SEPTEMBER 15, 1913 



«S1 



read at tlie various conventions of the State 

 associations. 



EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD AND HOW PURE ITAL- 

 IANS HASTEN ITS ELIMINATION. 



One paper by the author, Mr. Wright, on 

 the subject of Italian bees as a factor in the 

 extermination of European foul brood, is 

 particularly noteworthy. We quote : 



When we consider that there is no other race or 

 variety of bees that is so nearly exempt or immune 

 to the ravages of this disease as the pure Italian, 

 and that large or small apiaries of this race often 

 pass through an epidemic of European foul brood of 

 several years' duration almost unscathed, and fur- 

 nish their owners a good profit at the same time ; 

 while, contrariwise, all black and hybrid bees in the 

 vicinity suffer heavy losses, and frequently total 

 annihilation, we begin to realize somewhat the im- 

 portant position held by these bees. There are nu- 

 merous remedies and treatments recommended for 

 the relief and cure of this malady ; but where is 

 there one that will compare with Italianization as a 

 preventive measure before the colony has been ex- 

 posed, or after treatment, to prevent reinfection ? 



I consider this item, Italianization, of more im- 

 portance than any other one, and, perhaps, than all 

 others combined, in the fight against this arch en- 

 emy of beekeepers. 



In view of the foregoing facts, it is a pity we have 

 no legislation making Italianization of all bees, 

 where necessary for protection, compulsory. How- 

 ever, I presume such a law would be considered un- 

 constitutional. 



This Statement, coming from an expert 

 on European foul brood, is in harmony 

 with the statement made by several other 

 authorities. A word to the wise will be suf- 

 ficient. 



This bulletin can probably be obtained by 

 New York beekeepers by applying to the 

 Department of Agxieulture, Albany, N. Y. 

 Eveiy York Stater should have it. It would 

 probably cost residents of other States 10 

 or 25 cents, and it would be well worth the 

 latter figure. 



Bulletin No. 9, Beekeeping in Tennessee, 

 from the State Board of Entomology, by 

 G. M. Bentley, is another bulletin as large 

 or larger, so far as the amount of matter is 

 concerned. Numerous illustrations, most of 

 them original, show the different stages in 

 the various manipulations in the handling 

 of bees. It is, in fact, a very complete 

 treatise on the subject of handling bee dis- 

 eases. 



It gives a list of honey sources in that 

 State, the present and future possibilities 

 within the State, and then it takes up the 

 subject of apiaiy inspection, and the report 

 of the Apicultural Inspector, Dr. J. F. 

 Ward. The closing pages are devoted to 

 the relation of beekeeping to horticulture, 

 by Dr. Ward. This bulletin can doubtless 

 be obtained by Tennessee beekeepers by ap- 

 plying to the Tennessee State Board of 

 Entomolog)', Knox\'ille, Tenn. 



Bulletin No. 11 is devoted to the subject 

 of beekeeping in Iowa, by Mr. Frank C. 



Pellett, foul-brood Inspector of that State. 

 This, though not nearly as large as the two 

 other bulletins mentioned, is vei-y complete, 

 in that a beginner by following its instruc- 

 tions could make a nice start in the busi- 

 ness. The subject of bee diseases, with a 

 copy of the law, is given on the last page 

 or two. A copy of this bulletin can doubt- 

 less be obtained by applying to the Iowa 

 State College of Agiiculture, located at 

 Ames, Iowa. 



In tliis connection it is proper to state 

 that this college is one of the very best in 

 the United States. It has a splendid equip- 

 ment of new buildings; and we have been 

 assured that its president is desirous of 

 having beekeeping taught in the institution. 

 Mr. Pellet is doing much for the cause of 

 beekeeping in his State. While he is handi- 

 capped by a lack of funds to carry on 

 properly the work of inspection, yet there 

 is every reason to believe that the time will 

 soon come when Iowa will take its rank 

 with other States that recognize the seri- 

 ousness of foul brood. 



OUR QUEEN-MATING YARD AT THE BASSWOOD 



GROVE; BABY NUCLEI VS. THOSE USING 



FULL-SIZED LANGSTROTH FRAMES. 



The cover design for this issue shows a 

 portion of our basswood gi^ove that was set 

 out bj' A. I. Root over forty years ago, or 

 just about the time his enthusiasm for bees 

 was at its height. He had secured a crop of 

 basswood honey from his 50 colonies that 

 set him wild. Observing that a single bass- 

 wood tree would yield more nectar per 

 square foot of ground than anj- other tree 

 or plant north of the Ohio River, he con- 

 ceived the idea of buying a piece of land 

 and setting it out to basswoods. He pur- 

 chased twelve acres, and during the next 

 year he set out some 4000 basswoods. Many 

 of them were not more than a foot high, 

 while others were perhaps two or three feet. 

 Well does the writer remember helping to 

 set out those trees. A big Dutchman dug 

 the holes, while we sprinkled in bonedust. 

 We gave the young trees the right kind of 

 plant-food at the very start. The trees 

 grew, and along with them some side shoots. 

 Neighbor H. told A. I. R. to let those shoots 

 grow, as they would furnish more blossoms ; 

 but that was a mistake, because they ulti- 

 mately killed the old tree, and left a lot of 

 small trees all from one root, as will be seen 

 in the picture on the cover. The ground 

 was never thoroughly underdrained, and the 

 trees have never, except in one or two cases, 

 yielded a large crop of honey. One of these 

 cases was during the year 1912. 



Young basswood trees, in order to do 

 well, should be grown in connection with 



