REPORT OF THE STATE INSPECTOR OF APIARIES. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Board : 



In presenting this, the second annual report of my work as 

 Inspector of Apiaries, I wish to state that the work is yet largely a 

 work of education, and will necessarily remain so for some time to 

 come, for so few people understand and appreciate the real value 

 of the honey bee to humanity and the necessity for guarding it 

 against disease and harmful influences. 



I will first refer to the work done during the past year, and 

 then call your attention to a few suggestions which I think would 

 greatly aid future work. 



Total number of apiaries visited during the 



season of 1908 340 



Number of apiaries diseased 166 



Total number of colonies inspected 5,155 



Number of colonies diseased 469 



Much more work has been done during the season just closed 

 than in the one preceding. 



During the season of 1908, 2,127 more colonies were inspect- 

 ed than during the season of 1907. Some localities are now pretty 

 well cleansed of foul-brood, where two years ago we found disease 

 widely spread, and the conditions favorable for the wholesale dis- 

 tribution of the infection. Work has been started in several new 

 localities with gratifying results. Greater good could have been 

 accomplished during the season just closed had the weather been 

 more favorable in the spring and early summer. The cold, rainy, 

 weather was not only hurtful to the bees, but it caused the work of 

 inspection to proceed very slowly, this work having to be regulated 

 by conditions that affect the bees, such as cool weather, rainy 

 weather, and a scarcity of nectar to be gathered. Failing to 

 observe these conditions would result in harm instead of good. 



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