22 MEETING OF INSPECTORS OF APIARIES. 
VITALITY OF SPORES. 
Mr. France. As to the duration of this bacillus in the spore form, 
how long can it remain in honey and still have vitality to grow under 
proper conditions ? | 
Doctor Puruuies. I have never determined any limit. It is known 
that very old honey from an infected hive will transmit disease to a 
colony. 
Mr. France. In my State (Wisconsin) we had an experience bear- 
ing on this point where combs contained American foul brood. The 
bees had died, leaving the combs containing dead dried-up larvee, and 
the owner, anxious to start in bees again, put the hives away in the 
granary, and four years afterwards hived bees on them and American | 
foul brood started anew. 
Mr. D. H. Cocesuari (N. Y.). When honey was shipped from | 
Cuba several years ago and scattered all over the United States, if | 
it was left where bees from this country could get to it, the disease 
was certainly scattered broadeast. 
| 
; 
PUBLICATIONS ON BEE DISEASES. 
Doctor Prixiips. I desire at this time to announce the publication 
of three pamphlets on bee diseases issued by the Bureau of Ento- 
mology. Circular No. 79,“ The Brood Diseases of Bees,” was issued | 
three or four weeks ago. I have just this morning received copies | 
of a paper by Doctor White, Technical Series, No. 14, entitled, ‘* The | 
Bacteria of the Apiary, with Special Reference to Bee Diseases.” 
This was issued on November 6, and was received here this morning. 
T have also a pamphlet here from the Bureau of Entomology con- 
taining all the laws in force relative to bee-disease inspection. This 
is a reprint from Bulletin No. 61, The Laws in Force Against 
Injurious Insects and Foul Brood in the United States.” A recent 
order of the Secretary of Agriculture has put a stop to the free 
distribution of bulletins, but they can be purchased from the Superin- 
tendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, 
D.C. The price of Technical Series, No. i4, is 10 cents. 
The following paper was then read by Doctor Phillips: 
THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF BEE DISEASES. 
By BE. EF. Puts, Ph D., 
Of the U. S. Departinent of Agriculture. 
I wish to take up two or three phases of this work about which 
Doctor White has been speaking, and te add some additional points. 
In regard to the history of the investigation of bee diseases prior to | 
1885, I can do no better than to quote the historical résumé contained 
