1894 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



179 



apiculture, and procuring for himself happiness 

 and contentment by very insigniticant methods, 

 he chose the clerical profession, in the hope 

 that a field would be opened to him where his 

 heart would find a means of satisfying its 

 thirst for philanthropic work — where his pro- 

 gressive and penetrating mind might find op- 

 portunity to climb the heights of Nature in 

 order to further the interests of our age. And 

 the man to whom the whole apicnltural world 

 to-day does homage chose his lifework wisely. 

 How many men of genius are shipwrecked on 

 this rock! Their struggle is in vain because 



stances demanded, piled up one on the other. 

 With sucli hives Dr. Dzierzon began his inde- 

 pendent method of apiculture about the year 

 1835, just as he entered upon the ofh'ce of pastor 

 in the little village of Karlsmarkt. The defects 

 of such hives did not escape the notice of the 

 acute pastor, and the first thing he saw was the 

 necessity of a removable straw cover which, in 

 winter, would not permit so much moisture to be 

 precipitated as was the case with hives covered 

 with boards alone. In order that this straw 

 cap might be lifted off without injury to the 

 combs, he put on as many inch-wide bars. 



DR. .lOHN DZIERZOX— COPIED FROM GRAVENHORST'S " PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPER." 



they are not in condition to tread that path for spaced a fingerbreadth apart, as were required 



to cover the hive. This being done, and the 

 bees having built regularly to these bars, he 

 fastened to each bar a piece of comb saved from 

 old hives. This was the first step toward the 

 invention of movable combs, for thereby was 

 the master enabled to remove from the hive 

 each individual comb. After this acquisition, 

 the other results followed as a natural conse- 

 quence. Of course, this was not all accom- 



which their surroundings and natural capaci- 

 ties best adapt them, and to follow their lead- 

 ing desire to achieve things. 



In his capacity as pastor of a rural congre- 

 gation. Dr. Dzierzon was able to care for the 

 bees, which he had loved from his youth up; 

 and time enough remained to him, after caring 

 for his spiritual flock, to busy himself experi- 

 menting in the solution of apicultural problems. 



According to the methods in vogue at that plished by a mere turn of the hand; but every 



time among bee-keepers, the best hives were step in advance cost an untold amount of trial 



simply four-sided wooden boxes, after the and mental effort. 



Christ system, and which were, as circum- Still, extraordinary love for the subject itself, 



