210 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



3-4 EDWARD VII., A. 1904 



combated. Tlie symptoms of this disease are not easily mistaken by one who is at 

 all familiar with it. The brood hatches unevenly and the cappings have a shrunken 

 appearance, and many of them are perforated as if the bees had begun uncapping 

 the brood. The dead brood will be found adhering to the side (lower side) of the cell, 

 and of a brownish coloiir. On inserting a small stick, the decomposed brood will ad- 

 here, and when withdrawn three-fourths of an inch, will still cling to the stick. Be- 

 side this " ropiness," the dead brood has a distinct odour very much like old glue. If 

 the disease has developed sufficiently, this odour may be detected on removing the 

 covering from 'the bees. These two last symptoms are peculiar to foul brood, and if 

 present, are considered a certain indication of infection.'] 



now TO CURE INFECTED APIARIES. 



Every infected apiary should be treated according to the condition in which it is 

 found, and at the same time not only to stamp out the disease, but also so as to induce 

 considerable increase in the colonies, and end by having every colony in first-class con- 

 dition. I may therefore first explain how I proceed. The best time for this work is 

 while the bees are gathering freely during the honey season. 



For this, taking two hives at a time, I shake off the bees from them with one of 

 the queens, and give them a clean hive with foundation starters, leaving in the two 

 original hives one queen and only about a quart of bees to take care of the brood still 

 unhatched in those two hives. I now remove the bottom of one hive and the top of 

 the other, and place the first on the top of the second, so that the bees may unite and, as 

 the young bees hatch out, form one strong colony. By the time that most of the 

 brood is hatched I have from the two colonies, when united, one large swarm of young 

 vigorous bees. This swarm must then be shaken into a fresh clean hive with founda- 

 tion starters. 



I have now two first-class colonies, each containing a queen, one from the bees 

 first shaken out of the two original infected hives, and another from the brood left in 

 the original hives with a queen and a small number of bees to take care of it. Both of 

 these colonies must now be treated to destroy the disease. All handling of diseased 

 colonies, especially during warm days should be done in the evening, when no bees are 

 flying. This will prevent robbing, and also will prevent bees from diseased colonies 

 mixing with those from sound colonies, going into their hives with them. Again, by 

 doing the work in the evening, it gives bees which have been treated a chance to settle 

 and quiet down before the morning. 



[Mr. Jones, of Missisquoi, explains the same treatment as follows : — ■ 



* The cure, although simple, requires great care to carry it out successfully. A 

 clean hive containing frames with starters of foundation, should be placed on the old 

 stand after removing the affected hive. Eemove the combs from the affected colony, 

 and shake the bees in front of the clean hive into which they will run. This should 

 be done at nightfall, when the bees are all at home, and then there will be no danger 

 of robbers getting at any of the tainted honey. Leave the bees in the new hive for 

 at least four or five days, by which time they will have used all the honey they carried 

 with them in comb-building, when you can remove the starters to melt into wax, replac- 

 ing them with frames filled with sheets of foundation, and your cure is effected. I 

 would advise burning the combs and honey removed from the hive and thoroughly 

 disinfecting the hive by scalding before using again. 



' Some authorities advocate caging the queen for ten days or so, to prevent brood 

 rearing until all danger of infection has passed, but I consider this only as an extreme 

 precautionary measure; in fact, hardly necessary.'] 



Treatment during the Honey Seaso7}. — Wlien the bees are gathering freely, remove 

 the combs from the hive in the evening, replacing tliem by frames with comb foundation 

 starters, as said before; then shake the bees from the combs into a clean hive and let 

 them build comb for four days. By that time they will have made the starters into 

 combs, and will have stored in these the infected honey which they brought from the 



