872 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v.. A. 1915 



containing queens obtained last year from Bologna, Italy, were three-banded and 

 Golden Italians, crossed more or less with Blacks. Eight of the queens produced, 

 small proportions of black bees. The queens imported from Italy gave somewhat dis- 

 appointing results, which may have been due in some measure to injury caused by the 

 long journey. 



European Foul Brood reappeared in several colonics on May 23. Between that 

 date and the end of July diseased larvae were observed in sixteen out of the original 

 thirty-nine colonies. The six worst cases, in which more than about 100 larva; were 

 seen to be affected, were treated by the well-known method of shaking the bees into 

 a clean hive, the combs being boiled down. Every colony that manifested definite 

 disease was re-queened with a selected Italian. July brought a reduction in the- 

 number of affected larva^. and in August only very few could be found. 



European Foul Brood Summary. 



iKxlensively. Slightly 

 diseased. diseased. 



Colonies consisting entirely of bees showing .yellow banris ofteii of( 

 varying widths, not inclu ling Italians fioin Italy or jmre (roiilent- 



Colonies in whicli bees showing yellow bands weie mixed with 

 black bees 



Italians (from Italy). . 



I'ure Goldens (queen obtained from Texas) 



Remained 

 Healthy. 



17 



4 



2 



The testing of different strains of Italians and hybrids for resistance to European 

 Foul Brood was begun by Mr. Sladen, Assistant Entomologist in charge of Apicul- 

 ture, and many queens of selected parentage were reared. A temporary bee-mating: 

 station was established on the Kazabazua plains, about 50 miles north of Ottawa. 

 Although no colonies of bees could be discovered within .3 miles of this station, the 

 Italian queens brought there were mated by local black drones, and the colour of 

 the resulting hybrids was found to be, as expected, darker than that of pure Italians. 



Queens of several varieties and strains of Italians and two pure CarnioUn 

 queens were obtained from Europe and introduced. 



In September, all weak colonies were united, only i^elected queens of choice 

 parentage being saved, and the bees were fed with sugar syrup to bring up the- 

 weight of the eight-frame colonies to about 60 pounds and the ten-frame colonies 

 to about 70 pounds. The work of uniting and feeding was begun on September 18. 

 and completed, with the exception of a few details, by October 1. On October 29, 30, 

 and 31, sixteen colonies were weighed and packed in shavings in wintering cases for 

 out-door wintering.. Three of these cases were situated in a portion of the apiary 

 that has been surrounded with a board fence 6 to 7 feet high to protect them from 

 wind. 



On November 10 the remaining thirty-seven colonies were weighed and placed 

 in the bee cellar. 



At the time of writing, March 28, all the colonies out-of-doors and indoors, 

 seem to be wintering satisfactorily. 



Mr. J. I. Beaulne rendered valuable assistance in the Apiary. 



Apicultural Work on the Braxcii Farms. 



During the past year steps were taken to organize the apicultural work on the 

 Experimental Farms. In some cases apiaries already existed, in others bees were 

 purchased and apiaries were started. 



The following is a summary of reports of apicultural worli that have been received 



from the branch Farms. 



Ottawa. 



