1888 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



843 



Mr. Langstroth often says that he owed more than 

 he could tell, to his devoted and accomplished wife. 



A year after Mr. Lang-stroth's settlement in An- 

 dover he was incited, by the sight of some exquisite 

 comb honey in a glass globe on the table of a friend 

 whom he was visiting, to investigate the latter's 

 bees, which were kept in the attic. His delight was 

 exceedingly great, and nothing could stay his ar- 

 dor and enthusiasm, now at white heat, till he had 

 secured two colonies of bees, which, of course, 

 were in box hives. His only bee-books were Virgil 

 and an American work, whose author at this time 

 doubted the existence of a queen-bee. 



Two years later, 1839, Mr. Langstroth's health be- 

 came so impaired that he was obliged to relinquish 

 his pulpit. He then removed to Greenfield, Mass , 

 where he gave his attention more and more to bees. 

 His thirst for knowledge on this subject led him to 

 seek light everywhere. Soon the works of Bevan 

 and Huber fell into his hands, and there was 

 opened a new world before him. From this time 

 on he gathered industriously the works of foreign 

 and American writers on bees and bee culture, till 

 now he has one of the finest apiarian libraries. 



Soon after relinquishing his pastorate in Andover 

 Mr. Langstroth was chosen principal of the Abbott 

 Female Academy in that place. Subsequently he 

 was elected principal of the Greenfield High School 

 for young ladies, and was for five years pastor of 

 the Second Congregational Church in Greenfield. 

 His health again compelled him, in 1848, to resign 

 his pastoral charge. 



In 1848 Mr. Langstroth opened a school for young 

 ladies, in Philadelphia, where he began more ear- 

 nestly to investigate the habits of bees, and to 

 experiment with hives, which led to his great in- 

 vention, the Langstroth movahlc-frame hive, which 

 was devised in 18.51. Mr. Langstroth has shown me 

 this important sentence from his journal of Octo- 

 ber 30, 1851 (recorded on the very day that he devis- 

 ed his plan for using a movable frame): "The useof 

 these frames will, I am persuaded, give a new im- 

 petus to the easy and profitable management of 

 bees." 



In regard to this invention, which was to bee- 

 keeping what the gin was to the cotton industry, 

 I quote from my Manual, 9th 10(10, page 283: ' In 

 1851 our own Langstroth, without any knowledge of 

 what foieign apiarian inventors had done, save 

 what he could find in Huber. and the edition of 1838 

 of Bevan, invented the hive now in common use 

 among the advanced apiarists of America. It is 

 this hive, the greatest apiarian invention ever 

 made, that has placed American apiculture in ad- 

 vance of that of all other countries." Mr. S. Wag- 

 ner, than whom, from his wide knowledge of all 

 apiarian literature, no one was better able to judge, 

 in speaking of this invention, says: "When Mr. 

 Langstroth took up this suliject he well knew what 

 Huber had done, and saw wherein he had failed— 

 failing, possibly, only because he aimed at nothing 

 more than constructing an observatory hive suita- 

 ble for his purpose. Mr. Langstroth's object was 

 other and tiiyher. He aimed at making frames 

 movable, interchangealile, and practically service- 

 able, in t)ee culture, nohouy, before Mr. Lang- 

 stroth, ever succeeding in deiusiiig a. mode of making 

 and using a movable frame that was of any practical 

 value in bee culture." Probably no one was more 

 conversant with this whole sul)jecl than Mr. Wag- 

 per. He was thoroughly informed as to German, 



French, and English bee-literature and methods. 

 His statement should then and there have set at 

 rest all (juestion and controversy; and it would, had 

 not greed, selfishness, and dishonesty prompted 

 men to reap where they had not sown. 



" Langstroth on the Honey-bee " was first pub- 

 lished at Northampton, Mass., in May. 18.5:i; and in 

 its preparation for the press, our American Huber, 

 like the other Huber, was greatly assisted by his 

 wife. It was revised in the year 18.57, and again in 

 18.59, since which time it has not been revised, 

 though many thousand volumes have been publish- 

 ed and sold. This work is really a classic. Its ad- 

 mirable style, clear and accurate descriptions, ex- 

 ceeding thoroughness and completeness, and its 

 perfect candor, honesty, and ingenuousness, made 

 it a favorite with all who studied its pages. Had 

 apiculture stood still, and science slumbered, no 

 second work would have been needed. Every bee- 

 keeper will rejoice that persons having such wide 

 knowledge and practical skill as Messrs. Charles Da- 

 dant & Son are revising this great work. In 18.58 

 Mr. Langstroth moved to Oxford, O., where with his 

 son he engaged in the rearing for sale of Italian 

 queens. His apiary was large, and his sales in a 

 single year reached the sum of $2000, which at that 

 time was something astonishing. 



The death of his only son in 18~ii, and of his wife in 

 1873; a severe form of head trouble which often 

 wholly incapacitates him for mental or bodily exer- 

 tion (one attack having lasted for two years), to- 

 gether with a serious railroad accident, compelled 

 Mr. Langstroth to sell his apiary in 1874; but he has 

 seldom been wholly without bees. 



We regret to say that Mr. Langstroth never re- 

 ceived any considerable reward from his great in- 

 vention. Its great value was at once recognized, 

 but, through infringements, others reaped the re- 

 ward which rightfully was his. These infringements 

 led to litigation which swallowed up even the gains 

 that had been received. This whole matter is the 

 dark page in American bee-keeping history, and 

 we gladly pass it by without further comment. 



Those personally acquainted with Mr. Langstroth 

 are aware that he is a very superior-looking man. 

 His physique is large and fine, his face kindly and 

 intelligent, while his broad cultvire, pleasing man- 

 ners, and delightful social characteristics, make 

 him a charming companion. He is loved and vener- 

 ated by American bee-keepers, not only for what be 

 has done for them, but also for his beautiful char- 

 acter and genuine personal worth. Happy are we 

 that he who is both our Huber and Dzierzon is not 

 only worthy of all respect and admiration for what 

 he has done, but even more for what he fe. 



In 18S7 Mr. Langstroth removed to Dayton, Ohio. 

 His home is with Mr. H. C. Cowan, who married Mr. 

 L s eldest daughter, and their seven children add 

 much to the comfort and enjoyment of his declin- 

 ing years. A.. I. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Mich. 



My first acquaintance with Mr. L. was in 

 1870. In the introductory to the ABC book 

 1 have mentioned a swarm of bees that at- 

 tracted rny attention as it flew over our 

 factory. Before winter set in I had an Italian 

 queen ; and on the principle that " the best 

 is the cheapest" I concluded that I wanted 

 the best Italian queen tliat could be pur- 

 chased. 1 learned from Samuel Wagner 

 that Mr. Langstroth was still living, and a 



