1886 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUIlt:. 



293 



convinced, feci more keenly the error tli:in would 

 any other person. 



I believe most sincerely, as I believe nine-tenths 

 of the intelligCTit bee-keepers of the United States 

 and Can;;da do, that Mr. Hcddon's hive and methods, 

 as given in his new book, are original. Have yon, 

 my dear friend, the faintest conception that we 

 should have heard of this hive and system, if Mr. 

 Heddon had not ppoUcn? I don't believe any in- 

 formed bcc-keeper in the United States thinks so. 

 Of course, as yet the value cf the invention is a 

 question to most of us; but I can not see how the 

 fact that it is original with Mr. Heddon can be 

 questioned. Now, if I am right, I think I should be 

 just as excusable in taking from your office the 

 incney i-cceived from Gleanings as to make and 

 use the }Icddon hive without first securing the 

 right. 1 have not heard a word from our friend 

 Dr. C. C. Miller on this subject, and I shonld like 

 him to say in Gleanings if he docs not utter an 

 amen when he reads the above. I speak of Dr. 

 Miller, because I believe that he is one of the best 

 representatives of a large class— almost all— of our 

 American bee-keepers who love justice as they do 

 life, and who will never consent to see a bi'other 

 bee-keeper robbed of his rights. A few knaves and 

 a great deal of ignorance robbed our good father 

 Langstroth of his property. Gleanings, the 

 American Bee Journal, and a host of other potent 

 influences, have so reformed the former and lessen- 

 ed the latter that the thing can not be i-epeatcd. 

 Unless I am entirely mistaken in my estimate of 

 the bee-keepers of America, and I don't think I enn 

 be, Mr. Hcddon's rights, legal and moral, will be 

 kept inviolate in their charge. 



K. L. Taylor, of our State, is one of our best bee- 

 keepers, thoroughly informed, is as true, genuine, 

 and honest a man as is Dr. Miller, and, besides these, 

 is a good lawyer. I have not asked his opinion in 

 this ease, but I am so sure what lie would say that 1 

 should be willing to rest the case with him as a 

 judge. Please, Mr. Editor, ask his opinion, for the 

 good of us all. 



Now, why I am so earnest in this matter is this: 

 It seems to me our very social atmosphere is dark 

 with dishonest practices. The business maxim oft- 

 en urged, "Treat every man as a knave," is a shame 

 unto us. We are in no dangir (,f becoming too 

 scrupulous in our dealings with men. Let us, then, 

 frown upon all words or acts that even savor of in- 

 justice. The work on ethics which I studied in col- 

 lege urged that, if the least doubt as to the morality 

 of an act exists, we should avoid the iict. I wish 

 every editor would urge this rule. 



A careful inspection of Mr. Krctchmer's patent 

 convinces me that his hive, and the sj'Stem its use 

 would necessitate, arc not Mr. Hcddon's at all. 

 Dr. Tinker's words in the American Dec J<nirnal are 

 wise and true—" The hive ix original, the ><ysteni is 

 new." 



Again, we do no injury in urging all to do justly 

 in this matter. Without Mr. Hcddon's book and 

 patent we should have known nothing of his hive 

 and methods, and certainly would not have used 

 them. We need not use them any more now. We 

 owe our opportunitj' to use them to Mr. Heddon; 

 then surely, if Ave think them worth adopting, we 

 owe him the small sum asked for the right. That 

 American bee-keepers will concede this fact, and 

 act accordingly, is beyond question. 



lam glad that the American and Ca)m(li<ni Bee 



Journals arc both urging the right course. I feel 

 just as sure that Gleanings and its editor will 

 heartily adopt the same course. "Let us be just, 

 though the heavens fall," is a resolve we may all 

 safely make, and urge upon others. I have no 

 doubt or fear of the outcome in this matter; but I 

 am tremendously anxious and desirous that Glean- 

 iNG.s should teach the most exact justice. 



A. J. Cook. 

 Agricultural College, Mich., April 2, 188(5. 



Dear friend Conk, [ luive not tlie least 

 doubt in tlie world cf the entire sincerity 

 with wliicli yon wrote tlie above; but yet 

 I do tliiiilv— in fact, I can not tliink other- 

 wise, than that yon are at least just a little 

 mistaken. There are U\o plain sides to this 

 question, and it seems to me th;it you are 

 looking? unconsciously en only one side. I 

 do not feel as though it were my duty or my 

 place to take sidts with either party; l)nt I 

 can honestly and sincerely say this much: If 

 any one who I'eads Ileddon's book feels dis- 

 l)0sed 10 follow his plan of woiking, let him 

 purchase a liive of Heddon, exactly as it 

 should be. After having satistied himself 

 that he wishes to adopt the plan or i)rinci- 

 ple. either buy all of his hives of Heddon or 

 pav friend II. live dollars (or whatever other 

 1)1 ice may be agreed upon) for the privilege 

 of making them himself. So far the matter 

 is easy, and we are now on common ground, 

 where we can all agree. When it comes, 

 however, to the nice point of deciding what 

 infringes on friend Ileddon's invention and 

 what does not infringe, 1 beg leave to be ex- 

 cused from trying to decide or even advising. 

 I myself m;iy be })ie,judiced, and I may look 

 on one side more than on another; but this 

 thing my conscience does tell me most 

 strongly, we ari' wasting precious moments 

 in what I am sure is not a matter of such 

 very great imi)ortance after all ; and I am 

 sure it is wrong to take more space for this 

 matter— not oidy wiong to the great mass of 

 our readers, but a wi'ong in the sight of (Jod. 

 Can we not drop it here? 



LET REASON TAKE THK PLACE OF 

 SUPERSTITION. 



ati;ibuteto the worth of the expei;imental 

 sta'l'lons of ouk different states. 



HEN I have looked over the agricultu- 

 ral pai)ers, especially the papers de- 

 voted to poultry-keeping, 1 have been 

 pained to see the glowing advertise- 

 ments of packages of some kind of 

 secret comi^ound to " make hens lay,"' and 

 other things of similar import. Ho you ask 

 why I felt pained ? AVell, I felt pained be- 

 cause it seemed to me so improbable that 

 the^idvertisement was an honest and truth- 

 ful one. It is, as it were, on a line with the 

 remedies for bee - stings. Over and over 

 again I have been asked to insert advertise- 

 ments of bee-sting remedies. A good many 

 times, bottles hav(> been sent to me to test. 

 IIow do yon siip])ose it has turned out? 

 Why, just as I have told you in the A B C 

 book. When tried fairly, the remedy prov- 

 ed to have no effect whatever. If used 

 thoughtlessly, as people often use things, 

 the verdict woujd be iii favor of t}ie remedy. 



