BUBEAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 653 



the data on the distribution of the brood diseases. The information 

 obtainable is sufficient to indicate a marked benefit from apiary in- 

 spection and fully justifies the efforts of this bureau and other 

 agencies to perfect the inspection service. It is conclusively shown 

 that the placing of the apiary inspection under an already existing 

 office, such as that of the State entomologist, leads to economy and 

 greater efficiency. The actual cost per colony varies greatly, due in 

 part to differences in facilities for travel and the state of the bee- 

 keeping industry, but it is clear that a methodical covering of the 

 territorj'' is the greatest factor in successful work. Special attention 

 has been paid to methods of keeping inspection records. 



Special assistance has been given the inspectors in New Jersey, 

 Pennsvlvania, and Colorado. A 10-day trip through Colorado was 

 taken Vith the deputy State inspector "^ for the purpose of studying 

 the disease situation in that State. 



An important step in the fight against these diseases was the organ- 

 ization of the Association of Apiary Inspectors of the United States 

 and Canada in December, 1911, in Washington, at the call of Dr. 

 E. F. Phillips, of this bureau. The object of this organization is to 

 bring about improvement and uniformity in legislation, inspection, 

 and records, ^t^iile this is not a bureau movement, it will serve as 

 a valuable adjunct to its activities in these respects. A meeting of the 

 apiary inspectors of the northeastern United States was held at 

 Amherst, Mass., in February, at which Dr. Phillips represented the 

 bureau. 



As in the past, information concerning the presence of disease is at 

 once sent to the authorized inspectors of apiaries. Wherever pos- 

 sible, bulletins on the treatment of disease are sent to all known bee- 

 keepers in territory found to be infected, and in every way possible 

 an effort is made to help the bee keepers to an understanding of the 

 difficulty. 



During the year, at the request of some western bee keepers, a re- 

 vised regulation was issued by the Post Office Department concern- 

 ing the mailing of queen bees. This step was taken to prevent the 

 spread of brood diseases through the mailing f)f queens from infected 

 apiaries. As issued, this would have served practically to destroy the 

 business of quoen rearing, and consequently the department recom- 

 mended a further revision, which was adopted and signed May 3, 

 1912. As it now stands it meets with the approval of the leading bee 

 keejiers of the country and should serve to i-etard the spread of dis- 

 ease. Too much should not l»c expected of this precautionary measure, 

 however, as there are still other avenues open for the spread of 

 infectious diseases. 



THE DEVKLOPMENT OF THE BEE. 



The work on the development of the bee, whicli has been carried on 

 for some time, has been couipleled, and the results are l)eiug incorpo- 

 rated in a mamiscript to be presented for publication in tlie imme- 

 diate future. Tlie work so far done included the development in the 

 ops; u]) to the time <lie young larva liatches, and will now be con- 

 tinued to include tlie anatomy of tlie larva. This work has been done 

 by Dr. James A. Nelson. 



