Welcome to an Old Friend. 



The Rev. L. L. Langstroth has so far 

 recovered from his prostration of 

 several year's standing that he is able 

 again to attend to his correspondence, 

 and offered to fnrnish an interesting 

 article for our last Journal. Why it 

 did not appear is explained by the fol- 

 lowing, which came to hand just as we 

 were going to press : 



Osf ord, O. , Oct. 25, 1878. 

 Friend Nkwmax: 



After promising you an article for Nov. I found 

 myself so overwhelmed with business after my long 

 sickness, that I could not get it ready— will send it 

 for Dec. No. I desire through the Amekican Bee 

 Journal to assure all your readers of my hearty 

 sympathy and co-operation, to the extent of my 

 ability, in all efforts, to advance the best interests of 

 apiculture. Very truly your friend, 



L. Li. Langstroth. 



In a recent letter Mr. L. promises us 

 some interesting articles on " The per- 

 sonal reminiscences of an old bee- 

 keeper;" in which he will tell how he 

 became interested in bees, and relate 

 the steps by which he reached the in- 

 vention of movable frames. He will 

 also give the history of the importation 

 of Italian bees, &c. These recollections 

 will be exceedingly interesting to many 

 of our readers, and we feel sure that 

 they will be read with more than ordi- 

 nary attention by all. We hereby re- 

 newedly tender to Mr. Langstroth, 

 the veteran scientific bee-keeper of 

 America, a hearty welcome to the Bee 

 Journal. We are glad to know that 

 his interest is unabated in the subject 

 of bee-culture. 



i^At the Michigan State Fair, we 

 notice that Frank Benton carried off 9 

 prizes, being for box honey, hive, Italian 

 bees, nucleus, extractor, smoker, veil, 

 comb foundation, introducing cage, &c. 

 H. D. Cuttilig, W. Spedding andjHenry 

 Bidwell took the other prizes in this 

 department. The committee of award 

 embodied the following in their report : 

 " Your committee desire to make par- 

 ticular mention of exhibits by Frank 

 Benton, of Detroit, all of which must 

 be of great practical use to all engaged 

 in the bee business. We have recom- 

 mended a small discretionary premium, 

 but suggest that instead of the premi- 



ums a diploma be given for each article. 

 The honey is all good, and it has been 

 a difficult matter for us to decide which 

 is best." 



Another Smoker.— Mr. Scovell has 

 sent to our museum a smoker which he 

 has made, and asks our opinion of it. 

 It is in all essential features a copy of 

 the Bingham smoker ; the few changes 

 but weaken it, and makes it less desira- 

 ble. It has the esseniia? "cut off," but 

 located differently, and a small wire 

 hook to hang it up by. Should it be 

 hung up while hot, close to any thing 

 inflammable, a damaging fire may be 

 the result. 



Mr. A. J. King, in his address before 

 the National Convention, on the " His- 

 tory of bee-keeping," remarked : 



" Mr. Quinby, invented the best form of bellows 

 smoker then in use, which has been further improved 

 by the addition of the direct draft principle. Invented 

 by Mr. T . F. Bingham, which leaves notning more to 

 be desired in this line." 



We fully agree with Mr. King. The 

 smoker of Mr. Scovell and also the one 

 made by Mr. King, are efforts to utilize 

 the direct-draft principle, which has 

 made the Bingham smoker so popular. 

 In form both are like Bingham's, but 

 more complicated, requiring machinery 

 to do imperfectly what Bingham's ac- 

 complishes perfectly without. 



Had Mr. Bingham made no effort to 

 patent his smoker, it is quite probable 

 that no practical effort would have been 

 made to make any different ! 



Until they can get up something 

 essentially different from the Bingham 

 smoker that will accomplish the same 

 result, we advise all to be satisfied 

 therewith. Bingham's inventive genius 

 is entitled to the full credit of his ex- 

 cellent invention of the direct-draft as 

 applied to smokers. 



i^The papers almost without ex- 

 ception are now proclaiming the advent 

 of better times— the " panic" and "hard 

 times " seem to have spent there fury 

 upon us, and the heavens look brighter. 

 The general " thanksgivings " of the 

 past week have therefore been hearty 

 and appropiate. 



