58 JouDial of Ag/iciilture. [10 Jan., 191 o. 



Another mixed crop was sown on j8th April, the preparation of the 

 land and the manuring being the .same as in the case of the crop sown on 

 the 2 1 St April. Th^ seed used was the following: — Tick beans, 2\ 

 bushels; rye, | bushel; black oats, \ bushel. It was also harvested on the 

 8th November for the silo and returned 18 tons per acre. 



A view of ^Ir. Hope's lucerne paddock is also given. This paddock 

 was ploughed 10 inches deep, harrowed four times, cross-harrowed and 

 rolled. It was sown on loth September, 1908, in drills, at the rate of 

 7 lbs. of Hunter River seed to the acre. This crop has done remarkably 

 well, and has returned fi\-e cuttings since sown. When cut on the 3rd 

 November 12 tons per acre of green fodder were obtained. The lucerne 

 is cut and chaffed dailv and mixed with the dairv herd's ration. 



BEE MORTALITY L\ THE STAWELL DISTRICT. 



Con.sequent on the heavv mortalitv which has recentlv occurred in the 

 apiaries located on the eastern side of the Grampians, ^Nlr. R. Beulme 

 was deputed to make inquirx . Mr. Beuhne visited many of the apiaries 

 and from the owners of nineteen he was able to obtain reliable information 

 .showing that out of 1,293 colonies the losses had been no less than 599. 

 He also secured .specimens for bacteriological in\estigation which has 

 been undertaken by Mr. C. A. E. Price of the Government Laboratory 

 at the request of the Director. The matter was also brought under the 

 notice of the Commonwealth Analyst by Mr. Beuhne. 



The results of Mr. Price's investigations and also of those of Mr. 

 Willgerodt of the Commonwealth Customs Laboratory, are published here- 

 with. — Editor. 



I.— EXAMINATION OF BEES FOR BACTERIAL DISEASE. 



C. A. E. Price, Microscopisi, Government Laboratory. 



During a recent inspection of 19 different apiaries situated along the 

 eastern base of the Grampians, extending from Glenorchy to Great Western, 

 Mr. R. Beuhne found that out of a total number of 1,293 colonies examined 

 by him there had been an absolute mortalitx from some obscure malady of 

 599 colonies, equal to over 46 per cent. 



During the last week in OctoVjer I received through the post two 

 small cages containing a number of living bees. Each oT the cages con- 

 tained about 20 individuals. In the cage marked No. i , the bees were 

 said to have been from a normal hive. The bees in No. 2 cage w'ere 

 taken from a hive showing effects of the disease (or dwindling). 



Appearance of the Bees. — The normal bees on inspection appeared to 

 be of an active robust character, while those from the affected hive, al- 

 though at this period equally active in their movements, did not appear 

 to possess the same vitality as the bees taken from the normal hive. 



There was no evidence on the floor or walls of either cage of excrement 

 of any nature voided by the bees, which, if present, might tend to give 

 some indication of a disease similar in character to the dy.senteric troubles 

 which affect l)ees in the spring months, when the l^ees it is stated, discharge 

 their excrement not onlv over the comb but on the sides, floor, and 

 alighting lx)ard of the hive ; the drv faeces take the form of a long streak 

 of dirtv red brown material. About four davs, however, after the bees 



