1871.] 



THE AMEEICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



233 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



Washington, April, 1871. 



lC^ We consider the Bee-feeder, invented by Mr. 

 Hersbey, of Mountjoy, (Pa.,) and described by 

 liim, in the present number of the Journal, as the 

 best device for the purpose intended that has ever 

 come under our notice. The Germans use an ordi- 

 nary feedinsj trough, with float, placed within the 

 frame, and inserted in the cluster of hues ; but the 

 substitution for it, of what is virtually a feeding 

 (^ac, is certainly a very valuable improvement and 

 decided advance. 



The apparatus, to which we alluded in our Feb- 

 ruary number, for safely introducing queens, with- 

 out seeking for and removing the old one to be 

 superseded, or a fertile worker to be supplanted, is 

 called the Queen's Castle, and consists of a plain 

 case adapted, in its dimensions, to receive a full 

 sized frame, such as the bee-keeper ordinarily uses 

 in his hives. The two sides of this case are formed 

 of wire cloth, and the ends and bottoms are pieces 

 of tin two inches broad, so as to allow a space half 

 an inch wide between the wire cloth and each side 

 of the comb or frame, which is to be suspended in 

 the case. The case, too, should be a quarter of an 

 inch deeper than the frame, so as to allow a free 

 passage for the bees below the latter, and just long 

 enou:;h to permit the frame to be inserted in it 

 easily. The tin end pieces should also project about 

 half an inch at top, beyond the wire cloth, and be 

 there bent outward, at right angles, to rest on the 

 rebates of the hive, to support tlie case and its con- 

 tents. An inch hole should be punched centrally 

 through the tin bottom, and provided with a sliding 

 cover for occasional use. 



To introduce a queen in a colony, a frame contain- 

 ing ■worker comb with some sealed honey is to be 

 selected, the queen and her companions placed 

 thereon, the frame suspended in the case or queen 

 castle, and the top opening closed with a strip of 

 thin board, secured so as to confine the queen and 

 bees. The case so arranged is then suspended 

 between two brood combs in the hive destined to 

 receive the queen, and allowed to remain there two 

 or three duys undisturbed. It is then withdrawn, 

 the frame and comb, with the queen and her com- 

 panions, lifted out and at once replaced in the hive ; 

 all the frames are then again properly adjusted and 

 the hive closed. This completes the operation, and 

 it is alleged, that queens so introduced are invariably 

 accepted— the old queen of the colony, or any usurp- 

 ing fertile worker present being meanwhile dis- 

 carded, deposed, and ejected. 



The inventor of this apparatus and process, the 

 Rev. Mr. Baist, of Ulfa, iu the Dutchy of Hesse, says, 

 that of a lot of twenty queens thus introduced at one 



time, all were accepted, though several of the colo- 

 nies contained fertile workers, and from six the old 

 queens had not been removed. Nor has he known a 

 single failure since the process was adopted, now 

 more than two years ago. The queens usually con- 

 tinue laying eggs as if nothing had occurred to 

 alarm or discourage them. 



This process could easily be tested with queens of 

 no special value, and we shall be pleased to hear the 

 results of any experiments that may be made. 



We call attention to the important suggestions 

 made by Mr. Langstroth, in an article on the subject 

 of bee poison, in this number of the Journal. He 

 also related to us, lately, an instance in which a 

 visitor to his apiary, who tasted freely of the just 

 emptied honey (though strongly cautioned against 

 it), and before he reached his home was seized with 

 such distressing symptoms that his life was for some 

 time considered in danger. Mr. Langstroth "never 

 offers the " Hruschkaed" honey for sale till he has, 

 by sufficient heat, expelled all the bee poison. He 

 uses for this purpose the tin receiver in the rear of 

 the Stewart cooking stove, in which he keeps, on the 

 wire racks, two large,deep pans with proper faucets. 

 These will properly heat (and when needed thicken) 

 a large quantity of honey, while the ordinary cooking 

 for the family is being done. At other times the 

 bottom of the large oven and the top of the stove can 

 be covered with additional pans. The perfect control 

 of the draft, which is given by this admirable stove, 

 (the inventor of which has truly been a benefactor.to 

 his race,) enables the bee-keepers to heat a large 

 quantity of honey with the smallest expense of wood 

 or coal. 



Those of our readers who can refer to what is said 

 in the Journal . for February and March, 1870, re- 

 specting the Clark patent on the triangular" comb 

 guide, need not be told that the said patent has no 

 validity whatever, and that any attempt by any one to 

 sell rights vender it, or to collect damages for infringe- 

 ments on it, is a dear fraud on the pubUc. To those 

 who have not access to those numbers of the Journal , 

 we would say, that the records of the Patent Office 

 show that Clark's application for a patent was not 

 made until more than two years after Mr. Langstroth 

 had made, used, and extensively sold said guides iu 

 his hive, and under those circumstances no valid 

 patent could be obtained. 



We publish in this number of the Jourual a series 

 of papers relating to patented (?) methods of feeding 

 hogs ; and do so for the purpose of conveying to in- 

 ventors and others a clear idea of the formal manner 

 of transacting business in the Patent Office, and also 

 to enlighten the public to some extent, iu regard 

 to the worthlessness of many patents actually issued 

 by the office. 



