Hi all
Those of us who have a trusty smoker by our side when working bees, can scarcely imagine a time before Mr. Quinby perfected the bee smoker. Here, in his own words, is what it was like:

> A piece of cotton cloth eight or ten inches square is covered with common smoking tobacco near one-fourth of an inch thick, then rolled up loosely and fastened with needle and thread. When ready to operate ignite one end (that I guarantee will burn) and hold it near the bees, and blow the smoke among them. Tobacco smoke is the most effectual of anything, and I can not discover any bad effect in using it. Mr. Langstroth having a personal dislike to tobacco smoke, cannot be reconciled to its use among the bees and recommends the smoke of decayed wood instead. That which has just strength to hold together is best; make it very dry and ignite one end, and use it as just described. This will answer in many cases but not at all in others; some colonies, particularly pugnacious, will not yield. 

-- M. QUINBY. St. Johnsville, NY  (1860). THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.

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