IDE^VOTEID ESZCXjXJSI^VEIj^S' TO BEES -A.1STID liOISTE^ST 



Supplement to APRIL No. 1875; and Eighth Edition Circular and Price List. 



OUR ITIEDLrEV. 



THE BEE-KEEPEKS OF OUK COUNTUY. 



W|EAR FELLOW BEE-KEEPERS :— It is 

 M^ ) now the Oth of March, and though winter 

 still lingers, the sun has to-day thawed the ice 

 off the walks sufficiently to allow Blue Eyes to 

 take extensive promenades, of such a nature, 

 that she fairly bubbled over at supper time 

 with accounts to her papa of the wonderful 

 things she had seen "out doors-es." The bees 

 have rather stopped dying in the forcing house 

 and are now starting brood very fairly, in pro- 

 portion to their diminutive numbers, left to 

 gather meal and care in other ways for the well 

 being of their little ones. The rest of our Api- 

 ar3^ seem to have wintered splendidly ; Glean- 

 ings is receiving daily accessions to its circle 

 of friends, although it has ah'eady a far larger 

 number than at any time last year, and the 

 world in general presents such an unwonted 

 cheerful aspect that we really cannot^ get at the 

 matter in hand, until we tell you all how fer- 

 vently we thank God for his many many bles- 

 sings of which we are so little deserving. 

 Prominent among them is the pleasant news 

 coming from one after another of our old friends 

 to let us know they are rejoicing to find that 

 we too ha.\e fudlly "found that peace that pas- 

 seth understanding." 



Do j'ou wonder that \re rejoice to find we 

 have so many ministers among our subscribers, 

 that we feel as if we must take them all by 

 the hand and wish them God speed in their 

 noble work of reforming mankind? And this 

 reminds us that we hope we shall have the 

 ai)proval of all of you in deciding to mention 

 Mr. Langstroth, first of all the Bee-Kee^)crs of 

 America. 



Rev. L. L. L.\N(iSTUOTii, of Oxford, Butler 

 Co., Ohio, most of you know, is generally ac- 

 corded the honor of having first made the 

 movable comb bee hive practically a success, 

 and of having introduced it extensively among 

 ilie i)eople. How far he has been remembered, 

 and what are his present circumstances may be 

 gathered from the following extracts from a 

 letter ju.st received. from him. It was not in- 

 tended for publication, yet it answers so many 



inquiries in regard to him that we feel sure he 

 will excuse it. 



Excuse dear rrienils, the <lelay in replying to your 

 kinil inquhie^. Since the last, of Jiirn^ 187M. I have 

 been laid aside from business ol all kinds, and only in 

 a few instances liave I been able personally to )•■ --pond 

 to letters .addressed to me. This week tor tli'.^ first 

 time, have I felt any very hopeful symptoms of resto- 

 red mental activity. A "year ago last fall I was com- 

 pelled by poverty and sickness to part witli all ray 

 bees, and it is only within a few days that I care 1 to 

 liear again the hum of an Insect in which I once took 

 such delight. Two years ago I was straining every 

 nerve to have the suit of Otis against K.ing brought to 

 an issue. That eminent counsellor S. S. Fisher, after 

 seeing all that the defense could say for their ••ase, 

 was confident that the claims of my patent woul; n^t 

 be invalidated. The day was set for the hearing; but 

 before the cross examination on my own swoi'n s'ate- 

 ment could be comjileted I was prostrated in mind 

 and body by my old complaint, and every thing cane 

 to a stand. Since then Col. Fisher has die ; ; and 

 Mr. Otis, after being some time an inmate of an insane 

 asylum, died there, and of course the suit (.ame to an 

 end. My relatives knew, and Mr. H. A. King was also 

 informefl by me. personally, that in aiding Mr. Otis, I 

 had ceased to expect any pecuniary benefit by appeal- 

 ing to law (in case of a favorable verdict) to maintain 

 my own riglits against infringers. My settled and 

 declared intention, was in the large territory which I 

 then owned, to leave all infringers to act as their own 

 consciences might dictate, in paying me a license fee 

 or not, even although the law allowed me seven 

 years after the expiration of the patent, to collect 

 (lamages against them. I have felt for years tliat from 

 the many conflicting, and as I believe, infringing 

 hives, which have come into use, my relations to the 

 bee-keeping community, had become misunderstood 

 by many who were ignorant of the facts. I have im- 

 ceasingiy grieved to find myself in my old age, in 

 such unpleasant antagonism to many with whom I 

 sought to maintain only friendly relations. I have 

 never derived even a meagre support from my patent, 

 independent of the employment, and am now, since I 

 have been laid aside from all business, almost entirely 

 dependent upon the kindness of relatives. 



Should I regain sufficient iiealth, I sliould delight to 

 revise my work on the Honey Bee, antl give it the 

 benefit of the latest discoveries "and improvements. 



Just before I was taken sick, I had been planning 

 to make you a visit and show you what I regarded as 

 a dccideii advance in the way of constructing both 

 hives and frames. I remember with great interest our 

 very pleasant correspondence, and the expressions of 

 kinihu'ss from Novice and family. I associate you 

 with the dear wife who appreciated so deeply the in- 

 terest wliicli vou and vour kind iihvsician took in my 

 health. With the kindest regards to each member of 

 your family, I remain as ever, 



V'erv truly vour friend, L. L. Langstroth. 



Oxford, O. " Feb. 26th, 1875. 



In giving the above we have several objects 

 in view ; one is to show those Avho are enter- 

 taining hopes of gain bj' selling rights, that 

 even so valuable an improvement as the mov- 

 able comb, onl}^ resulted in trouble and loss to 

 almost all parties concerned. And worst of 

 all, it made unkindncss, and trouble, where all 

 should have been friends and neighbors. Last- 

 ly, it shows those who I'oel as if they owe a 

 debt that has not been paid, just how they can 

 recompense our kind old friend for his .services. 



