JUNE 15, 1913 



399 



I 



In looking through this book the Ameri- 

 can beekeeper will be struck by the great 

 number of beautiful bee-houses, pavilons, 

 sheds, summer-houses, etc., used in Ger- 

 many, where space is so limited and lumber 

 still more so. The American beekeeper would 

 consider the cost of these all out of propor- 

 tion to their value as bee-protectors; but as 

 the German attaches considerable value to 

 ornament for its own sake, perhaps the use 

 of such buildings is warranted by the beau- 

 tiful appearance they present. 



Much space is given in this volume to the 

 depredations of the wax-moth. The many 

 illustrations show plainly what a terrible 

 scourge the moth is there, while in this coun- 

 try it has ceased to cut any figure where the 

 Italian bee has been introduced. The Ger- 

 mans still use, as a general thing, the old 

 black or German brown bee. 



The process of egg-laying, both drone 

 and worker, is one of the most striking 

 features of this book, and is splendidly 

 illustrated by half-tones photographed from 

 the combs direct. 



On the subject of foul brood thirteen 

 pages are devoted, describing it minutely, 

 but not illustrating it. Its method of treat- 

 ment is very complete. 



We feel sure that this, the fourth enlarg- 

 ed and amended edition of this already cel- 

 ebrated work, will be of permanent value 

 to the readers for whom it was mainly de- 

 signed, and it will also be a literary monu- 

 ment to the skill and industry of the dis- 

 tinguished author. 



ANOTHER CASE WHERE BEES HAVE BEEN" 



KILLED BY SPRAYING WHILE FRUIT-TREES 



WERE IN BLOOM. 



We have had a good many reports show- 

 ing how bees have been killed by hundreds 

 and thousands by the ignorant folly of some 

 fruit-growers who spray trees while in full 

 bloom. The following letter received from 

 the New Hampshire Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, written by the assistant horti- 

 culturist, Mr. W. H. Wolff, is pretty con- 

 vincing proof. As Mr. Wolff is a scientific 

 man, the presumption is that he would not 

 be mistaken. 



The beekeepers of this State are experiencing con- 

 siderable trouble from trees being sprayed while they 

 are in bloom. From several towns I learn of this 

 having been done this year and last, and the few 

 colonies we have here at the College under my care 

 have had their strength considerably reduced owing 

 to a commercial sprayer having sprayed 500 trees 

 within half a mile of us while the trees were in full 

 bloom. 



The first knowledge I had of this trouble was on 

 the morning of May 17, when, on looking at my 

 bees, I noticed the ground in front of the hive was 

 covered wth many hundreds, dead and dying. This 

 condition of affairs has been going on for the past 



three days, until now when it has appreciably de- 

 creased the working force of each hive. I should 

 like to know what suggestions the National Beekeep- 

 ers' Association has to offer when bees are being 

 killed oflf in this way. Also whether it is possible to 

 frame a law which would protect them against the 

 work of careless and ignorant people. 



I have collected about a pint of bees from the 

 college hives and those of a neighbor, and have dried 

 these out. It may be that you may like to have these 

 to analyze for traces of arsenic so as to get more 

 exact data on killing bees by spraying the trees while 

 in bloom. 



Durham, N. H., May 22. W. H. Wolff. 



Almost in the same mail another letter 

 came along the same lines. It reads : 



I see you want reports on spraying fruit-trees in 

 bloom. They are spraying trees around here that are 

 in bloom. Parties take contracts, and they sprav 

 through blooming time, paying no attention to the 

 beekeeper's interests. Two years ago I had 40 stands 

 of bees ruined by spraying in bloom. Two years ago 

 there were 100 stands of bees in my community. 

 Now there are by actual count only 25 stands. They 

 spray with arsenate of lead and Paris green, yet 

 they say it does not kill the bees. Even neighbors 

 spray this year in bloom. Why not? The law says 

 they may do so. 



McGuffey, Ohio, May 11. H. McBride. 



In this connection it is proper to quote 

 the whole of what Mr. Frank Rauchfuss 

 says in the last issue of the American Bee 

 Journal, page 151. Here is what he says: 



Prof. Gillette says : " When the codling moth be- 

 gins to appear about the time of full bloom, they do 

 not begin to Uy eggs until the majority of the apples 

 in the orchard are one-half of an inch in diameter; 

 when they are % of an inch they are laid freely. 

 As soon as the little apples lose their fuzzy coverings 

 the moths lay their eggs very largely upon the cheek 

 of the apple, but never in the blossom. Later they 

 find their hiding place in the blossom end of the 

 apple. After the blossoms have fallen and the apples 

 have attained a little size, is the time to spray, and 

 not before." 



Prof. Gillette, who wrote the above, has raised 

 these moths in great numbers at the Government 

 Experimental Station, and is considered the best 

 authority on this subject in the West. 



In Bulletin No. 89, from the State of New York 

 Experiment Station, we find the following state- 

 ment: "The trees should not be sprayed while in 

 bloom, for the spray may injure the delicate part of 

 the flower." The Missouri State Bulletin No. 36 says: 

 " Never spray a fruit tree while in bloom. You not 

 only injure the delicate stigma and prevent polleni- 

 zation, but you are in danger of killing bees." Bees 

 aid largely in poUenizing all fruit trees, and with 

 other insect life are of great service to the fruit 

 growers at this time of the year. 



Green's Fruit Grower says: "It is a positive in- 

 jury to spray for the codling moth when the trees 

 are in bloom." The Vermont Station prints the fol 

 lowing advice: "Spraying when trees are in bloom 

 is entirely useless ; it is a waste of time and spray- 

 ing material." The United States Agricultural De- 

 partment at Washington sends out the following: 

 " Pomologists may well join hands demanding and 

 securing a law making it a grave misdemeanor to 

 spray trees while they are in full bloom." 



Canada has a strict law against spraying while 

 fruit trees are in bloom. Several of our States have 

 passed similar laws. 



Spray only when blossoms have fallen. Those trees 

 that have blossoms on them at the time of the first 

 spraying should not be sprayed until the time of the 

 second spraying some 12 or 14 days later. 



