528 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



cell. Frequently the segmentation of the larva is clearly marked. By 

 the time it has partially dried down and has become quite dark brown 

 (coffee colored) the most typical characteristic of this disease mani- 

 fests itself. If a match stick or tooth-pick is inserted into the decay- 

 ing mass and withdrawn the larval remains adhere to it and are drawn 

 out in a thread (fig. 2), which sometimes extends for several inches be- 

 fore breaking." 



Fig. 2. The lopincss of American foul brood. From Farmers' Bulletin 442, U. S. Dept. 

 of Agr., Bureau of Entomology. 



"This ropiness is the chief characteristic used by the beekeeper in diag- 

 nosing this disease. The larva continues to dry down and gradually 

 loses its ropiness until it finally becomes merely a scale on the lower 

 side wall and base of the cell (fig. 1, e, p, s)." 



Fig. 3. American foul brood comb, showing irregular patches of sunken cappings and 

 scales. The position of the comb indicates the best way to view the scales. From Farmers' 

 Bulletin 442, U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bureau of Entomology. 



"The scale formed by the dried-down larva adheres tightly to the cell 

 and can be removed with difficulty from the cell wall. The scales can 

 best be observed when the comb is held with the top inclined toward 



