Published by The A. I. Root Company, Medina, Ohio 



H. H. Root, Assistant Editor E. R. Root, Editor A. L. Boydkn, Advertising Manager 



A. I. Root, Editor Home Department j. T. Calvert, Business Manager 



Entered at the Postofflce, Medina, Ohio, as Second-class Matter 



VOL. XL 



MAY 1, 1912 



NO. 9 



(^D{l®[pnsiD 



THE HISTORY OF BEE DISEASES. 



The Bureau of Entomology, Washington, 

 has issued another bulletin, No. 98, by Dr. 

 E. F. Phillips and Dr. O. F. White, entitled 

 " Historical Notes on the Causes of Bee 

 Diseases." This contains a large amount 

 of valuable data that will be interesting and 

 helpful in further research. We presume 

 it can be obtained for the asking. Apply 

 to the Superintendent of Documents, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. 



DR. MILLER RECOVERING FROM THE GRIP. 



Our old friend and Nestor of bee-keeping, 

 ediior of Stray Straws, Dr. C. C. Miller, has 

 been having a very severe attack of the 

 grip. Two other meirbers of his family 

 have had a siiuilar attack, but we under- 

 stand they are now all convalescent. Had 

 it not been for the fact that we have had 

 Straws ahead, Dr. Miller's familiar notes 

 and comments w'ould have been conspicu- 

 ous by their absence in our last issue. 



GROrXD COBS FOR PACKING MATERIAL. 



There has been some inquiry regarding 

 the suitability of ground corn cobs for cush- 

 ions and for double-walled hives. W^e 

 have made some inquiry and find that this 

 material can be purchased very cheaply 

 from feed stores, farmers' exchanges, mills, 

 etc., as it is used for mixing with feed for 

 cattle, etc. Those who can do so would do 

 well to try this material, for it is a well- 

 known fact that corn cobs will absorb a 

 great quantity of water. Ground cork is 

 used to quite an extent, but of the two we 

 should prefer the ground cobs. 



BEE INSPECTION IN CONNECTICUT. 



From a report of the Connecticut Agricul- 

 tural Exi)eriment Station, Xew Haven, we 

 learn that Kuropean foul brood has been 

 the principal disease found in the State. In 

 1910 over three-fourths of the apiaries and 

 nearly one-half of the colonies examined 

 were found diseased. In 1911 only about 

 one-half of the apiaries were diseased, and 

 less than one-third of the colonies were in- 

 fected. Of the colonies treated in 1910 and 



examined again in 1911, less than one per 

 cent were found diseased. 



The usual plan of shaking colonies on 

 clean frames and foundation was carried 

 out, and the old hives disinfected. A few 

 of the worst colonies were de^itroyed; but 

 this was shown to be unnecessary if the 

 treatment is given in time. 



The total number of colonies inspected in 

 1911 was 1571, and the number reported as 

 having European foul brood, 431. The ave- 

 rage cost of inspection per colony was 21 

 cts., or $323 in alL At the end of the report 

 of inspection of'apiaries, an appropriation 

 of $500 is recommended. 



THE UNITED STATES STATISTICS REGARD- 

 ING BEES AND honey; ARE THEY 

 ACCURATE ? 



In an editorial referring to the United 

 States statistics concerning the honey busi- 

 ness, page 67, Feb. 1st. we gave it as our 

 opinion that they were not accurate in some 

 particulars, adding that the statistics from 

 manufacturers, showing the amount of sup- 

 plies sold, would indicate that the bee busi- 

 ness was on the increase rather than on the 

 decline. The following letter is only one 

 of many, and it explains how and why some 

 of the census figures concerning bees and 

 honey must not be taken too seriously: 



Please tell me what the worth of the United 

 States census is to beekeepers. 



I was at home when the taker came, and I asked 

 him If he took the bees into account. He said he 

 did not unless their product amounted to S'400 or 

 more. I had about -10 colonies in my yard, and yet 

 they were not taken into consideration. 



There are more bees in Massachusetts in smaller 

 apiaries than mine than there are in larger ones, 

 and yet they are not taken by the census enumer- 

 ator. John P. Cobukn. 



Woburn, Mass., Mar. 22. 



Before another decade rolls round, the 

 National Beekeepers' Association should 

 have this matter brought before the census 

 people, calling attention to the 1910 dis- 

 crepancies, and asking for a more thorough 

 canvas of the number of colonies and bees 

 an individual owns. Another thing, bees 

 owned in cities and towns should be in- 

 cluded. If the census was taken in the 

 manner spoken of in the letter above, it is 



