18;)4 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



413 



arise from the discussion of this vital subjoct is 

 the wish of the Ramulkh. 



[This is a most practical question, and we 

 should be glad to have it thoroughly discussed. 

 Yes, yes. let's have co-operation. If an ex- 

 change has proven to be a good thing for frnit- 

 men, why not for bee-men ?— Eo.] 



THE COWAN EXTRACTOR. 



ITS HISTORY AND NAME. 



By J. F. Mclntyre. 



On page 36S, Gleanings, 1890, I called atten- 

 tion to the Cowan principle of making a two- 

 comb extractor, and recommended the baskets 

 in preference to the non-reversible Novice, but 

 not in preference to a four-comb reversible 

 machine. On page 841, Gleanings, 1889, I say, 

 "After trying all sizes up to eight combs, I 

 would take a four-comb in preference to any 

 other size, at the same price." I am still of the 

 same opinion for a hand machine; but for 

 power I would have at least eight comb- 

 baskets. With regard to your four-comb Cow- 

 an, there is not a single idea about it that is 

 Cowan's. I can not say who first originated 

 the idea of putting a sprocket-wheel on the 

 axle of each basket and making all turn at 

 once; but I think I made the first extractor 

 that way myself, as a modification of Mr. 

 Squire's extractor (see page 841, 1889), in Jan., 

 1887. 



When A. I. Root was in my honey-house on 

 the 3d of Dec, 1888, I showed him this extract- 

 or. He asked why it wasn't a good idea. I 

 said it was, and that I preferred it to the ex- 

 tractor that reversed by the crank. This four- 

 comb machine is the one that I recommend in 

 preference to the two - comb Cowan; and 

 whether the idea came from my honey-house, 

 or originated with some one else, the proper 

 one should have the credit, and not Cowan. I 

 have heard quite a number of bee-keepers say 

 that there was not a single idea of Cowan's 

 about this extractor. 



Fillmore, Cal., Apr. 23. 



[The first Cowan extractor was made in 1875, 

 by Thomav William Cowan, editor of the Brit- 

 ish Bee Jonrndl; but nothing was done with 

 this principle, in this country, we believe, until 

 1887 or "88 when we made a machine to try. 

 But it was not until November, 1891, that we 

 made them for the market. 



After reading your article on page 841 for 1889 

 we saw that your idea of reversing by means of 

 levers was practicable. Shortly afterward it 

 occurred to us, as we were thinking over this 

 extractor, that a sprocket-wheel and chain 

 would be cheaper, and we accordingly made a 

 rough draft of the machine. Although A. I. R. 

 saw your machine, he said nothing of it on his 

 return home, nor at the time your article ap- 

 peared: and "the boys," not knowing any 

 thing aliout what you had done, treasured up 

 the sprocket-wheel idea, hoping, in the near 

 future, to make some experiments and put 

 machines on the marki't. It was not till Jan- 



uary, 1892, that we made one to try, and it was 

 some time later before any were sold. 



By carefully re-reading your article we see 

 tliat you outlined a niodilication of th(! princi- 

 ple, at the top of the second column on page 841. 

 1S89, as it was used by Mr. Squire. As many of 

 our readers may not be able to refer to this 

 paragraph we reproduce it here. 



Mr. Squire, of Santa Barbara. Cal., came out witli 

 a very simple arrang-ement for reversing the comb- 

 baskets ail at once. He made some hard-wood 

 wheels, about three inches in diameter, witli two 

 grooves around the edge, and fastened them secure- 

 ly on the axles of the comb-baskets; then put a 

 screw in the edge of each wheel between the grooves, 

 directly under the basket; then a wire was passed 

 from one wheel to another, going around eacii 

 wheel once. When it came to the screw it was 

 wound around that to keep it from slipping. Tliis 

 acted like a belt; and when one basket was turned, 

 all turned. 



The wires Mr. Squire used, and the wooden 

 wheels, would hardly be practicable or durable. 

 Well, after selling the Cowan two-frame ex- 

 tractors for a year or so, there came a demand 

 for the four and six frame. Realizing that it 

 would be impracticable to move individually 

 each pocket of the four and six frame machines, 

 the sprocket-wheel-and-chain idea seemed the 

 most feasible plan for moving all the pockets 

 by simply turning one. 



It is true, as you say, that this principle is not 

 Cowan's; but it is adapted to Cowan comb- 

 pockets, Cowan gearing. Cowan extractor-cans, 

 as they appear in the two-frame machines we 

 had been previously selling. The two-frame 

 had previously l^een cal led the " Cowan Rapid ; " 

 butas a new priiuiple was introduced in the four 

 and six frame it was called " Cowan Improved 

 Extractor," and ^his is the name that has been 

 stenciled on every machine sold. The name 

 "Cowan "was retained because many of the 

 features of the two machines were used, and 

 the word "improved" would suggest the 

 change in the method of reversing; but unless 

 somebody can get up and prove prior date, you 

 are probably the first one to use the sprocket- 

 wheel and chain. So far as "the boys" are 

 concerned, they were original in its use — that 

 is, they had no knowledge of any one using it 

 before. — Ed.] 



SPREADING BROOD. 



A RULE THAT WILL ALWAYS \V()RK; THE VAL- 

 UE OF YOUNG QUEENS. 



Bij Ramhler. 



Your advice to Mr. Chapin, on page 282, in re- 

 lation to spreading brood, leads me to review 

 the matter as I see it, and give the experience I 

 have gained both here and in the East. 



In the first place, I think the^bee-keeper can 

 so manage his bees, especially in this climate, 

 that there may be no necessity for the spreading 

 of brood; and the bee-keeper should try to ad- 

 vance to that point in his management, so as to 

 dispense with this extra manipulation. The 

 conditions necessary for the non-spreading plan 

 is, to have young and prolific queens in every 

 hive; not a queen over two years old, and not 

 a queen that stops short of keeping ten frames 

 filled with brood. Another condition, highly 

 conducive to the same end, is to leave the colo- 

 ny with an abundance of honey in the fall. We 

 sometimes have hives nearly if not quite hon- 

 ey-bound; and while I would not advise quite 



