318 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Bees are subject to several diseases. The one which is doing its 

 deadly work in this State to-day is foul brood. Perhaps black 

 brood is also here. This is merely a malignant form of foul brood, 

 and is caused by the same germ. Foul brood will be found in many 

 places in this State, where few think it exist, and it is spreading. 

 Its chief manner of dissemination is through the honey. The other 

 diseases of bees are pickled brood and paralysis. Neither of these 

 are very dangerous and their occurrence is local. The first men- 

 tioned diseases spread like wild-fire. Black brood, in New York 

 State, has wiped out, within the past few years, a very large percent- 

 age of the bees. That state now has competent State Inspectors, 

 and the disease is under control. Wisconsin, Michigan, California 

 and other states are fighting foul brood with state aid. That is 

 what is needed in this State. The methods of combating the dis- 

 ease are well tried and entirely successful. This State must check 

 this disease if bee-keeping is ever to be successful throughout the 

 State. Disease is to bee-keeping what the San Jos^ Scale is to hor- 

 ticulture. 



To conclude, then, the essentials for the advancement of apicul- 

 ture in this State are education, improved bees, more convenient 

 and adaptable hives, and, greatest of all, suppression of disease. 



ROUND TABLE— SECTION B. 

 (Conducted BY MR. BARCLAY.) 



A Member: How long after the first swarm does the second 

 swarm come out? 



MR. BARCLAY: Eight days, as a general rule. 



MR. BIRD: I would like to ask in regard to introducing a new 

 queen into the hive, what course do you take to protect that queen 

 with the hive full of black bees? 



MR. BARCLAY: First, be very careful that there are no queens 

 in the hive, then introduce the cage, which consists either of the 

 cage in which the bee was sent through the mail, or a similar cage 

 into which the queen is transferred, preferably removing all attend- 

 ant bees that have come wdth the queen in the mail; then, if there 

 is candy at the end of that cage, allow the bees access to the out- 

 side of the cage by tearing off the wrappings which you will likely 

 find over them. The bees, in four or five days, will get acquainted 

 with that queen. Or tobacco smoke is recommended; blow it into the 

 hive; blow it right on to the queen and turn her right down between 

 her friends. Be sure the old queen is out of there. You will have 

 no success unless she is. 



