82 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



subscribers." I find, also, that manj' 

 readers have not even noticed that it 

 has been dated the 10th, instead of the 

 1st, as do the other monthlies. Con- 

 sidering- all this, I have changed the 

 date to the IStli, in order that the date 

 may more perfectly fit the existing- con- 

 ditions. The Review is expected to 

 reach its readers not far from the mid- 

 dle of the month, and this time is 

 chosen that it may come at a time 

 when they are not receiving the usual 

 g-rist of mag-azines that put in their 

 appearance about the first of the 

 month. 



• "j^^**.-" * ■ 



THE METHOD OF FORETELLING SWARM- 

 ING IS TO BE PATENTED. 



Last month I explained that there 

 was a New York bee-keeper who had 

 a method of telling, without opening- 

 the hive, when a colon\' was making- 

 preparations for swarming-, and that 

 he would publish it if enoug-h bee- 

 keepers would pay him a small sum 

 each. The reason for taking this 

 course was that he considered the idea 

 as unpatentable. Since his interview 

 with me he has been consulting a 

 patent attorney who lias assured him 

 that the greater part of his arrange- 

 ment is patentable, enough so that no 

 one could use it without infringing the 

 patent, and he has decided to patent 

 the plan and sell rights for its use. 

 As soon as a patent has been g-ranted, 

 the device will be described in the 

 Review and rights offered for sale. 



Gus dittmer's factory and office 



IS BURNED — HELP AN UNFORTU- 

 NATE COMRADE. 



On the 20th of Februarj- the factory 

 and office of Gus Dittmer, of Aigusta. 

 Wisconsin, went up in smoke. Be- 

 sides the loss of tools and machiner\', 

 there were burned about 6,000 pounds 

 of foundation and 2,000 pounds of wax. 

 The loss of the office with its papers. 



mailing list, addresses, orders, etc., 

 together witli the mail that came in 

 during the morning of that day, bring-s 

 a great annoyance. Fortunately, the 

 warehouse, containing two carloads of 

 goods did not burn, and Mr. Dittmer 

 can fill orders promptly, even now, 

 for anj^thing except foundation. He 

 he lias boug-hta portion of the old high 

 school building, which stood across 

 tlie street, and expects to be running 

 again, making foundation, by the last 

 of this month. 



Now then, Mr. Dittmer is not ask- 

 ing for charity, but it would be of 

 great help to liim just now if tliose 

 who are owing him would remit 

 promptly. A dollar will be worth two 

 dollars in two or three months from 

 now. He needs orders. He needs 

 wax. I tliink there is no other dealer 

 or manufacturer whj will find the 

 least bit of fault if, just at present, 

 Mr. Dittmer is given a little prefer- 

 ence in the way of oi'ders. Anything 

 in this line would be appreciated — 

 shipments of wax will be especially 

 welcome, and the highest price will be 

 paid. Another thing-, if 3'ou have sent 

 Mr. Dittmer an order, or written him 

 any letter from whicli you have re- 

 ceived no answer, write and tell him 

 about it, for, you must remember, his 

 offic2 and contents were completely 

 destroyed. Tliis notice is written with 

 mingled feelings of sorrow and pleas- 

 ure — regret that there should be any 

 necessity for such a notice, and hope 

 that its publication may be the means 

 of Iielplng Bro. Dittmer in picking up 

 the severed threads of his business. 



MEMORIES OF THE WISCONSIN AND 

 OTHER POEMS, BY HARRY LATHROP. 



At last bee-keepers have been honor- 

 ed by the publication of a book of 

 poems, written by one of their number, 

 Harry Lathrop, of Monroe, Wisconsin. 

 The poems are not tliosa of deep, doubt- 

 ful, hidden meanings, but mostly of 



