270 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



style, and the effort to help and instruct the 

 reader rather than impress him with the 

 accomplishments of the writer. 



We do not know just when he was able 

 to make beekeeping his sole business and 

 the support of his family; but he certainly 

 did so after his removal to St. Johnsville, 

 Montgomery County, New York, in 1853, 

 the year his first book was ijublished. Dur- 

 ing the next ten years he owned the largest 

 number of swarms at any time during his 

 business career, and began to send large 

 amounts of honey to the New York market, 

 even while still using the box hive. There 

 being only a moderate demand at that time 

 he nearly glutted the 

 market. This was, in- 

 deed, the beginning of 

 the reconstmction pe- 

 riod in beekeeping. In 

 1856 Mr. Quinby's at- 

 tention was called to 

 Mr. Langst roth's in- 

 vention of a movable- 

 comb hive. He saw its 

 advantages, and at 

 once adopted it in a 

 modified form. Then 

 followed the introduc- 

 tion of Italian bees, 

 honey-extractor, comb 

 foundation, single sec- 

 tions for comb honey, 

 and his own invention 

 of the bee-smoker. 

 These were indeed 

 gratifying days to Mr. 

 Quinby. Who was 

 there in all of the 

 beekeeping woi'ld so 

 well prepared as he 

 from the standpoint of 

 practical experience to 

 meet the needs of this 

 wonderful forward 

 movement? 



Mr. Quinby's non- 

 swarming stand i n g 

 frame hive enabled 

 him to accomplish 



lai-ge results under liis management. Much 

 might be said in regard to Mr. Quinby's 

 prefen-ing the larger frame. Marked suc- 

 cess can be secured only by extremely pop- 

 ulous swarms. I have proven the larger 

 frames very advantageous to that end. 



I shall never forget the enthusiasm which 

 was caused at our home when the words 

 "centrifugal force for removing honey from 

 the combs" were received in the report of 

 tlie invention of Major de Hruschka, of 

 N'iemia. An old fanning-mill, which had 



been used for cleaning grain, was at once 

 taken apart, the fans removed, and wire 

 cloth stretched around its four sides. A 

 larger box was made, inside of which this 

 frame was arranged to revolve, and with 

 the gearing of the fanning-mill it was set 

 in motion. The gTatification with which 

 Mr. Quinby saw the honey thrown from the 

 first combs cannot well be described. He 

 soon made an extractor in more workable 

 form, which was afterward perfected by 

 A. I. Root, and known as the Novice ex- 

 tractor. 



Mr. Quinby realized that, though fearless 

 himself, people werie deterred from keeping 



Fig. 5. — Queen, drono, and workers. This exceedingly accurate drawing 

 was made 50 years ago by Mr. Quinby's daughter, who afterward became 

 the wife of L." C. Root. The illustration was used in the 1865 edition of 

 the book, and has been very widelv copied. See article by P. H. ElwoO'd, 

 page 281. 



bees by fear of being stung. Smoke had 

 been used in various crude ways; but he 

 knew that, if it could be easily and con- 

 veniently adapted, it would be a great boon, 

 especially to the amateur. His invention of 

 the bee-smoker did this, being so arranged 

 with uiDright bellows and fire-tube as to 

 burn standing upright, but to go out when 

 placed on the side, and to be easily manip- 

 ulated wtih one hand. The principle of it 

 lias never been improved upon. 



New York state where Mr. Quinby's in- 



