ANNUAL REPOETS OF THE STATE INSPECTOR OF 

 APIARIES FOR THE YEARS ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 

 1919, AND NOVEMBER 30, 1920. 



To the Commissioner of Agriculture. 



As no report of the Inspector of Apiaries was published 

 last year, the report for that year is herein combined with 

 the report for the year just ended. 



No State Inspector of Apiaries having been appointed to 

 the position left vacant by the resignation of Dr. Burton N. 

 Gates, the apiary inspection work for the past two years has 

 been carried on by the State Nursery Inspection service and 

 its successor, the Division of Plant Pest Control. In general^ 

 the work has been conducted according to the plan followed 

 by Dr. Gates in previous years, the belief being that no more 

 efficient scheme could be devised with the limited funds which 

 have been available. 



During the past two seasons it has been possible to secure 

 the services of three former deputy apiary inspectors, Messrs. 

 O. F. Fuller of Blackstone, Edwards Thorne of Worcester and 

 Ivan Rawson of Richmond. It has also been possible from 

 time to time to call upon Dr. Gates, former State Inspector of 

 Apiaries, for his highly valued advice and assistance, always 

 willingly given. The acting inspector wishes to express his 

 appreciation of the services of these men, who are responsible 

 for whatever good results may have been accomplished. 



Winter Losses, 1918-19. 



As might be expected, the very mild winter of 1918-19 

 proved a very favorable one for the bees. The records of this 

 office show the lowest percentage of winter loss which has 

 ever been recorded in these annual reports. 



The figures on somewhat less than 1,000 apiaries show that 



