80 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



Our neighboring states have a license law which is a source of 

 income to the department, requiring each man before buying cream 

 to take out a license and pass an examination as to his fitness. 

 This enables the Dairy Commissioner to keep in touch with dis- 

 honest buyers, and put them out of business whenever they break 

 the law. The law requires them to have a license, and yet gives the 

 department the right to revoke a license for inefficiency or dis- 

 honesty. I believe these two laws would be a source of great 

 help in building up the dairy interests of the State. 



Respectfully, 



W. P. Cutler, 



State Dairy Commissioner. 



REPORT OF APIARY INSPECTOR 



M. E. Darby. 



Gentlemen of the State Board of Agriculture : 



In presenting this sixth annual report as ' 

 Inspector of Apiaries I will very briefly state 

 apicultural conditions of the State, give number 

 of colonies inspected and make some recom- 

 mendations for the betterment of this work. 



The seasons of 1911 and 1912 were very 

 favorable for the development and spread of foul 

 brood, the greatest enemy to bee culture in this 

 country, and the losses caused by it in some 

 localities have been very discouraging, yet the 

 work of eradicating disease has been very satis- 

 factory in localities where it has been properly looked after. It 

 has been impossible for me to carefully go over all the territory 

 that has been visited by this destructive disease. 



Of the 3,800 colonies inspected during the season of 1912, 

 about ten per cent were found to be affected. Foul brood has been 

 discovered in thirty-one counties and is believed to exist in several 

 others. Fifty counties adjoining these are likely to become 

 affected at any time, nor is the trouble likely to stop with territory 

 in closest proximity. It can be carried in many ways and for long 

 distances, and start up its destructive work in unexpected places. 



In some of the places reported, the diseased territory is yet 

 small, and with proper management could be prevented from 

 spreading further, but unless more help can be had in the work 



