104 



Gleanings in Bee Culture 



A POULTRY FARM. 



Mr, Throop, a man nearly seventy years 

 old, has three thousand White Leghorns on 

 his poultry-farm at Knterprise. He was 

 feeding them corn. He is hale and vigor- 

 ous, looking less than fifty. He keeps 2000 

 laying hens. One-third of the present flock 

 are not old enough for the laying-pens. His 

 birds are in fine condition. The old ones 

 have about finished moulting, and will soon 

 be "shelling out" lotsofeggs. The average 

 is 130 a hen per annum. The eggs sell at 35 

 cents a dozen to regular customers. Feed 

 and corn cost from $1.30 to $1.40, according 

 to the price of grain. Mr. Throop prefers to 

 buy rather than grow feed. As the care of 

 his flocks calls for all his time, he lives 

 among his birds. They need constant at- 

 tention 365 days in the year in order to net 

 $2.40 per hen. Two thousand times $2.40 is 

 an attractive income. But don't drop every 

 thing and rush into poultry, for you may 

 not have the genius for many details, some 

 of them very unattractive, that make suc- 

 cess in that business. Poultry-keepers are 

 like truck-growers — born with a gift for it. 

 , Go very carefully until you find out what 

 you can do, then go your length at that. 

 Many have tried to imitate Mr. Throop. 

 They are now sadder men, and, let us hope, 

 wiser ones. 



My judgment after two years' experience 

 in Florida is that it is the land of opportu- 

 nity for a great man v. Yet it will bring loss 

 to more than it will bring benefit. Its cli- 

 mate is its greatest asset. Do you need 

 winter warmth and comfort? Have you the 

 money or the energy to grow truck or de- 

 velop an orange-grove? Come down. You 

 will find the climate everywhere. The prop- 

 l)er location for the others must be carefully 

 sought. Much time and investigation must 

 be given to it. 



Parish, Fla., Oct. 16. 



SYSTEM IN BEE-INSPECTION. 



BY WESLEY FOSTER.. 



I am enclosing an inspection-report card 

 which I have gotten up from suggestions 

 received from the State Entomologist of In- 

 diana, and from Dr. Phillips. The object 

 of the cards is to save making a second in- 

 spection in every case. As Dr. Phillips 

 says, the more we can accomplish in mak- 

 ing each bee-keeper realize the importance 

 of doing what he can to stamp out the dis- 

 ease, the more valuable will the inspection 

 be as an educative force. 



The cards, when torn along the perforated 

 line, are card-file size, ancl can easily be 

 kept for reference. The top-card is filled 

 out by the inspector and signed on the back 

 by the bee-keeper whose bees have been ex- 

 amined. This top card is then torn off and 

 retained by the inspector, as it contains a 

 record of the work done as well as a signed 

 statement that the bee-keeper will treat the 

 colonies that are diseased. 



The lower card is filled out and given to 

 the bee-keeper as a notice to treat all dis- 

 eased colonies. The bee-keeper, when he 

 has treated the bees, signs the statement of 

 treatment and mails the card to me. The 

 inspector in the meantime has sent the top 

 card to me so that, if I do not receive its 

 mate within the time allowed, T can write 

 him to learn whether the bee-keeper has 

 treated the colonies, or I can write directly 

 to the bee-man, asking for an explanation 

 for not receiving the statement of treatment 

 as agreed. 



I have used this plan in some of my in- 

 spection work this jjast fall, and it works 

 well. The only difficulty is in getting a 

 prompt report from the bee-keeper. Some 

 have to be written to once or twice before 

 sending in the statement of treatment. 



The limit of time in treating colonies has 

 been placed at ten days, though there will 

 be cases where less time will be given, and 

 some cases may arise where more may be 

 given. This.matter rests with the inspector. 



Boulder, Col. 



Upper card (front). 



Owner 



Location 



Number of colonies inspected 



Number diseased 



Number in box hives 



Remarks 



Date 191 Inspector 



Upper card (back). 



State of Colorado 



ENTOMOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 



Siris: — I agree to follow the instructions for cur- 

 ing the colonies of bees affected with foul 



brood, and to mail statement of treatment before 

 191.... 



Signature of bee-keeper. 



Lower ca rd ( f ron t ) . 

 Colo., 19. . . 



OFFICE OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Wesley P'oster, State Bee Inspector, Boulder, 



Colorado. 

 The Bee Inspector has this day ex- 

 amined the bees belonging to 



and found colonies affected with foul brood. 



AH bees having an.v form of foul brood are to be 

 treated as indicated on the back of this notice. 



Statement of Treatment. 

 [ have treated all the bees mentioned as diseased 

 above, and have carefully followed the directions. 



Signature of bee-keeper. 



Mail this card, as agreed, before 191 , 



to Wesley Foster, Boulder, Colorado. 



Lower card (back). 

 Treatment for Foul Brood. 



In the evening, after the bees have quit flying, 

 brush or shake the bees from the old combs into a 

 clean hive containing no drawn comb. 



Burn all the old combs at once, not the next day. 

 Do not allow even the smallest drop of honey from 

 the diseased colony to be exposed to robbers, or the 

 disease may be carried back to the healthy colonies. 



The hive bodies, covers, and bottoms may be 

 saved by scraping all wax and propolis from the 

 interior surface and charring with a blaze from 

 kerosene poured over the inside of the hive. 



If no honey is being gathered from the flowers, 

 the treated colonies should be fed or given combs 

 of honey from healthy colonies to fill their hive, 

 after the bees have been on the starters for at least 

 48 hours. 



