IV BIOGRAPHY OF L. L. LANGSTROTH. 



erai-y knowledge which he then had of bee-culture was gleaned 

 from the Latin writings of Virgil, and from a modern writer, 

 "who was somewhat skeptical as to the existence of a queen- 

 bee." 



In 1839, Mr. Langstroth removed to Greenfield, Massachu- 

 setts. His health was much imiDaired, and he had resigned his 

 pastorate. Increasing very gradually the number of his colo- 

 nies, he sought information on all sides. The "Letters of 

 Huber" and the work of Dr. Bevan on the honey bee (London, 

 1838), fell into his hands and gave him an introduction to the 

 vast literature of bee-keeping. 



In 184S, having removed to Philadelphia, Mr. Langstroth, 

 with the help of his wife, began to experiment with hives of 

 different forms, but made no special improvements in them 

 until 1851, when he devised the movable frame hive, used at 

 the present day in preference to all others. This is recorded 

 in his journal, under the date of October 30, 1851, with the 

 following remarks : "The use of these frames will, I am per- 

 sviaded, give a now impetus to the easy and profitable manage- 

 ment of bees." 



This invention, which gave him perfect control over all 

 the combs of the hive, enabled him afterwards to make many 

 remarks and incidental discoveries, the most of which he re- 

 corded in his book, on the habits and the natural history of 

 the honey-bee. The first edition of the work was published in 

 1852, and in its preparation he was greatly assisted by his ac- 

 complished wife. A revised edition was published in 1857, 

 another in 1859, and large editions, without further revisions, 

 were published until 1889, when the Dadants undertook the 

 first re-writing of the book. 



In January, 1852, Mr. Langstroth applied for a patent on 



