712 
QUINBY 
taken apart, the fans removed, and wire 
cloth stretched around its four sides. A 
larger box was made, inside of which this 
frame was arranged to revolve, and with 
the gearing of the fanning mill it was set 
in motion. The gratification with which 
Mr. Quinby saw the honey thrown from the 
first combs cannot well be described. He 
soon made an extractor in more workable 
form, which was afterward perfected by 
A. I. Root, and known as the Novice ex¬ 
tractor. 
Mr. Quinby realized that, tho fearless 
himself, people were deterred from keeping 
bees by fear of being stung. Smoke had 
been used in various crude ways; but he 
knew that, if it could be easily and con¬ 
veniently adapted, it would be a great 
boon, especially to the amateur. His in¬ 
vention of the bee-smoker did this, being 
so arranged with upright bellows and fire- 
tube as to burn standing upright, but to 
go out when placed on the side, and to be 
easily manipulated with one hand. The 
principle of it has never been improved 
upon. 
New York State, where Mr. Quinby’s 
influence was most in evidence, became the 
largest honey-producing center in the 
world. One of the first articles on bees he 
ever wrote for publication was for a Phila¬ 
delphia paper, expressing doubts as to the 
possibility of a writer having secured a 
gain of 20 pounds of honey from a swarm 
in two weeks. In these later days he had 
seen that amount gathered in two days, and 
500 pounds of extracted honey taken from 
one colony in a season. Mr. Quinby sent 
in these days generally from 5,000 to 30,- 
000 pounds of honey to the New York mar¬ 
ket annually. 
While essentially a scientist and teacher, 
his first object was to enable others as well 
as himself to make beekeeping a commer¬ 
cial success by knowing how to gather in 
quantity this useful, natural foodstuff and 
delicacy. As Mr. Quinby became well 
known from his books and articles in agri¬ 
cultural papers, his home was quite a cen¬ 
ter for those seeking the information he so 
gladly imparted. Mr. Quinby was never 
so happy as when passing on his knowledge 
and experience to others. Few people who 
were not personally acquainted Avith him 
can realize how devoted he was to his ques¬ 
tioners, whether in person or by mail or 
thru the press. From the start to the last 
evening of his earthly life he never proved 
a principle in bee culture the benefit of 
which he did not give to the public. Two 
hours before he passed away he was at his 
desk, where he left an unfinished article. 
The late Captain J. E. Hetherington was 
one of his most energetic pupils. It is still 
a joy to me to recall his enthusiasm during 
his frequent visits to Mr. Quinby’s home, 
and the eager way in which he asked ques¬ 
tions and received answers. He soon be¬ 
came one of the large bee-owners, first of 
box hives, but, as improvements followed, 
always up to date. Of these early visitors, 
almost the last one living was P. H. Elwood 
of Starkville, New York, an intelligent, 
thoughtful worker and genial friend. 
In 1865 Mr. Quinby published a revised 
edition of his book, and from the tone of 
the preface it is gratifying to see his pleas¬ 
ure in the success and popularity of this 
first edition. 
In March, 1870, the Northeastern Bee¬ 
keepers’ Association was organized at Al¬ 
bany, with Mr. Quinby as its first presi¬ 
dent, an office he held for five years, declin¬ 
ing re-election at the meeting preceding his 
death. He was elected president of the 
North American Beekeepers’ Association, at 
Cleveland, in 1871, and served one year. 
Thus with modest honors and much sat¬ 
isfaction in his work and in the fruit¬ 
growing on his place, a happy home life 
and wide outside interests in the anti-slav¬ 
ery cause, temperance work, and all good 
and progressive endeavors, the years went 
by. Death came suddenly on the night of 
May 27, 1875, and a life of usefulness was 
over. , ' | ! 
I am writing this article with the extreme 
desire to show Mr. Quinby’s devotion to his 
chosen calling. It would be impossible for 
any one who did not come in daily contact 
with him in his manipulation of bees, in 
the beekeepers’ conventions, and, most of 
all, in his home, to have a full appreciation 
of how completely his work filled his 
thoughts. How well I remember the em¬ 
phasis he gave the words when he once said 
to me, “I want it distinctly understood that 
I cannot afford to spend any time making 
money!” 
