664 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



leeted symptoms of Euroijean foul brood. 

 A week later my suspicions were confirm- 

 ed. The disease did not become extremely 

 bad, owing to the honey-flow fi'om golden- 

 rod and aster; but it was very noticeable 

 on all the combs of each of the three hives. 

 About the first of October I extracted 

 every drop of honey from those hives ard 

 started to feed a little sugar syrup for a 

 few nights until I could get some cut loaf 

 sugar from doAvn town. I put a super on 

 top of the hive and dumped in ten pounds 

 of cut loaf sugar all over the top of the 

 frames, placed a piece of burlap on top 

 of the sugar, and filled the super with saw- 

 dust. This spring, as soon as they would 

 take syrup, I commenced to feed them and 

 took off the cul)e sugar that remained 

 (about tlnee pounds each). These colonies 

 are strong and vigorous, and up to dale 

 do not show a sign or symptom of Euro- 

 pean foul brood. 



The point 1 wish to raise is this: Is this 

 method or plan a cure for the disease when 

 it is contracted too late in the season to 

 attempt to cure by shaking? As I haven't 

 any afflicted colonies I am unable to carry 

 the experiment any further this year, and 

 I am very certain I do not intend to pro- 

 cure any diseased colonies to satisfy my 

 curiosity. 



I wish three or four of the older bee- 

 keepers Avould try this plan, and let us 

 hear the result next spring; but I would 

 caution the beginner not to try it, for the 

 mere fact that it appears in Gleanings 

 does not prove it is a sure cure. 



Newark, N. J., Sept. 7. 



[We question whether your procedure 

 in the above case cured the disease. Euro- 

 pean foul brood is an elusive trouble which 

 sometimes disappears during a honey-flow 

 Avithout any treatment whatever. Perhaps 

 when you extracted all the honey and com- 

 menced feeding the sugar syrup you imi- 

 tated a honey-flow and encouraged the bees 

 to "clean house." Getting rid of the honey 

 would seem to be a good thing, although 

 enough of it would remain in the cells, 

 probably, to transmit the disease wei'e the 

 conditions favorable. And there are some 

 plans for treating European foul brood in 

 which the honey is not taken away at all, 

 such as the Alexander plan for instance. 

 We are not saying that the disease in your 

 case would have disappeared of itself, but 

 we merely wish to make the point that it 

 jften does, so that beekeepers are some- 

 times deceived in supposing that some 

 manipulation accounts for the disappear- 

 ance, when in reality the bees merely clean 

 house themselves. — Ed.] 



Different forms of Uio stand. 



AN IRON HIVE-STAND 



BY WM. RICHARDSON 



I am sending you a picture of five dif- 

 ferent styles of hive stands, the last form 

 of which I already have in use as shown 

 in the second picture. As you can see, they 

 are to be pushed down into the ground as 

 far as the first projection. I do not think 

 they would be too expensive. 



Culleoka, Tenn. 



[The first expense of the hive-stands 

 would be pretty high, we are afraid; and 

 then tliere would be the cost of transporta- 

 tion, which would be a rather big item 

 for a large apiary especially. There would 

 be room for the toes of the feet under the 

 hive, which would be quite an advantage, 

 although it would seem to us that four 

 wooden stakes Avould be nearly as durable, 

 and Avould be much less exiiensive. — Kn.] 



Richardson's iron hive-stand in use. 



