362 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



eight or ten other speakers from throughout New 

 England. 



One session will be devoted to the discussion of 

 tlie brood diseases of bees, their treatment and pre 

 vcntion, during which a prominent feature will be 

 the discussion of the transportation of bees in comb- 

 less packages, of which I have previously written 

 your company. A number have already indicated 

 their intention to send specimen shipments. This, of 

 course, is in the nature of an advertisement, and 

 should arouse the interest of beekeepers in the new 

 and safe method of bee transportation. We shall also 

 demonstrate the treatment of diseases during this 

 session. 



Another session will be devoted to general discus- 

 sions. Your work will of course be concerning out- 

 yards and the e.xtraction of honey and most up-to 

 date methods using our equipment which is installed 



I shall announce also some of the features of the 

 apiary equipment of this institution which includes a 

 nectar-yielding garden which is being planted and 

 maintained so that the beekeepers may see growing 

 the more important nectariferous plants. There will 

 also be for comparison several types of cement hive- 

 stands. 



Another feature will be the display of queens of 

 the diiiferent races and types advertised in the coun 

 try. The equipment of implements and beekeeping 

 materials will be on exhibition and is known as the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College Apicultural Mu- 

 seum, which Phillips has designated as the most com- 

 plete array yet gathered. This also includes some 

 rare books on the subject. 



Other topics which will be discussed by competent 

 authorities will include problems of increase; those 

 of interest to the beginner as well as some new topics 

 involving the production of colonies during the win- 

 ter, by Mr. Whitten, of Hartford; the maintenance 

 of 'bees in buildings for school and other purposes. 



Mr. Pettit will doubtless speak concerning Ontario 

 beekeeping conditions, giving an illustrated lecture 

 in the evening, I expect. 



Amherst, Mass., May 19. B. N. Gates. 



The equipment mentioned by Dr. Gates, 

 which we shall use for illustrating the mod- 

 ern methods for taking extracted honey, will 

 consist of a power honey-extractor, cap- 

 ping-melter, steam uncapping-knife, honey- 

 pump, and all complete. 



We might add further that there is a 

 possibility and even a probability that J. 

 E. Crane, of Middlebury, Vt., will be pres- 

 ent also. Mr. Crane is a champion of the 

 new method of shipping comb honey in 

 paper cases. He will doubtless be present 

 to illustrate not only the case made of corrti- 

 gated cellular paper, but how the honey is 

 packed therein. 



'I HE MOTH-MILLER SOMETIMES A BLESSING IN 

 DISGUISE. 



Inspector Morris, who called at Medina 

 to inspect our bees, called oui' attention to 

 the fact that the moth-miller is not altogeth- 

 er an unmitigated nuisance. This pest sel- 

 dom bothers "the professional or up-to-date 

 beekeeper. It is only the slipsliod, careless, 

 don't-read-the-bee-pajiers class that it an- 

 noys. It is this class who are the early vic- 

 tims of the ravages of foul brood. Their 

 bees become weaker and weaker, and finally 

 die in the winter, leaving combs more or 



less filled with honey, and smeared over with 

 I lie dead matter from foul brood, and, un- 

 fortunately, these " old gums " containing 

 infected honey are a constant source of in- 

 fection to all the bees in their vicinity. The 

 healthy bees within range rob them out. In 

 the mean time the moth-miller, if present, 

 gets in its work, and destroys the combs so 

 that no future swarm will find these old 

 hives a suitable abiding-place. It is right 

 here that the moth-miller proves to be a 

 blessing in disguise. These old combs all 

 covered with foul-brood scales would, unless 

 destroyed by some agency, attract swarms; 

 for experience has shown that they are fre- 

 quently occupied by stray swarms. The bees 

 get nicely started in housekeeping, begin to 

 fill the combs with honey and brood when, 

 lo! bee disease begins to make its appear- 

 ance. The colony dwindles, of course, dies 

 in the winter, and is again the source of in- 

 fection to the neighboring bees. They rob 

 it out once more; but if there are moth- 

 millers in the locality they soon destroy 

 these old combs and leave in their place a 

 mass of webs and filth that is so repellent 

 that no swarm of bees will make a home 

 there. Said Mr. Morris, " The moth-miller, 

 after all, may be a friend to the progres- 

 sive beekeeper in that it destroys one gi'eat 

 source of infection — old diseased combs in 

 his neighborhood that might otherwise re- 

 main in bee-trees and old boxes for years 

 and years, and for years and years spread 

 bee disease." 



The coyote is a nuisance to the western 

 ranchman because it destroys his young 

 stock; but that same coyote is a blessing in 

 disguise, in that it keeps down the jack rab- 

 bit that destroys the saiue ranchman's crops. 

 There is a beautiful balance in nature when 

 left undisturbed. It may be that the all- 

 wise Creator has created the moth-miller to 

 protect the up-to-date beekeeper. 



RECENT FOUL-BROOD LEGISLATION IN THE 

 UNITED STATES. 



Within the last three or four months 

 eight different States have passed foul- 

 brood laws. Some of them have had old 

 laws that were defective, while others have 

 secured for the first time legal means for 

 the suppression of bee diseases. First among 

 tiie list was Pennsylvania. It already had 

 a law but no appropriation. This has now 

 been secured, and Pennsylvania will now 

 take her place among the States that have 

 an effective foul-brood law. The adminis- 

 tration of the law in Pennsylvania will be 

 in the hands of Dr. H. A. Surface, Vice- 

 president of the National Beekeepers' As- 

 sociation, President of Pennsylvania State 



