: 



Foundation can be made faster than by any oth- 

 er process. No visitor, however, is allowed to see 

 the process— it is a secret! The fact, however, that 

 foundation could be made so very fast, gave the 

 Rambler a great desire to compare the two systems 

 of manufacture— the secret one of the Van Deu- 

 sens and the free-toall, broad-minded system of 

 the Dadants, who make over 30 tons per year. So 

 we ventured a question to that effect. 



"Oh, yes!" says Bro. Van D., with his blandest 

 smile; "that reminds me of a story Capt. Hether- 

 ington told me the other day. He had a pile of 

 wood, and employed a laboring man to saw it, sup- 

 posing he bad enough to keep the man busy all day. 

 About noon, the man, whom we will call Sam, came 

 around and reported the pile sawed. Capt. H. 

 could hardly believe Sam, and went to see for him- 

 self. ' Why,' said Sam, ' if you want me to work all 

 day, get a pile of wood. I want no little pile like 

 that!' 'Well, Sam, how big a pile shall I get you?' 

 'Oh!' said Sam, 'get a big pile— a great big one.' 

 ' But, how big- how many cords? what do you call 

 a great big pile?' 'Why, Capt. H., if you want to 

 see me everlastingly work, just get an all-fired 

 big pile.' Well, Mr. Rambler, that's just the size 

 of the pile of flat-bottom foundation we manufac- 

 ture." 



Silence fell upon us for the space of a minute. 

 We realized that we had hit another secret square 

 on the head. 



There was one point, however, upon which there 

 was no secret. This was a desire to sell this se- 

 cret flat-bottom foundation, either by the pound 

 or by the ton. The Rambler was inclined to 

 make a bargain for a few hundred pounds, but 

 just then the stage arrived, and we bade good- 



Hf 



GENESIS OF FLAT BOTTOMED FOUNDATION. 



by to the senior Van D., and were again behind tired 

 horses and on bad roads. The Rambler's dreams 

 troubled him again, and the very genesis of flat- 

 bottom foundation came up before him, and would 

 not down until the pencil made the vision perma- 



