128 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 



he insisted that I should look over the pages 

 of his book, and listen to his set speeches. 

 Any business that will not succeed when a 

 man announces at the outset just what his 

 calling is, should be regarded with suspicion. 



FOUL BROOD. 



THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF CURE CAREFULLY 

 CONSIDERED. 



TN my article in Gleanings of Jan. 1 I detailed 

 /^ my experience with foul brood. In this I wish 

 ^r to present the methods I would recommend for 

 "*■ its cure. Before doing- so, a few words of com- 

 ment on the various remedies jnay not be out 

 of place. 



First. Spraying or fumigating with salicylic acid. 

 Neither of these methods is to be relied on. 



Second. Muth's plan of removing- combs, putting 

 the bees on full sheets of foundation in a clean 

 hive, and then feeding salicylated syrup. This is a 

 good method; and if carefully and thoroughly car- 

 ried out it will always be successful. The principal 

 objections to it are, that salicylic acid is trouble- 

 some to use, as well as somewhat expensive, and 

 that it is impractical to feed during a yield of honey. 



Third. The .Jones, or starvation plan. I used this 

 plan extensively, because it was quick and simple, 

 dispensing with the fuss and bother of spraying or 

 feeding. Although generally successful, I would 

 not recommend it. In the first place, it is a very ex- 

 pensive plan. The starving is a terrible tax on the 

 vitality of the bees, and especially of the (lueen. I 

 have had a number of fine queens ruined in this 

 way. No colony seems to work with any energy for 

 some time after being released, while they dwindle 

 away with unusual rapidity. This is a loss, at what- 

 ever season the cure is attempted. If during or 

 just before a honey-tlow, the lo.ss of honey may 

 amount to more than the value of the colony. If 

 no honey is coming in they must be fed to suppoi't 

 and build them up. At such a time, starving is un- 

 necessary, as the feeding of medicated food is a 

 complete cure without the cruelty and loss incurred 

 in starving them. Moreover, starvation is not al- 

 ways to be relied on, especially during a heavy 

 honey-flow, or when they are hived on empty combs. 

 Unless great care is taken to have all the bees gorge 

 themselves to the utmost with honey— a very diffi- 

 cult thing at some times, and especially with some 

 bees— and they are then starved to the last extremi- 

 ty, some of the honey will remain in their sacks. 

 This honey, unless measures are taken to prevent 

 it.Js liable to be stored in the brood combs until 

 used for brood-rearing, thus starting the disease 

 anew. By feeding the bees medicated food during 

 their confinement, this, as well as the other evils of 

 the method, are obviated, as the feed, mixing with 

 the infected honey in their sacks, renders it harm- 

 less—but then it is the " starvation plan " no longer. 



Fourth. The Cheshire plan of feeding phenol 

 (carbolic acid) without removing the combs. This 

 will undoubtedly succeed when all the conditions 

 are favorable, but I can not recommend it as prac- 

 tical, though a more extended experience might 

 change my opinion. The amateur can afford to ex- 

 periment and run risks. He who has only a few 

 colonies of bees can usually spare the time required 

 to cure by feeding and similar manipulations; and 

 if he loses a large part of his honey-crop in doing 



so. he does not notice it very much. But to the man 

 who makes a business of bee-keeping, whose bread 

 and butter depends on it, it is a matter of consider- 

 able importance whether the cure is accomplished 

 in one day, or whether it is spread out over several 

 months, increasing the chances of spreading the 

 disease many times, and consuming much valuable 

 time. He can not afford uncertainty, nor can he 

 afford to lose his honey-crop. 



In seeking for a certain, speedy, and inexpensive 

 cure, I observed that, during a heavy honey-flow, 

 the progress of the disease was measurably abated, 

 except in the worst cases, and some eolonies cured 

 themselves. Why was this ? I decided that the dis- 

 ease was generally conveyed and propagated 

 through the medium of honej-. When honey is 

 plentiful, the larvae, instead of being fed on honey 

 which has been in the hive for some time, and thus 

 become infected, have their food prepared from 

 honey fresh from the fields, with which every bee is 

 gorged. The best time to attempt a cure is when 

 nature is inclined to assist. 



I noticed, too, that "starved" bees, released on 

 combs, frequently had the disease again; those hiv- 

 ed on full sheets of foundation, very seldom; while 

 none of those compelled to build their own combs 

 showed any trace of it. This convinced me that any 

 plan which would prevent brood-rearing for several 

 days, at the same time using up the infected honey 

 from the old hive, would render the bees incapable 

 of transmitting the disease. The most practical 

 way in most cases is to compel the bees to build a 

 new set of combs. 



HOW TO CURE FOUL BROOD. 



As soon as you discover the presence of foul 

 brood in your apiary, make up your mind that you 

 have to deal with an enemy that will require your 

 utmost care and vigilance to subdue. Remember 

 that prevention is better than cure. Foul brood is 

 probably more often spread by careless handling 

 than in any other way, so be careful that, in your 

 efforts to cure, you do not spread the disease. 



To start with, get a supply of carbolic acid. You 

 will do best to buy it in the original bottles, holding 

 a pound each, which should not cost you over 75 

 cents. If you buy a less quantity it will be more or 

 less diluted with water to keep it liquefied. Find out 

 what per cent of water there is in it, so that you 

 may know what you are doing. There is a great 

 difference in the quality of the acid. I have used 

 that from several different manufacturers, Graes- 

 er's proving the best. Make a S'':' solution of the 

 acid. If you have not the apparatus for accurate 

 measurements, take a tall bottle and measui-e into 

 it carefully 100 spoonfuls of water, marking with a 

 flic the height which it reaches. To make a 'S% so- 

 lution, put in three spoonfuls of acid and fill up 

 with water to the mark. This solution is for wash- 

 ing your hands, implements, etc., after any work 

 with diseased colonies. You will do well to have a 

 special smoker, knife, brush, etc., to be used only 

 with attected colonies. Remember, the disease is 

 very contagious, and may readily be carried on the 

 hands or any implement. Just how far this con- 

 tagiousness goes I can not say ; but to be on the safe 

 side I would disinfect every thing that has come in 

 contact with any part of an infected hive before 

 using it in other work. 



The best methods of cure will vary according to 

 the season. The best t ime is « hen honey is coming 

 in freely. At such a time, prepare a hive as follows: 



