1884 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



So9 



THE CONVENTION AT LANSING, MICH. 



It is now Dec. 12, and I have just returned from 

 the convention at Lansing-. We have had a won- 

 derfully pleasant time there; in fact, I did not 

 know before that a convention could be so friendlj- 

 and so pleasant in every way. Prof. Cook, with his 

 wonderful fund of kindness and good will to every- 

 body, seemed, as usual, overflowing- with honest 

 zeal for the cause, and I suspect that his genial 

 good nature is catching, and that some of the young 

 friends who have been growing up under his tute- 

 lage have got a good deal of his spirit, and that it is 

 going to be scattered far and wide, not only 

 throughout Michigan, but all over our land. In our 

 ne.ict number T will tell you something about what 

 was accomplished up there. 



SECTIONS DOVETAII>ED AI.I- AROUND. 



On getting home from the convention, I found 

 Mr. Gray had finished a machine, partly automatic, 

 to saw out the pieces for dovetailing sections, so ar- 

 ranged that the machine of itself sandpapers each 

 piece as it loaves the saw. The pieces are sawed 

 from bolts only 4>4 inches long. This enables us to 

 use all the odds and ends that come from the planks 

 in cutting- up the one-piece sections; and with the 

 nice basswood we are using now, the product of the 

 machine is pretty nearly equal to the white-poplar 

 sections made by friend Manum. These sections 

 will be furnished for an even dollar added to the 

 price of one-piece sections. Quite a few of our 

 custorners prefer these, because by making them a 

 little thicker, and having the dovetails driven to- 

 gether hard, we get a section so stout it may be 

 thrown about the room, without bi-eaking. Sam- 

 ples free on application. 



A BOOK ON CARP CULTURE. 



In answer to many inquiries, I would say there is 

 no recant work on carp culture. The most compre- 

 hensive and latest (1SS2) I can find is a book by Geo. 

 Finlcy, of Pittsburgh, Pa. The price is $1.00; an^ 

 for a book of only UJ pages, paper covers, it seems 

 to me rather high. It would be very desirable 

 indeed to have a book with illustrations— something 

 like our books on bee culture, for instance; and 

 with the interest there is on the subject, I feel sure 

 a good large book, neatly bound in cloth, and full 

 of pictures, might be furnished for a dollar. 1 have 

 written to Mr. finley; but althoUgh he has are- 

 vised and enlarged eJition in contemplation, there 

 does not seem to be much prospect of his getting at 

 it very soon. We can mail the above book from this 

 office, if you desire, on receipt of Sil.OJ. Valuable 

 articles are to be found almost every month on the 

 subject in the 0?uV) Farm ^l■, and other agricultural 

 papers are noticing it a good deal. 



them just as well as not, and we can do them by 

 daylight, when we are not crowded. If you are go- 

 ing to want odd-sized things ne.xt year, let us hear 

 from you, and we will do almost any thing to get 

 you to have them made now instead of in April, 

 May, and June. Tell us what you want, and we will 

 give you a low estimate. 



FORNCKOOK.S PATENT. 



At the convention at Lansing, Mr. Fornerook 

 scattered large numbers of circulars (without date), 

 containing the following notice: 



READ THIS! 



A woi-(l of explanation in regard to the infringement suit on 

 tlie One-Piece Section, we deem necessary at this time. 1 com- 

 menced suit against A. I. Root in the United States Circuit 

 Court for the Noi thei-n District of Ohio, St»nley Matthews 

 presiding. He decided that th« patent was void for want of 

 noveltv. I have taken an appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court 

 at Washington, which will decide the cose, and the decision 

 will be final. If it goes against me 1 will submit, but if in my 

 favor, I will expect all who have infringed will pay me 

 damages from date of patent. 



Some unprincipled paities are advertising that the Courts 

 have decided that the patent is void, which is not the case, as 

 it is before the United States Court at Washinglon, at the pres- 

 ent time. When the Court gives its opinion it will be linal. 

 and until it does, any one infringing will be liable for dam- 

 ages, if the United States Supreme Court sustains the patent. 

 Respectfully Yours, James FOR.scr.ooK. 



I mailed one of these to Gen. M. D. Leggett, e.\- 

 Commissioner of Patents, who, I presume most of 

 our friends know, is as good authority on such 

 matters as we have in the world. I asked him to 

 give me a reply that I could publish. Here it is: 



A. I. Root , Esq., Dear .Sir;— James Fornerook has 

 not taken an appeal from the decision of the Court 

 here against him. If he does take an appeal here- 

 after it will be only for the purpose of being enabled 

 to bulldoze the market. 



The decision here was rendered by Justice Mat- 

 thews, of the United States Supreme Court, and no 

 judge on the Supreme Bench is more liberal towai-d 

 patentees than Justice Matthews is. 



There is certainly no probability, and I do not be- 

 lieve there is any possibility, of the Supreme Court 

 ever reversing the decision made by Justice Mat- 

 thews here. To use the threat of appeal against 

 purchasers of your honey-box blanks is an outrage 

 which I am sure your customers will iiot encouragt^ 

 by purchasing from Fornerook. Judge Matthews 

 decided that Forncrook's alleged invention was 

 fully anticipated bv previous manufactures, and 

 also by patent No. 1.57,473, granted to Hutchins, De- 

 cember 8, 1874; and no h nest and intelligent man 

 can ever come to any other conclusion than that, if 

 Fornerook ever takes an appeal, it will be only to 

 hold the case in the Supreme Court as long as he 

 can; but he will be certain to withdraw it, and pay 

 his costs before date of hearing. 



Very Respectfully, etc., M. I). Leogett. 



Cleveland, O., Dec. 13, 1881. 



odd-sizeij sections. 

 liAST season, and, in fact, almost every season, 

 there have been times when we were obliged to say, 

 "It will be impossible to stop our machinery on 

 regular goods, and re-adjust it for 50) or 1000 pieces 

 of something irregular." You may say, " Why not 

 have an e.vtra machine for odd sizes?" Well, we do 

 have; but the orders for regular goods were such 

 that orders for goods made on these machines could 

 not be tilled, though both machines were running 

 night and day for se\-eral weeks, not to say months, 

 at a tremendous additional expense for insurance 

 on account of night work. Well, if you would send 

 in your orders for odd-sized things now, we could do 



WHAT to do when YOUR CREDIT IS QUESTIONED. 



Why, behave yourself like a gentleman, as you 

 ought to under all other circumstances; in fact, I 

 think there is no place in the world where a man 

 needs to be gentlemanly and Christian-like so much 

 as when something comes up to touch upon or ques- 

 tion his responsibility as a man. Many young men 

 foolishly injure their standing by getting out of 

 temper when some one makes careful inquiries in 

 regard to their responsibility, before granting the 

 wished for credit. Every good .sound l)usiuess man 

 is at all times willing to have his affairs looked into, 

 and his commercial standing carefully e.vamined. 

 He is i-eady, so to speak, at any time to open his ac- 

 count-books to any one who may care to see them ; 

 that is, after he has asked them for a credit or an 

 e.vtension of time. Any man who refuses to do this, 

 or who gets indignant, and declines to tell how he is 

 situated, forfeits his right to be trusted. Our best 

 firms, in ordering goods from strangers, usually give 

 reference without being asked for it, or refer to 

 Bradstreet. Very often they say, " I will remit on 



