536 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



well along with the most of it diseased. All of them that had reared new 

 queens we now shook into foundation, giving them a new queen. The 

 ones which had not reared new queens we left on same combs. We shook 

 our fifteen swarms we had bought on to full sheets of foundation. Finding 

 that five or six had the disease very light, we gave all new queens. 

 We stacked all of our combs which contained brood, diseased or not, on 

 five of our weakest colonies which had been shaken on to foundation. We 

 removed these combs when the brood was all out. The disease did not re- 

 appear in these colonies and they are among the best I have now. The 

 disease did appear in some that I shook on to foundation and some 

 that I left on their combs, destroying five of my colonies, and nine of those 

 I had taken on shares. I now have twenty-three colonies of my own and 

 eight of those that I took on shares left, they all seem to be in a good 

 healthy condition. I am expecting the disease to reappear this next spring, 

 but think I will be able to keep it under control. 



EXPERIENCE WITH EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD. 



L. W. ELMORE, FAIRFIELD. 



The European Foul Brood proposition is a serious one, more especially 

 to those who are unfamiliar with brood diseases. Two or three years ago 

 I knew only a few farmer bee men who knew anything about foul brood or 

 treatment of same. I am glad to say that in my acquaintance I have found 

 only a few that did not want to know or make an effort to master the dis- 

 ease as required now by our state law. In reference to my own personal 

 experience with European Foul Brood, allow me to say when it made an 

 unwelcome visit to my apiary a few years ago I was prepared to meet the 

 occasion. Knowing what I had and how to handle it I proceeded to do so 

 at once. It being in early spring I soon had everything as good as new 

 again; as far as my apiary was concerned, at least. But, alas — I realized 

 my troubles had only begun — 'With over 100 colonies within a radius of 

 three miles, owned by about a dozen farmers. As before stated these were 

 people entirely unfamiliar with this disease. Just at this time it looked 

 rather discouraging, to say tlie least. 



As we had no foul brood law or inspector; it was up to myself alone to 

 apprize them of the danger if I could. Well, I talked to this and that one, 

 first inquiring about their bees getting the necessary evidence before 

 approaching the subject. Most all had lost some bees, some had lost all 

 they had from one cause or another. Some said the moth had eaten them 

 up. It was very clear to me they had foul brood. I was now aware foul 

 brood was all around me. No one making any effort to clear up the trou- 

 ble. I must take my chances for better or worse and wait for results. 

 I knew in course of time many would go out of business as bee keepers. 

 Time drifted along for a year or two, and as expected one by one they 

 were losing out. 



All along I had many diseased colonies in my own apiary which were 

 promptly treated. About this time, one or two having several colonies 



