3 



On the other hand, disease often makes its appearance in the best colonies 

 in the apiary, because infection is usually carried by robbing, and that is gen- 

 erally done by strong colonies. If not checked on the start it soon spreads through 

 the whole apiary, and from it to other apiaries in the neighborhood. 



The inspectors of apiaries can do a great deal for the health of bees in Ontario ; 

 but to be of real value their work must be supplemented by the earnest efforts of 

 individual beekeepers. Every one should be his own inspector, carefully examining 

 every comb of every colony in the apiary at least once a year, remembering that 

 it is far better to detect it on the start in strong colonies than to wait until they 

 are practically ruined and the disease has spread through the whole neighborhood. 

 Only one cell of infectious disease makes it necessary to treat even the best colony 

 in the apiary. 



,.-^!i::..i i -i4fe.vJJ>iS 



A Sinicoe County Apiary. 



When a case of infectious disease is suspected the beekeeper must notify the 

 Minister of Agriculture, Toronto, or the Provincial Apiarist, Ontario Agricul- 

 tural College, Guelph, who will see that the case is attended to as soon as possible. 



In writing it is best to give full particulars, such as township, concession and 

 lot, numher of colonies, names and addresses of neighbor beekeepers and size of 

 their apiaries, probable extent of disease territory, etc., so the Provincial Apiarist 

 can judge the amount of time inspector will need to spend in the neighborhood. 

 Personal information will be considered strictly confidential. If the case cannot 

 have inmiediate attention by the Inspector, the 'beekeeper should go ahead and treat 

 the diseased colonies according to directions given in this bulletin. 



Examining an Apiary foe Disease. 



The diseases which cause the most damage in Ontario attack the developing 

 brood, causing much of it to die in the comb, and so reducing it that the colony 

 soon dwindles from lack of young bees to replace the old. 



