n8 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



have worked to secure the passage of this 

 bill certainly did not have in view the 

 giving of "some one at the capitol a job " 

 Besides, Mr. Smith should know that the 

 passage of the proposed bill carried with 

 it the plan of having the commissioner 

 appointed upon the recommendation of 

 the State Bee-Keepers' Association. That 

 body would not be very likely to recom- 

 mend the appointment of "some fellow 

 at the capitol." 



We need a new law. There is no ques- 

 tion of that; and that opposition to it 

 should come from otir own ranks is a sur- 

 prising thing. 



^extractedT 



BLACK BROOD. 



The Conclusions of Dr. Howard Regarding 

 the Disease. Its symptoms, and Reme- 

 dies that are Advised. 



Of all the dangers that are now threat- 

 ening bee-keeping, none appear greater 

 than what has been named "Black Brood." 

 So far as is known it started in New York 

 some three or four ago. From its great 

 resemblence to foul brood, it has been 

 confounded with that disease; but, at last, 

 Dr. Howard of Texas, has made a thor- 

 ough investigation and has published the 

 results in Gleanings. I will not take the 

 space to print a full account of this in- 

 vestigation, but all bee-keepers should 

 know the conclusions at which he arrived. 

 They should know the symptoms, so as 

 to be able to detect the disease if it should 

 break out in their apiary; and, while there 

 has not yet been discovered a positive 

 remedy, it is well to know what is now 

 considered the best course to take. I 

 will quote from Dr. Howard's report the 

 portion that covers these points. After 

 describing his investigations, Dr. Howard 

 says: — 



Here conclude my investigations, 

 which have been carefully conducted; al- 



though under disadvantages as to season, 

 etc., they have in a great measure been 

 satisfactory. Many points of vital inter- 

 est have been made clear, while others of 

 equal importance are necessarily obscure. 

 It is clearly not foul brood. It is clearly 

 something new. It is apparently a dis- 

 ease of the pupa stage. The infection is 

 clearly not in the pollen — not due to a 

 fungus but due to bacteria. 



All diseases in animal and vegetal life, 

 are due to the results of parasitic invasion 

 — some by their mechanical presence, 

 some by the ferments produced in the 

 body, and in plants by changes in or tak- 

 ing from them their life juices, causing 

 starvation and immature growth. 



In any given case of rotten brood, dead 

 from freezing, starvation or other causes, 

 being allowed to remain in the cells 

 mucli of the poison generated, as well as 

 the germs themselves, or their spores, 

 remain adherent to the sides of the cell. 

 These are like the seeds which "fell on 

 the stony ground," and will not grow un- 

 til the proper soil, such as is furnished by 

 the rich nitrogenous substances supplied 

 to the brood bv the nurse-l)ees is brought 

 in contact with them, when a luxuriant 

 growth obtains. This produces a fermen- 

 ting, decomposing food unfit for the 

 brood, and sets up a ferment, a decompo- 

 sition within the bodies of the bees, thus 

 destroying their lives. This might hap- 

 pen to the host with any form of parasitic 

 life, either animal or vegetal. 



It might be said, speculatively, that 

 the disease had its origin in starvation, 

 and that in some cases several putrefac- 

 tive bacteria of similar biological charac- 

 ter w'ere responsible for this malady, 

 which, when once started and imdisturb- 

 ed, becomes as destructive as the old- 

 fashioned foul brood. The two germs iso- 

 lated having similar, or the same, biolog- 

 ical characteristics, especially an alka- 

 line medium in common, are both in a 

 measure responsible for this disease, and 

 perhaps the variations, the malignancy, 

 etc.. are due to modifications by combin- 

 ed action. It is, evidently, now due 

 to a specific germ, Bacillus jitilli: the 

 other, perhaps purely accidental at 

 first, on account of its requiring more ox- 

 ygen, is now found in the thorax among 

 the respiratory organs. 



While it has not been clearly demon- 

 strated by facts, practically, it appears 

 to be true that perfect bees, especially 

 nurse-bees, are injured bj- the infection. 

 Foul brood, pickled brood, and black 

 brood. Foul brood, due to IhuHIus alvei 

 — a specific bacterium. 



