BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 529 



diseases are far more widespread and destructive than was suspected 

 in this country before the work was begun, 



Particuhir attention has been paid to the occurrence of disease in 

 Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, since there was 

 especial need of information in these States. The devastation of 

 apiaries which comes to light in this work is surprising. It is fre- 

 quently difficult to get an}^ information concerning a county other 

 than that beekeeping has been practically wiped out. To obtain 

 samples from the various regions containing disease entails an enor- 

 mous amount of correspondence and the sending out of thousands 

 of circulars, but the results seem to justify the effort. The sending 

 out of letters and circulars of inquiry is in itself beneficial, since by 

 this means bee keepers are induced to examine their colonies carefully 

 and often find disease where it was not suspected. Their attention 

 is also called to a danger which many do not know to exist and they 

 are thereby put on their guard. 



This work has also proved most valuable, since the data gained in 

 this way assist apiary inspectors in their work, and also assist in 

 enabling bee keepers to have inspection laws passed. If bee keepers 

 can get reliable information concerning the character and treatment 

 of brood diseases the loss is naturally greatly reduced. 



A protozoan {Nosemn apis), the reported cause of a supposedly in- 

 fectious dysentery of bees, has been studied, and it is not considered 

 that it is as yet definitely proved that this organism is the cause of 

 the disease. 



Work on the development of the bee has been continued, and studies 

 of the Qgg have been practically completed. 



Cooperation has been entered into with the State entomologist of 

 Maryland in making a survey of beekeeping conditions in that State, 

 and this work has been completed. Cooperative work of a similar 

 character in Pennsylvania has been continued. The expert in charge 

 of apiculture has assisted in the establishment of apiary inspection in 

 Ontario by giving a short course of lectures to the bee inspectors at 

 the Ontario Agricultural College at Gnelph. This was considered 

 important for the reason that we need protection against possible im- 

 portation of diseases from Canada. He also assisted in establishing a 

 course in apiculture at Syracuse University, and represented the 

 bureau at the annual meeting of the National Bee Keepers' Associa- 

 tion at Albany and at the meetings of the Michigan and Illinois Bee 

 Keepers' Associations. 



UNCLASSIFIED WORK. 



As happens every year, a great deal of work has been done in dif- 

 ferent directions which can not be classified under the main sections. 

 Investigations of pecan insects and of insects injurious to ornamental 

 plants and shade trees have been continued. The bureau has been 

 called upon to give advice in the matter of shade-tree insects from 

 many cities in the country. 



As mentioned in previous reports, the work of the specialists of the 

 bureau in the determination of specimens sent in by State entomolo- 

 gists and other workers in practical entomology' has been very large. 

 This has occupied a great deal of time, but since it has a very im- 



23165"— AGR 1911—34 



