February, '16] PETTIT: APIARY INSPECTION IN ONTARIO 197 



districts with a local inspector in each under the direction of the Min- 

 ister of Agriculture. The present provincial apiarist was appointed in 

 1909 and given charge of the inspection system. 



The present organization consists of the following divisions: 



1. Bee disease legislation; 2. Conference and training of inspectors; 

 3. Educational correspondence with beekeepers to sustain interest 

 and cooperation; 4. The bulletin on 'Bee Diseases"; 5. Apiary dem- 

 onstrations; 6. Field work of inspectors; 7. The system of reporting 

 and centralization of control; 8. Organization of the central office. 



Under the legislation, the number of inspectors is not restricted. 

 They are appointed on the recommendation of the Minister of Agri- 

 culture, who usually consults the Provincial Apiarist. They work under 

 his direction and are required to destroy the worst cases of disease, 

 only leaving instructions for the cure of milder cases. They are 

 authorized to order the transferring of colonies out of box hives. A 

 heavy penalty is placed on the beekeeper for disposing of diseased bees 

 or appHances, in any way, and persons whose bees have been treated 

 or destroyed for disease are forbidden to dispose of any bees or appli- 

 ances whatever mthout permission from the inspector, on penalty of 

 fine or imprisonment. Every person who is aware of the existence of 

 f oulbrood is required to report the same to the Minister of Agriculture 

 on penalty of a fine. 



The Inspectors' Conference is held at the Ontario Agricultural 

 College at the time of the Beekeeping Short Course in January. 

 Methods of inspection are fully discussed by the inspectors and res- 

 olutions passed by them which commit them to a uniform policy of 

 inspection work for the ensuing season. 



During the early part of May some undergraduate specialists in 

 beekeeping are given a course of training as inspectors and demonstra- 

 tors. Most of these men have made good despite the opposition of 

 some older beekeepers. Incidentally it is a part of their training as 

 graduate specialists. Several have returned home to keep bees and 

 are now making the best of local inspectors. 



Under the slogan "Every beekeeper his own inspector," the coop- 

 eration of beekeepers themselves is sought by correspondence. First 

 a letter is sent to the complete list early in spring warning against the 

 danger of spreading disease by allowdng robbing, and advising all 

 owners of bees in box hives to prepare for transferring them during the 

 swarming season. 



Early in May, a letter goes to the disease list asking the beekeeper 

 to be his own inspector and enclosing a report form with agreement 

 to treat by a stated time, and a report of treatment to be signed and 

 returned later. Returns from this are filed with the disease list. The 



