20 P.D. mi 



keepers, and was actually done by the Deputy in some few cases, in order to save 

 a slightly diseased colony. 



In percentage, the intensive drive revealed that Worcester County had only 

 4.4% of its apiaries with any trace of American foulbrood, and only 3% of its 

 colonies were diseased. Furthermore, the disease was confined to definite locali- 

 ties, the majority of the towns of the county having no disease. It will be quite 

 possible to follow up these foci of infection and to practically eliminate them. 



The area clean-up policy also enabled a new feature of inspection, namely, the 

 examination of stored combs. It has been presumed for some time that one chief 

 means of carry-over of American foulbrood was through the re-use of combs which 

 had been put away, after possibly a colony had died on them from some unknown 

 cause. In the county the inspectors found and examined 4.1''21 old combs; any 

 of these found to have symptoms of a disease history were ordered destroyed. (In 

 some instances very definite cases of former American foulbrood were revealed, 

 showing the practicability of this means of eliminating the re-occurrence of disease.) 



The statistics gained in this County suggest the smallness of Massachusetts 

 apiaries. In Worcester County among the (){)4 apiaries, there was found an aver- 

 age of 3.08% plus colonies each. This suggests that possibly the beekeepers of 

 the State average but a few colonies more, although there are some larger apiaries 

 of 100 colonies or more, particularly in the western part of the State, which would 

 tend to enlarge the average figures. 



It is planned to follow up the work in Worcester County during 1931. The 

 county, however, may now be included with the western part of the State as an 

 area largely free from American foulbrood. Circumstances permitting, it is rec- 

 ommended that Middlesex County be designated for an area clean-up in 1931. 

 To this end an additional appropriation has been requested. 



While more work was done in Worcester County than is usual, inspection was 

 also carried out as far as possible in other parts of the State. Areas east of Worces- 

 ter Comity, particularly south of Boston, where much work had been done prior 

 to 1930, showed improvement. Indications are, however, that Essex County is 

 encountering persistent disease, especially American foulbrood, and needs intensive 

 inspection. It is intended to follow as soon as possible, the area clean-up of Mid- 

 dlesex County with a similar drive in Essex County. 



Periodical reporting of beekeeping news items to the "Worcester County Far- 

 mer" was continued in 1930. Beekeepers meetings were also attended. 



Prompted by the proposal of Professor A. E. Stene of Rhode Island, for a meet- 

 ing of the Apiary Inspectors of the eastern United States, for the purpose of con- 

 sidering plans to the end of the imification of apiary inspection methods, it is 

 arranged to hold a meeting during the llnion Agricultural Meetings, State Armory, 

 Worcester, January 7, 1931. The Commissioner of Agriculture of each of the 

 New England States and of New York have been requested to send the Chief Api- 

 ary Inspector or a representative to this meeting. 



The Apiary Inspection personnel was as follows: 



Inspector of Apiaries, Burton N. Gates, Worcester 



■* Deputy Apiary Inspectors: 



Mr. Fred E. Challet, Northampton 

 Mr. F. S. Devereux, Green Harbor 

 Mr. B. A. Hildreth, Sherborn 

 Mr. Ivan Rawson, Pittsfield 

 Mr. John Van de Poele, Abington 

 Mr. H. L. Walton, Worcester 



W'HiTE Pine Blister Rust 

 With the co-operation of property owners in the white pine producing sections 

 of the State, the division has continued with the effort to prevent further damage 

 by the plant disease known as the white pine blister rust. As stated in previous 

 reports, the control of this fungous disease is accomplished by the complete elim- 

 ination of currant and gooseberry bushes from areas in proximity to valuable 

 white pines. This work of locating and eradicating the alternate host plants, 

 which are known by the Latin generic name Ribes, involved the co-operative 



