368 



fident on this subject, and, as a natural re- 

 sult, the disease is causing gi'eater loss. 

 This is an exact duplicate of the experience 

 of beekeepers in many other localities ; and 

 it may be accepted as proven, that, where 

 a means of educating beekeepers in diagno- 

 sis and treatment is provided for a period 

 of years, either disease loses much of its 

 power for harm. The means of education 

 is usually a system of apiary inspection. 

 Without such means, however, disease 

 practically wipes out the industry, as it al- 

 ready has done in many localities in the 

 United States. 



However, the beekeepers on the western 

 slope are fast getting in line, and most of 

 the more extensive beekeepers are now in 

 condition to cope with the trouble. They 

 are now organizing county associations, 

 having new inspectors appointed where 

 needed, and are co-operating in a gratify- 

 ing manner in the work. It is reported 

 that from 5000 to 7000 colonies died of 

 disease in one county in two years, due to 

 unsatisfactory inspection; but this will not 

 be repeated in that county at least. 



It does one good to meet a crowd of bee- 

 keepers who, when asked how many colo- 

 nies they have, give their answers in hun- 

 dreds. We of the East too often confine 

 our beekeeping efforts to five, twenty, or 

 fifty colonies. Wherever the "hundreds" 

 beekeepers are found in abundance it may 

 safely be concluded that bee diseases will 

 soon be controlled; but where the average 

 is five, the problem of control is literally 

 multiplied by thousands. It is also grati- 

 fying to hear the crop discussed in carload 

 lots; for Avhile the crop this year is light, 

 the unit of measure is not changed. 



I found in different parts of the State a 

 number of beekeepers who were fearful 

 that European foul brood would cause them 

 serious losses. In one place a prominent bee- 

 keeper stated that he doubted whether there 

 was a colony in the county which did not 

 show some European foul brood during the 

 season. In view of the fact that we had 

 never had a single sample of European 

 foul brood from Colorado, this was a sur- 

 prising statement. I found on inquiry that, 

 several years ago, a sample of discolored 

 brood had been sent to an "expert" for ex- 

 amination, and he had pronounced it "black 

 brood." This was before the name Euro- 

 pean foul brood was in use. Since the same 

 condition is now widespread, and since the 

 beekeepers were led to accept the expert's 

 ( ? ) dictum as gospel, the natural conclu- 

 sion was that the disease now called Euro- 

 pean foul brood was widely distributed. 

 The condition referred to is the so-called 

 "pickled brood." No colonies have died of 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



the disease, which is enough to cause one 

 to doubt the accuracy of the diagnosis ; and 

 when the symjDtoms of the lorevailing trou- 

 ble were described they did not at all re- 

 semble European foul brood. Such expert 

 advice can not be considered as of extra- 

 ordinary value to the industry. "To err is 

 human," but before expressing an opinion 

 in such matters one should consider the anx- 

 iety and exjiense that may follow the re- 

 ceipt of the reply. European foul brood 

 may exist somewhere in Colorado, but no 

 samples have so far been received from there 

 bj' the Bureau of Entomology, and it seems 

 probable that we should have received some 

 intimation of the disease if it Avere present 

 to any extent. 



Several years ago the beekeepers of the 

 State were instrumental in having a law 

 passed providing for a county system of in- 

 spection, the inspector to be appointed by 

 the county judge on petition of the bee- 

 keei^ers. County inspection is usually far 

 from perfect, in that the inspectors in the 

 individual counties do not co-operate. It 

 is, too, not always possible to get a good 

 man in each county to take the position, 

 even if the various judges or other appoint- 

 ing officials were always anxious to appoint 

 the best. It would be easy to offer other 

 objections; but the same criticisms, or oth- 

 ers just as weighty, might be offered against 

 almost any system. 



At the last session the State Legislature 

 passed a bill providing for State inspection 

 under the supervision of the State Ento- 

 mologist. This is similar to the plan in 

 several other States; and in such cases the 

 results are highly gratifying. This has been 

 the recommendation of the writer for sev- 

 eral years; and it is pleasant to know that. 

 jaa. several States and Territories, the bee- 

 Keejjers have been and are of the same opin- 

 ion as to the desirability of the plan, and 

 that in seventeen cases it is in force to-day. 

 It may be mentioned parenthetically, that 

 in 1906 there were but two such laws. 



Prof. C. P. Gillette, the State Entomol- 

 ogist, has for several years been interested 

 in bees, and has written several bulletins of 

 value to beekeepers. This is an increased 

 assurance that his supervision will be for 

 the best interests of the beekeepers. His 

 deputy in the work is Mr. Wesley C. Fos- 

 ter, of Boulder, who comes of good bee- 

 keeping stock, and who counts his colonies 

 in hundreds. Since Mr. Foster is so well 

 known to Gleanings readers no further 

 introduction is needed. Not being a law- 

 3-er, an expression of opinion is somewhat 

 risky ; but it looks from the road as if both 

 laws were still in force, for the new law 

 seems not to repeal the old. This is work- 



