200 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[For.the American Bee .Tournal.] 

 That Discovery.— Who will Explain? 



The opinion seems to prevail tliat friend Quinby 

 oriirinntcd the plan of using two tiers of boxes 

 for surplus honey. Friend Langstroth I observes 

 has also this opinion. See B. J., vol. 8, page 149, 

 ■where he says — " Make the cover eleven inches 

 deep, that two tiei's of boxes may be used, on 

 the plan. /ir.s!! suggested by IMr. Quinby. 



The Italics are mine. Now this plan may 

 have been "first suggested by Mr. Q,uinby," but 

 where is the proof? I ask the question as a 

 matter of apislical history, and Avould be pleased 

 to see the question settled, and the answer re- 

 corded in the American Bee Journal. I am 

 perfectly willing that Mr. Quinby shall have all 

 the credit that belongs to him ; 'but let us give 

 the honor, if such it be, "to whom the honor is 

 due." 



Now, perhaps friend Quinby himself does not 

 claim the discovery. Here is a revised copy of 

 the "Mysteries," rewritten in 1865. We will 

 see what he says on this subject. On page 62 

 and 140, I find this language : — 



"The height of the cover should be seven 

 inches, but where a double tier of boxes is used, 

 it must be made fit?" 



"Occasionally a colony will have too many 

 bees to work to advantage in one set of boxes. 

 In such a case, after the first are well advanced, 

 raise them up, with the holes of communication 

 through the top and bottom." 



Cerlainly there is nothing in the above to show 

 that the plan of using a "double tier of boxes," 

 originated with this author. I may be mistaken, 

 but do not think another sentence on tiiis sub- 

 ject, can be found in the "Mysteries." 



Thus it seems that Mr. Quinby docs not attach 

 much importance to the discovery^ or he would, 

 without question, have had more to say about it. 

 It will be observed that occasionally we will have 

 colonies strong enough to work in two sets of 

 boxes at one lime. This may be true in the 

 East, where foulbrood exists, but not in this 

 section. In many parts of the West, every 

 strong colony, if kept from swarming, will need 

 two sets of boxes. 



M. M. Baldridge. 



St. Charles, III. 



[For the Ameiicau Bee Journal.] 



Explanation Desired. 



I notice in the March number of the Bee 

 Journal, page 170, that fears are expressed by 

 W. W. Baldndge, that foulbrood has been intro- 

 duced into some of the apiaries of Iowa. This 

 strikes me Avith much surprise, ibr I believe 

 that I am well acquainted with all apiarians of 

 any note in this State, being in constant com- 

 munication with all leading bee-keepers. I 

 have never heard of a single case of foulbrood in 

 this State, nor of anything which could possibly 

 be mistaken for it. Indeed I have never known 

 any disease among bees here. It has been a 

 matter of congratultition among us, that bees 



are so universally vigorous and healthy. Since 

 Mr. Baldridge claims such knowledge, I call 

 upon him to give the readers of the Bee Jour- 

 nal the names of the persons iii who.se apiaries 

 the disease is found, and the proof that such is 

 the case. I can hardly belieye that any person 

 who knew that the disease was among "his bees, 

 would send queens away. Certainly I know of 

 no Iowa bee-keejjer who could be guilty of the 

 crime — for I can give it no milder name. If 

 any have been luifortunate enough to receive 

 the pestilence with a queen from abroad, they 

 should have the sympathy of all. Please, Mr. 

 Baldridge, give us the names and facts, instead 

 of "fears" and insinuations. 



Ellen S. Tupper, 

 In helialf of all Iowa bee-keei^ers. 



[For the American Bee Journal. ] 



Bee Feeders. 



I see that Mr. Hunter, of Piqua, asks for in- 

 fonnation regarding an invention for feeding 

 bees, and also inquires how he shall "feed bees in 

 the Langstroth hives." I do notknow what appa- 

 ratus was meant bj^ the writer in the Rural iVew 

 Yorker, but can inform Mr. Hunter, that Mr. 

 Edward Harrison, of Springfield, Ohio, has the 

 most perfect thing I have ever seen for feeding 

 bees, adapted to any form of hive. It is simple, 

 cheap, and perfectly constructed, so as to pre- 

 vent any interference from robber bees, and 

 can be so adjusted that the bees of the cluster 

 may have access to it in the coldest weather, 

 with safety and ease. 



I do not know Mr. Harrison's present address. 

 He should certainly advertise his feeder, and 

 introduce it to all bee-keepers. Pi'obably Col- 

 onel Leffel, of Springfield, could give informa- 

 tion of Mr. H.'s address. 



E. S. T. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Wanted I 



A good method of destroying the drones of 

 such hives as we do not wish to breed from. 

 Something applicable alike to common and mo- 

 vable comb hives, and not patented. 



It should be capable of being attached to a 

 hive, without injuring it if left undisturbed sev- 

 eral days. Breeders of queens could then pre- 

 vent the flying of all the drones in the neighbor- 

 hood which are undesirable for breeding purpo- 

 ses, provided all the owners gave their assent. 



I have a device in view, and if on trial it proves 

 a success, will inform your readers, unless a 

 better plan is offered. Experimenter. 



lEi^Send us names of bee-keepers with their 

 post office address. 



IIi:^°Want of room constrains us to postpone 

 to next month a number of communications 

 now on hand. 



