P.D. 123 13 



mons into the office, violators of this law. It is very noticeable that few 

 farmers are among the violators and that most of the negligence is with 

 the city dwellers who maintain a backyard garden. Last year more than 

 200 violators were summonsed into the office, and an informal conference 

 held with each one. This method seems to secure the cooperation and 

 good will of the offenders. The single-brooded corn borer was found in 

 western Massachusetts along the New York State border in 1927. This 

 year has noted a marked increase in this area until now the single-brooded 

 borer is found up to and in a few instances east of the Connecticut River. 

 Considerable publicity and educational work has been done in this area, 

 and it is hoped that the density of the infestation can be kept to a low 

 point. 



The Division has cooperated with the Federal Government in main- 

 taining a corps of inspectors in the Boston Produce and Flower Markets 

 where the corn borer quarantine has been operative. This quarantine 

 has without doubt been instrumental in checking the spread of this insect. 



Apiary Inspection Work 



Excessive rains from early spring until late in the fall materially im- 

 peded progress in the inspection season. Weather conditions have also 

 been a hindrance to satisfactory and prompt treatment of diseased col- 

 onies by the beekeepers. However, approximately the normal amount of 

 inspection work has been accomplished. 



Conditions previously reported in Berkshire County have continued to 

 improve. In the Connecticut Valley, the relative freedom from disease 

 has been maintained. This free area is now gradually extending east- 

 ward into Worcester County, so that the western half of Massachusetts 

 is now more free from disease than it has been heretofore. In the eastern 

 part of the State, American foul-brood is persistent. The situation ap- 

 pears to be complicated by density of the population and the shifting of 

 beekeepers from town to town. 



There have been no extensive outbreaks of either bee disease in Massa- 

 chusetts during the past year. More and more emphasis is being placed 

 on the destruction of stored combs, which are known to be a frequent 

 carrier of the disease. This process eliminates reinfection, which may 

 have been latent for some years. 



Extending Information in Bee Culture 

 The "Worcester County Farmer" is now running monthly beekeeping 

 notes which are prepared by the Inspector of Apiaries. Bee conventions 

 and meetings held in various parts of the State have had reasonably satis- 

 factory attendance. An exhibition of honey in connection with the Union 

 Agricultural Meeting at Worcester, was noteworthy. This and the bee- 

 keepers* meeting were promoted by the Inspector of Apiaries. 



Bees for the fruit grower is a problem of more importance today than 

 it has been before. More requests were received this spring for sources 

 of bees to be used in fruit orchards than ever before. It appears that 

 orchardists are requiring bees to supplement what few colonies they may 

 possess. There is the growing problem, therefore, as to where sufficient 

 bees will be available for the required two or three weeks. 



The personnel of the inspection force of 1928 was as follows: 

 Mr. Fred Challet, Northampton (Connecticut Valley) 

 Mr. F. S. Devereaux, Green Harbor (Plymouth County and vicinity) 

 Mr. Benjamin A. Hildreth, Sherborn (Worcester County and north of 

 Boston) 



Mr. Ivan Rawson, Pittsfield (Berkshire County) 

 Mr. H. L. Walton, Worcester (Worcester and Middlesex Counties) 

 (The localities covered by the inspectors are in parenthesis.) 

 The Inspector of Apiaries was Burton N. Gates of Worcester, who de- 

 voted part time. The deputies also served part time on temporary ap- 

 pointments. 



