1324 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Nov. 1 



on the bottom-board so the board or storm-door 

 would be raised sufficiently for the bees to enter. 

 This arrangement needs no attention, while ve- 

 randa doors must be opened and closed frequent- 

 ly in the spring if any good is expected from 

 them. If in the spring the doors are not opened 

 when they should be, the loss or danger might 

 be as much as or more than if the hive had been 

 left to itself with no protection. I find the 

 verandas at least as valuable in winter as in 

 spring. If I were in America in a location pro- 

 tected from the north by forest or mofuntains, so 

 the north wind could not bother the bees much, 

 or in a locality that is not troubled with north 

 winds, I would turn the hive entrance of a part 

 of my colonies to the north; then the bees would 

 fly only in weather that would not be dangerous. 

 I think, the danger is greater here than in most 

 locations in America, because bees are kept in 

 bee-houses with the hive entrance to the south. 

 The sun shining on the building has more power 

 to entice bees out in spring when the air in the 

 field is cool enough to chill many of them. I 

 am inclined to think most damage is done when 

 the weather changes rapidly at noon or in the 

 afternoon. The bees are out, and not able to 

 return; but no protection will avert loss from 

 such a sudden change of temperature. 

 Stoetten a. A., Bavaria, Germany. 



TROUBLES OF A BEE-INSPECTOR. 



Some Problems that Confront Inspectors 

 in their Work; Some Suggestions in Re- 

 gard to Inspection and to the Laws Con- 

 trolling it. 



BY C. A. VVURTH. 



This is a subject that is rarely touched upon in 

 the columns of any bee-journal, and it may appear 

 to be a little out of the ordinary to piesent some 

 of the following suggestions to intelligent bee- 

 keepers; but I am of the opinion that Gleanings 

 numbers among its subscribers not a few parties 

 who have no knowledge of bee-diseases, being so 

 ignorant of this important subject that th<^y lose 

 their bees by one disease or another, and never 

 guess the cause. 



In my experience as a bee-inspector I find par- 

 ties who question the existence of bee-diseases, 

 and it is a hard job to convince them that they 

 are wrong, as it usually occurs that a person so 

 ignorant as to question the existence of a conta- 

 gious disease among bees is conceited, and all of 

 the evidence brought to bear is of no avail. The 

 best way to convince such people is to bring ac- 

 tion against them in the court; for, although they 

 may not be convinced they can be convicted of 

 violating the law, and, after once being compel- 

 led to pay for their stubbornness, they will yield to 

 the wishes of the inspector on the next occasion. 

 1 do not advise indiscriminate prosecution of any 

 one; but when it is necessary I believe in penal- 

 izing to the limit. It is folly to let any one 

 maintain a position whereby he disputes facts, 

 established by scientific analysis made in our 

 government laboratories by qualified men who 

 devote their energies to the study of just such 

 diseases. 



A bee-inspector is often placed in very embar- 

 rassing circumstances. A person capable of ful- 

 filling the duties of inspector should be a compe- 

 tent and well-informed bee-keeper; therefore if he 

 is an apiarist, owning bees near where his services 

 are required, he is placed in a position whereby 

 he can be accused 6)f using his authority to further 

 his own interests. For instance, if it is necessary 

 to destroy some colonies, the owner at once takes 

 this view. Of course, this accusation is fostered 

 solely by parties who are either ignorant of the 

 consequences of the disease when left to itself or 

 by those who are trouble-makers. 1 have confi- 

 dence in mankind enough to think that, where 

 the inspectors are apiarists, with the right kind of 

 feeling toward this great and interesting industry, 

 not one in twenty will be found who is doing 

 this inspection for the material benefits derived. 

 An inspector who does his duty is sure to find 

 opposition. In all civilized countries we find 

 neighbors who do not get along together. Some- 

 times each of these two parties owns bees in an in- 

 fected district. The inspector may find one api- 

 ary contaminated, and order it destroyed, while 

 the other is in splendid condition. This at once 

 leads the first to accuse the inspector of being 

 partial in his methods. Of course, circumstances 

 like the above are rare, but still they exist. 



In my opinion the worst hardship the inspect- 

 or is confronted with is the enforcement of the 

 law when opposed by some influential person. 

 It is not a pleasant duty to start proceedings or 

 legal action against an offender of the statute, as 

 it necessarily calls into court parties as witnesses 

 who rather shrink from the duty, thinking that, 

 perhaps, they may create an enmity with the one 

 they testify against, as often happens. 



If any party owning bees does not know the 

 character of the disease supposed to exist in the 

 hives, and after an examination by the inspector 

 still doubts or questions the ability of the inspect- 

 or in determining what is wrong, and requests 

 that he be allowed to retain a sample of the dis- 

 eased comb to submit to the government experts 

 for an analysis, he immediately blocks any pos- 

 sible attempt of the inspector to do him an injus- 

 tice. This kind of test would at once vindicate 

 or convict the inspector of unfairness; and it is 

 not expensive nor unfair to the inspector. I for 

 one gladly submit to such a test. There is a pos- 

 sibility that, in some cases, it might be unfair; 

 but in most instances I believe that it would be 

 of material benefit to the inspector; for, after a 

 few such tests, it could easily be shown that the 

 inspector is either using unlawful and malicious 

 methods or giving a square deal. 



It is my further opinion that a State law, pro- 

 viding for a State inspector, whose salary and ex- 

 penses would be paid directly out of the State 

 treasury, would have a tendency to eliminate a 

 lot of the prejudice against bee-inspectors, as it 

 would do avsay with all county or district lines, 

 and the duties of the inspector would not be con- 

 fined to his own immediate vicinity or neighbor- 

 hood. 



I do not believe in drawing the party line when 

 it comes to bee-inspectors, as I consider it poor 

 policy to mix politics with so important an issue 

 as the eradication of foul brood. A bee-inspect- 

 or should be selected and appointed upon his 

 merits and knowledge of the diseases of bees, and 



