1884 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



447 



to be had. Besides these they were translated into 

 German, under the title, " Neue Beobaehtunfren 

 iiber die Bienen," in 1793, by Riem, and ag-ain in 

 ia56 and 1850 by G. Kleine; also into Danish by Th. 

 Thorson, in 1859; title, "Nye Fattagelser over 

 Bierne, raed Anmterkninger af G. Kleine." 



I hope these particulars will set at rest any coutro- 

 versj' with regard to the publication of Ilubers 

 works. I think Mr. C. Dadant's time is much too 

 valuable to be occupied in translatin.s? Ruber's 

 works, as already ag-ood translation in English (1841) 

 exists, and can be had; at any rate, sufficient could 

 be had to supply the demand that may exist. The 

 plates of the original, 1 am told by Mr. Ed. Bertrand, 

 have long since been destroyed; but.if a reproduc- 

 tion of the engravings is necessary, why not have 

 thorn photographed V 



On page S28, Mr. Viallon is wrong in saying the 

 first book in English was published in 1.592. The first 

 wasby Th. Hyll; first appeared in 1.5T4; then in 1.579 

 and 1.586, and again in 1.593. He also says the first 

 book on bees he knows of was published in German 

 in 1568. Now, leavingout the works of Virgil, Plini, 

 and Columelli, 1 find 17 different works, the first of 

 which was published in Latin at Cologne in 1472, by 

 Thomas Cantipratensus. There is also Rucellai in 

 Italian, which was first published in 1539, and was 

 reprinted at various Intervals until 1770. 



I can give you the names and the dates of the 

 other .books, if you think it sufficiently interesting 

 to the general public. The number of books pub- 

 lished, I find, is 1004, or it may be a great many more ; 

 but I know of 1004, and not 800, as Mr. Phin says. In 

 German, .505; French, i:33; English, 98; Spanish, 13; 

 Polish, Russian, Slavonian, Servian, 81; Hungarian, 

 12; Livonian, 4; Swedish, 40; Danish, 23; Oriental, 

 10. This does not include the works published dur- 

 ing the last 12 months, as I have not had time to sort 

 this to send it correctly, and, having been traveling 

 since July last, many of the books of last year have 

 not yet been unpacked and examined. If I can help 

 you any way I shall be glad to do so. 



There is another matter now I wish to speak to 

 you about; and, as you wish to do that which is 

 right, I will tell j'ou about it. I see that an auto- 

 matic honej -extractor is described in Gi^eanings, 

 page 261. I was the first to introduce the "Auto- 

 matic honey-extractor," five years ago, and it has 

 been in extensive use during all that time. The re- 

 versing arrangement is much simi)lcr than Stan- 

 ley's, and has been illustsated in various periodicals 

 as well as in my " British Bee-keepers' Gulde-Book," 

 which was first published in 1881, and of which 7000 

 copies have been sold in that time, so you see it has 

 been- pretty widely circulated, and I can claim pri- 

 ority of title.* I also sent you last year a drawing 

 and description of my honey-evaporator, which is 

 effectual, and much used; but you illustrate one 

 on page 267. I think it but just, when an invention 

 is brought out, either in England or any other coun- 

 try, that credit should be given to it. I have al- 

 ways made a point in doing so, and giving honor to 

 whom honor was due; and I think it but right that 

 others should do so too— you more particularly, as 

 I have just the same objection as you to patents; 

 and as I do not derive any profit fi-om my inventions, 

 credit is still more due. I hope you will receive this 



iFpever they may be shown, ancJ are sold by all hjve-deftJero. 



rebuke in the same kindly spiritin which it has been 

 given. 



The fourth edition of my book is in the press. 

 Yours truly, Thos. Wm. Cowan. 



Compton's Lea, Horsham, Eng., May 30, 1884. 



Friend C, we are very much obliged in- 

 deed for the accurate data j'ou furnisli in re- 

 gard to IIuber"s works; and we are also 

 much obliged for the information you give 

 us in regard to the bee-books of the world.— 

 Coiicerning the Automatic honey-extractor, 

 I well recollect seeing notices and illustra- 

 tions in tlie B. B. J. at the time when they 

 first came out ; and although many ^'peri- 

 ments were made in our own country with 

 machines on this principle, none of them 

 have seemed to win favor in actual practice. 

 I well recollect, too, yoiu'kind letter explain- 

 ing the honey-evaporator; but if I remem- 

 ber correctly, it was considerably more oom- 

 plicated than those recently illustrated. I 

 am very glad indeed to render honor to 

 whom honor is due, and I am glad to know 

 that you agree with me mainly, in regard to 

 natents.— I shall be glad to notice your new 

 book as soon as a sample copy is received. 



COLD "WATER VS. WHISKY FOR BEE- 

 STINGS. 



MUS. HAYHUnST GIVES US SOME- SUGGESTIONS IN 

 THE MATTER. 



EAR BRO. ROOT:— While reading your re- 

 <<| c| marks in regard to the dangerous after-ef- 

 fects of taking stimulating drinks for bee- 

 stings,-! am moved to sit down and tell you 

 I do not believe it necessary at all to give 

 such stimulants at those times. I want to give you 

 our experience with our little three-year-old girl, 

 last summer. She was stung on the arm, and al- 

 most immediatel.v her whole body, from the top of 

 her head to her knees, was in a violent fever. She 

 looked exactly like a person suffering from the 

 worst form of erysipelas of the blood. Of course, 

 we were both very much alarmed, but did not think 

 of running for the doctor, but only for his book; 

 viz.. Dr. Trail's Hydropathic Encyclopedia, which, 

 by the way, we would not part with for a farm, if it 

 could not be replaced. AVe found her trouble treat- 

 ed of under the head of " Erjthematous Inflamma- 

 tions." The remedy was this: To put her into a 

 cold wet-sheet pack, covering her.closely. We put 

 cold cloths on her head, and hot flannels to her 

 feet. In half an hour the swollen, dangerous look 

 was nearly gone; she was sleeping, and perspiring, 

 and we were thankful to our heavenly Father for 

 directing R. T. Trail to study and give us so much 

 valuable information. I gave her all the cool water 

 she would drink. Had she been in a sinking condition, 

 I should have used warm water for the pack. When 

 she came out I bathed her in tepid water, gently 

 rubbing the skin while drying her. I believe plan- 

 tain, bruised and boiled in milk, and applying a 

 poultice to the swollen parts, and drinking the milk 

 from the plantain, would be ju8t as effectual as that 

 terrible foe, whisky. 



We had a friend who vised this for a dog that was 

 badly bitten by a copperhead snake, and he cured 

 his dog. Plantain grows very freely in everybody's 

 yard; and may we not infer that it is put ther« by 



