Report of Apiary Inspector. 



65 



this test. Every effort should be put forth to accomplish this as 

 it is of vital importance to the entire cattle industry of the State. 

 With the increased employment of modern barn equipment 

 better sanitation is sure to follow, and when the importance of 

 cleanliness in the handling of dairy products is fully realized and 

 generally practiced, the greatest obstacle in the milk problem is 

 removed. 



Respectfully submitted, 

 E. G. Bennett, State Dairy Commissioner. 



REPORT OF APIARY INSPECTOR. 



Gentlemen of the State Board of Agriculture: 



While the work of apiary inspection for 

 1913 was greatly hindered by the drouth, the 

 results in most places where work has been 

 carried on have been very good considering 

 the disadvantages we have labored under. 



During much of the time there was little 

 or no nectar secreted by the few flowers that 

 were not cut down by the excessive heat and 

 drouth. For this reason bees were very much 

 inclined to rob, so it was necessary to be very 

 M. E. Darby. cautious about Opening hives at times when 



robber bees were likely to dart in and steal a load of honey 

 from a colony opened for inspection when said colony might 

 contain foul brood and in this manner scatter it to other colo- 

 nies. Under these conditions much extra work had to be done, 

 for very seldom could an apiary of any size be inspected with- 

 out having to suspend operations one or more times before 

 completing the work unless a tent could be used, and most of 

 the time the tent proposition was an impracticable one. 



The work done before the dry weather was very satisfactory 

 and makes the season's results up to the average in number of 

 colonies inspected. But in many cases the work could not be as 

 thorough as it should have been. Of the 4,000 colonies thus 

 inspected five and one-half per cent were found to be diseased. 

 Of this number 75 per cent were affected with the European type 

 of foul brood and 25 per cent with the American type. 



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