480 DISEASES OF BEES. 



when either honey or beeswax is heated to kill the germs of 

 foul-brood — to keep the liquid at the boiling point for a period 

 of about 15 minutes. Tests made by Dr. G. F. 'VMiite, the 

 bacteriologist whose studies have caused such advance in the 

 knowledge concerning bee diseases, show that from 10 to 15 

 minutes of boiling is required to destroy the germs. (Bulletin 

 of the United States Bureau of Entomology, Xo. 92.) 



793. TREATMENT OF BACILLUS PLUTON OR 

 EUROPEAN FOUL-BROOD. This was customarily treated 

 like American foul-brood, by removing all the combs containing 

 honey or brood. But in 1905, E. W. Alexander of New York 

 State, who had much trouble Tvith this disease, found out that 

 remo^dng the queen for a certain length of time, returning 

 her or preferably giving the bees another of Italian stock at 

 the end of 10 to 22 days, or sometimes allowing them to rear 

 another from her brood, usually conquered the disease. This 

 indicates that the contagion is not so serious as that of bacillus 

 larvae. Indeed, the most apparent point in the ease 'w'ith 

 which the cure may be performed lies in the fact that the dead 

 larva does not become liquefied, but remains usually' whole and 

 may be carried out by the bees, who even suck the juices of 

 the very young larvae when they die, as noted by Dr. C. C. 

 MiUer, who also fought this trouble in his apiary. So the bees 

 clean up the cells and burnish them, if the disease is not too 

 far advanced. Whenever all the diseased brood has disappeared 

 the hive is judged safe for a new queen. Italian bees have the 

 reputation of being much more immune to European foul- 

 brood than the common blacks and it is always recommended 

 to introduce a queen of this race. 



794. It must be noted that, although this disease appears 

 ntuch less difficult to cure and less contagious than American 

 foul-brood or bacillus larvae, yet it is much more persistent, 

 coming back again and again when the disease is thought to 

 have entirely disappeared. In numerous instances, entire 

 apiaries have been depopulated by it. It should be closely 

 watched. The number of days during which the colonies 



