The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1864-05-03
From the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.
Which is the Best Bee-Hive!

DER OI tue Uee-heePioS <eSoeio VI tno
Country Gentlemqn have addressed me
various inquiries on the subject of bee
culture, wish to avail myself of the use
of your columns, not so much to relieve
me from answering interrogatories sew
orally, as an Opportunity Of answering
the general inquiries, that all who feel an
interest in the mater may judge for
themselves. .@ata4
One very general inquiry has been
made, and that is as to the character of
the hive that use, or whose patent
hive regard as the best" | have used
variety or hives contrired by different
individuals, and am acquainted with
about all the patented features Of the
various hives. If the bee-keeper ex-
poets to realize from this branch ofrural
economy the greatest profit that it affords
to sk;lIful management, he cannot dis
pense with the use Of movable comb
hives--in fact it is the only means by
which he can excel in this interesting
vocation. t
The movable comb frame, the dis
covery OF which renders to agriculture
the only advantage-in the arrangement
of gained during the present age,
is the invention Of the Rev. l., l.
Lanpstroth. Simultaneous with this in
vention,. and in America long before it,
frui,less attempts at rendering practical
the movable comb theory, had been made
in Europe but to Mr.. Lanstroth are the
public indebted, and TO him justly be
longs the honor, Of having given utility
and practicalness to the principle OF
movable comb hives.
To those who are acquainted with
patentright affairs, l would say, challeng-
ing any and all for proof to the contrary,
that all hives, having movable comb
frames; no matter what may bethe STYLE
size or peculiar feature OF the frame, or
the arrange ment of the hive, it is sub
s,antially a Langstroth hive" and that
irrespective OF other claims to novelty
or patents granted, because it is for the
use OF the movable comb eystem, that is
the essential feature covered by his pat
ent, and no two patents are ever issued
TO different persons for the same inven
ton. Patents are granted for additional
improvements on former inventions, but
such subsequent issue, however, could
not grant the right to vend or use what
was embraced or covered by the origin
al and all prior pstenrs. es.
Strange as it may seem to the uniniti
ated, the hive that was awarded the
premium at the N. Y. State Fair in
'6l, 80 and '63, inclusive. is gross in
fringement on. and palpable counter
felt OF, the Langstroth hive and patent.
The contriver of said premium hive
claims to have two different patents for
it. and third patent pending, none Of
which relate to the use of movable comb
frames, nor does either Of those several
patents allow or grant him the right to
use or vend movable comb frame Of
any sort or kind in his hive, or in con-
junction with his patents. At those fairs.
however, as elsewhere, the movable comb
frames are displayed as the prominent
merit Of the counterfeit hive.
But more, strangely still may tappear
when the very indicative fact is known
q a. though this hive was awarded the
several premiums, no one of our several
distinguished scientific apiarians, among
whom is Mr.. NJ. Quinby, the prince OF
aparians in this country, either com
mend it, use it, or eountensnee ii in any
way other than contempt.
Mr.. Quinby, who designed the best
kind for and in general use prior to the
introduction Of the comb frame, and
him self the author Of very excellent
treatise on the art Of Bookkeeping. APP
proves Of no movable comb hive other
than the Langstrolh hive. with some
slight notifications of his OWL
Mr.. QuiLby is the only person who
has added any utility TO the movable
comb hive" Much difficulty has been
experienced in using the comb frame,
for the reason that bees do not uniform
ly build each card Of comb correctly and
separately within each frame. ToI
remedy this. very many devices, sever
al patented, have been tried with varied
success. This obstacle, however, is SO
completely removed by SO simple a
method discovered by Mr.. Q's ingenuity,
q to en,itle him TO share la The honor
of giving to the public the eminently I'M
portant advantages Of the movable comb