18 MOVABLE COMB HIVE. 



York, Pa., Dec. 24, 1852. 



Dear Sir : — The Dzierzon theory and the system of bee- 

 management based thereon, were originally promulgated, 

 hypothetically, in the " Eichstadt Bienen-zeitung," or Bee- 

 journal, in 1845, and at once arrested my attention. Subse- 

 quently, when in 1848, at the instance of the Prussian 

 government, the Eev. Mr. Dzierzon published his " Theory 

 and Practice of Bee Culture," I imported a copy, which 

 reached me in 1849, and which I translated prior to January 

 1850. Before the translation was completed, I received a 

 visit from my friend, the Eev. Dr. Berg, of Philadelphia, and 

 in the course of conversation on bee-keeping, mentioned to 

 him the Dzierzon theory and system, as one which I regarded 

 as new and very superior, though I had had no opportunity 

 for testing it practically. In February following, when in 

 Philadelphia, I left with him the translation in manuscript — 

 up to which period, 1 doubt vthether any other person in this 

 country had any knowledge of the Dzierzon theory ; except 

 to Dr. Berg I had never mentioned it to any one, save in 

 very general terms. 



In September, 1851, Dr. Berg again visited York, and 

 stated to me your.investigations, discoveries and inventions. 

 From the account Dr. Berg gave me, I felt assured that you 

 had devised substantially the same system as that so success- 

 fully pursued by Mr. Dzierzon ; but how far your hive re- 

 sembled his I was unable to judge from description alone. 

 I inferred, however, several points of difference. The coin- 

 cidence as to system, and the principles on which it was 

 evidently founded, struck me as exceedingly singular and 

 interesting, because I felt confident that you had no more 

 knowledge of Mr. Dzierzon and his labors, before Dr. Berg 

 mentioned him and his book to you, than Mr. Dzierzon had 

 of you. These circumstances made me very anxious to 



