1888 



glp:anings in bee culture. 



-)17 



on page 270, April first, an editorial notice 

 of the journal published by friend Andreu, 

 in the Spanish language. I am very glad 

 indeed, friend A., that you have succeeded 

 in getting as much as UK) one-pound sections 

 from a single bee-hive. I remember quite 

 well what a sensation it made in our own 

 community wiien I began to talk about har- 

 relti of iioney. But the interesting part, as 

 you put it so vividly, came in when I began 

 to stack up the l)eautifully finished sections 

 in our stores and groceries.— The T super is 

 simply a form of super, or top case, where 

 the sections are supported by bars of tin, 

 folded in the shape of a letter T. Tliey 

 have been fully explained and illustrated by 

 drawings in our recent back numbers. 



IS TOBACCO SMOKE OFFENSIVE TO 

 BEES? 



ONE WHO HAS TRIED IT, GIVES HIS EXPERIENCE. 



'E hear cjuite a number of bee-men recom- 

 mend the upe of tobacco smoke to quiet 

 bees. If this were the onl.v way to subdue 

 them I should be compelled to let them 

 sting, because 1 never use the weed. But 

 I have h'ad some experience with the use of it, how- 

 ever. One of my customers, in selecting a <iueen 

 from my apiary, used tobacco smoke in several 

 colonies. It seemed to quiet the bees at the time, 

 but, oh what a time we had the next day ! 'I'hey did 

 their best to resent an insult, and would make a per- 

 son wish he had never seen a bee. I could hardly 

 believe it was the smoke that caused them to be so 

 vicious; but I made a close examination of the 

 other colonies near, and they were very quiet, and 

 could be handled without the use of any smoke. I 

 should like to hear if any others have had a similar 

 experience. 



T used to be troubled very much ]>y the bees be- 

 ing drowned in our watering-tank, and they an- 

 noyed the horses also; but since I have watered 

 them in the apiary I have not seen a single bee 

 getting water at the tank or near the pump. I give 

 them water in glass jars. One of them contains 

 salt water, about one-fourth teaspoonful of salt to 

 one quart water. I keep them in the shade, side l)y 

 side. Sometimes one jar is dry and they go to the 

 next one. When they once learn that they can al- 

 ways find water in one place they will come there 

 just as surely as chickens will stick to their coop. 



Bees are gathering honey now quite fast, al- 

 though their hives are nearly empty of honey on 

 account of breeding fast. J. T. Van Petten. 



Linn, Kan., June 16, 1888 



Friend V., my experience over fifteen 

 years ago \Vas about exactly as you put it. 

 When I first began to keep bees"! was told 

 that nothing would do but tobacco smoke, 

 and accordingly I piovided myself with sev- 

 eral packages of cheap tobacco. It drove 

 the bees, without any question ; in fact, I 

 drove them several times almost entirely 

 clear out of their hives. But I soon begaii 

 to think that, even if they were so sickened 

 and stifled they could not show fight, they 

 formed big resolutions while they tied in 

 dismay. Perhaps their resolutions were 

 something like this; "If we ever get over 



the effects of this, if we don't give that fel- 

 low the best volley of stings that ever a bee 

 gave anybody, it will be funny." Sure 

 enough. When next I wanted to handle 

 them, if I did not have my tobacco smoke 

 well going before I came near the hive, they 

 did use their stings, I tell you. Sometimes 

 since then I have used tobacco, when it was 

 at hand, on an exceedingly vicious colony: 

 but I do not believe it pays. 



PATENT-RIGHTS ON BEE-HIVES. 



FRIEND LANGSTRCTH CONSIDERS THE MATTER 

 STILL FURTHER. 



fUlEND ROOT:— 1 thank you for receiving my 

 criticisms so kindly as to prefix to them 

 that text from Scripture. Prof. Cook's 

 Manual having been mislaid, a friend sent 

 you a longer quotation from it than was 

 needed. I have never written any thing, froin 

 which you have a right to infer that I ever was in 

 substantial agreement with the opinions you have 

 been so long promulgating on the matter of indi- 

 vidual rights. I do agree with Prof. Cook, while 

 you strongly dissent from him (see Gleanings, 

 1875, page 79; and 1883, page ;5tj7, and 1888, page 451). 

 Asserting "the absolute right of any inventor lo 

 patent any original patentable device, and the ab- 

 solute wrong of parties who knowingly infringe 

 upon valid patents?" how can there be any sub- 

 stantial agreement between us when you declare, 

 "I feel perfectly safe in saying that it is not just 

 or fair or right or best that every one who desires 

 to experiment with or use these things you have 

 mentioned should be compelled to pay Mr. Heddon 

 $5.tlO for an individual right"? If .such doctrine is 

 to mold public sentiment, then the prudcnlial rea- 

 sons which I gave against patenting any thing 

 which can ho easily stolen, could have more weight 

 than ever. 



From some things which you have written, or al- 

 lowed to appear unchallenged in Gleajjings, you 

 antagonize the patent-policy of our most civilized 

 nations, and seem to think that it is the absolute 

 dutu of an inventor to jjatent nothing, but to invite 

 the world to a free feast upon the product of his 

 brains! You have surely taught that all inventors 

 of bee-devices should spread such an open table, 

 by publishing on your outside cover and title-page 

 these words: "While I earnestly try to maintain 

 a broad ' charity for all, and malice toward none,' 

 and while I do not wish to take upon myself the 

 responsibility of dictating a course for others, I 

 feel it a duty to discourage with all my might, both 

 by precept and example, every thing in the shape 

 of patented bee-hives, or patents on any thing per- 

 taining to bee culture. On the other hand, 1 shall 

 try to encourage every one to do all in his power to 

 advance the common good of all. I do not believe 

 the world 'selfish and grasping,' but have unlimit» 

 ed confidence in the disposition of our people to 

 desire to pay for every thing they get, and to re- 

 ward those who work for them disinterestedly, 

 when they once get a clear understanding of the 

 matter. If you have made a valuable invention or 

 discovery, give it to the people, rejoicing that you 

 are able to contribute your mite to the common 

 good, and in seeing others happy, and, sooner or 



