26-i 



THE AMEPJCAN BEE JOUENAL. 



[May, 



same thing is being studied and "invented" by 

 dili'erent persons, and perhaps in different coun- 

 tries, at the same time, and their inventions are 

 being consummated nearly simultaneously. 



Now, a word about patent hives. Mr. Lang- 

 stroth I regard as exceptionally honest, and 

 honorable in all his claims, in this direction ; 

 and yet I must criticise his course in this mat- 

 ter somewhat. I obtained a right to make and 

 use Mr. Langstroth's invention under his original 

 patent,, and made a considerable number of 

 hives, so that T have not used them all yet. 

 Many of my neighbors made similar hives, 

 without purchasing any right to do so. I wrote 

 to Mr. Langstroth asking him if he was the 

 first inventor of the movable frame, and if so, 

 why infringements are not prosecuted? He re- 

 plied that he did not claim to be the first inven- 

 tor of the movable frame, but he claimed to 

 have invented "the fii-st movable frame that 

 was of any particular value." 



Now, this is too ambiguous. We don't know 

 what Mr. Langstroth's movable frame is. Munn, 

 of England, invented a movable comb frame 

 some years before Mr. Langstroth's patent ; and 

 I understand that Debeauvois, of France, in 

 1851, made and used a movable comb frame 

 v/ith sides and bottoms at suitable distances 

 from the bottom and walls of the hive. 1 sup- 

 pose the shallow chamber below the honey 

 board, to be Mr. Langstroth's invention, but 

 beyond that I don't know what it is. I have 

 understood that at the time of the re-issue of 

 his patent, he made certain disclaimers, stating 

 what he did not claim ; but very few persons 

 about here know what they are. 



And now, patent bee hive men, let us know 

 just what your patented inventions are, and 

 what they are not, and we will judge for our- 

 selves whether they are valuable to us, or not. 



L. Beckwith. 



Berlin, Wis., March 13, 1871. 



its too early flowing. Buckwheat was highly 

 recommended, as with the honey extractor, the 

 honey could be managed to ^uit the keeper or 

 the bees. 



The dairying interest in our county was 

 spoken of as being advantageous to bee keep- 

 ing. Resolved that all who can, should attend 

 the meetings of the North Western Dairymen, 

 to be held at Elgin. 



QUESTIONS PROPOSED. 



1. Special honey crops. 



2. Does sugar undergo any change when fed 

 to bees ? 



3. Does honey shrink in measure or weight, 

 after being taken from the hive ? 



4. Bee feeding — the quantity and quality ; and 

 for what purpose is it necessary to feed ? 



The above svibjects were discussed, and furtlier 

 consideration postponed to the next meeting — 

 when they may be taken up or continued, or 

 other questions taken up, as may seem desirable. 



A Fox River Valley Beekeepers' Society is 

 spoken of to be organized on the same liberal 

 plan as the county society. 



All persons are invited to attend our quarterly 

 meetings, without cost, as the Treasurer has 

 sufficient funds for present use. Any person 

 can become a member by applying to the Secre- 

 tary, J. M. Marvin, of St. Charles. 



Tlie oflicers of the society are : — 



Prendent — William Urie, Aurora. 



Vies Preftide7it — Qeorge Thompson, Geneva, 



Seere'ary — J. M. Marvin, St. Charles. 



Treasurer—^, Way, Batavia. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Kane County (His.) Beekeepers' Society. 



At the last Kane County Beekeepers' Quar- 

 terly meeting the first question debated was the 

 rearing of queens from eggs or larva?. It was de- 

 cided that full colonies of bees be employed, and 

 eggs used, with the proper feed ready prepared 

 by the bees, by the time the eggs hatched into 

 larvae. Recommended to remove the queen cells 

 started from larvse, insert hatching eggs, at the 

 time the nursing bees are ready to feed the 

 young queens from the commencement, and no 

 half-starved queens produced. 



Bee pasturage. It was decided to be desirable 

 to furnish crops producing honey, for large 

 apiaries, it not being safe to depend on natural 

 sources in all locations. An increase of fiuit 

 trees and shrubs, in new locations, was recom- 

 mended ; as also, to increase the culture of the 

 rasjjberry, basswood, and maples for sap and 

 sugar, as well as flowers. Chestnut and tulip 

 trees to be tested, as to their adaptation to our 

 climate and soil. Alsike clover to be grown on 

 moist, rich soil ; and perhaps mulched to retard 



[For tlie American Bee Journal,] 



Wiuter-SurviviniT Drones. 



Mr. Editor : — I scarcely feel myself able to 

 write a few lines for your valuable Journal, yet 

 when something unusual transpires, I feel it my 

 duty to make it known. Wliile examining my 

 bees the other day, I found drones in perfect 

 health, as far as I could see, and they, too, from 

 last year's raising— since, in our latitude of 40" 

 north, such a thing as raising drones naturally, 

 this early, is simply impossible. 



Why, or for what reason, they were allowed to 

 live over the winter, is certainly not easily under- 

 stood, since the bees are in perfect hea,lth and 

 have good fertile queens. These drones ai'e not 

 found in one hive only, but in a good many, and 

 quite a number appear to be left in each. One 

 reason may be that last fall there was an abund- 

 ance of honey, and the hives were full of bees, 

 and amid such plenty their usual instinct for 

 destroying all that are not useful, may to a 

 certain extent have left them. However, I 

 should like to have some of the old bee men who 

 contribute to the Journal, give their opinion of 

 this case. 



The season so far has been very favorable for 

 bees, and they are rapidly breeding. The only 

 fear is that they may exluuist their stores before 

 the soft maple and the fruit trees come in bloom. 



W. B. 



Gebhartshurg, Pa., April 10, 1S71. 



