Jan. 26, 190S. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



67 



treatment of our black foul brood in certain cases, viz.: 

 colonies that we wish to treat by the formalin process, 

 may be unqueened or the queen caged, then after the 

 combs are free from brood, the honey may be extracted, 

 the combs thoroughly fumigated and returned to the bees 

 after they have consumed the honey in their sacs. Also, 

 any colonies that we may wish to brimstone at the end of 

 the season, by removing the queen three or four weeks 

 before the end of the honey-flow we will have no brood 

 in the combs. They could then be extracted, fumigated 

 with formalin and preserved for future 'use. The best 

 results would be obtained from colonies of fair to cfood 

 strength, as they would clean up the disease much bet- 

 ter than weak ones. 



For those who wish to preserve their apiaries as far 

 as possible from the ravages of this disease, and do not 

 wish to use the formalin treatment, the shaking process 

 is recommended, stacking the brood, and shaking the 

 same combs again three weeks later. 



In regard to the name of our present malady ,1 will 

 say that as everything emanating from bacillus alvei is 

 regarded as foul brood, and a further addition to the tide 

 seems to be necessary to identify this particular ph.Tse 

 of it, we may call it "black foul brood." Because an 

 €rror was made in the start in naming it black brood, is 

 no reason why that title should be perpetuated. 



The name was also very unfortunate for us when it 

 was given, as it upset and rendered void the New York 

 law as far as the prevailing disease was concerned, and 

 necessitated an amendment at the next session of the leg- 

 islature. However, we are happy to say that matters are 

 gradually becoming righted. 



With careful, progressive apiarists, the outlook at 

 the present time is quite favorable, even in districts where 

 the mortality has been greatest, and the business has been 

 conducted at a good profit. W. D. Wright. 



Mr. Root — I would like to make a statement from 

 my knowledge of these two diseases. You perhaps re- 

 member about twenty odd 3'ears ago we had foul brood 

 at Medina, and we had it very severely, and it was real 

 foul brood; it roped and had all the characteristics, as 

 given in the European journals at the time. Now. this 

 black brood deports itself in a very dififerent way; it is 

 not ropy, has a different odor altogether, is of a watery 

 consistency, and when Mr. Thos. Wm. Cowan, editor of 

 the British Bee Journal, was at our place he examined the 

 foul brood we had there; he had his microscope and 

 looked at the bacillus alvei and said it was exactly the 

 same thing as they had in Europe. Last summer I sent 

 a sample of the foul brood that has been found in our 

 vicinity to the bacteriologists in New York State and 

 after an examination had been made of it a report came 

 back that it was not the same thing as the black brood 

 of New York State. That it was not bacillus alvei. 

 There are some things there that I do not understand. 

 Thos. Wm. Cowan examined the foul brood that I had 

 seen and called it bacillus alvei; these bacteriologists ex- 

 amined that same thing and say it is not the same. I 

 wish in the Department of Agriculture they could inves- 

 tigate that question and have it cleared up; there seems 

 to be a conflict of opinion among authorities. 



Mr. Johnson — In the last paper read the suggestion is 

 made of shaking the bees and putting away the comb for 

 three weeks. I would like to ask if it would be safe to 

 use those combs again without purifying or cleansing. 



Mr. Stewart — I don't think he wished to convey the 

 meaning that they were to be used again in three weeks, 

 but rather he speaks about stacking the brood and then 

 afterwards when the combs are cleaned out to use for- 

 maldehyde on the combs. We cannot be sure of tliis 

 treatment. In some cases it succeeds, in other 

 cases it fails, perhaps owing to a poor grade of for- 

 maldehyde. Our experts have been making some tests 

 of what has been sold on the market and find it is largely 

 adulterated and therefore cverj'body did not get the same 

 results. In regard to this other treatment we speak of, 

 it is sometimes necessarv in order to save the brood of 

 a part of your colonies that are diseased early in the sea- 

 son, while as the honey-llow opens we treat the strong 

 ones and stack the brood on the weak ones, and in per- 

 haps ten days that makes the weak ones strong, and you 

 can shake those and >-ou have bees enough to live and 

 perform the labors of the hive until new brood is 

 hatched. 



Prof. Benton — As a comment on what Mr. Root has 

 brought up regarding the taking up of this subject I de- 

 sire to say, shortly before coming here, I was asked to 

 hand in estimates for the fiscal year for apiarian work be- 

 ginning July 1, 1905, and in those estimates I included an 

 item of $1,500 for an investigation of these bee-diseases. 

 It rests with you to see that that goes through. If it is 

 received by the committees and congress, and if it passes 

 we will employ a skilled bacteriologist and let him go 

 to work to straighten the whole matter out. But this 

 year, as Dr. Wiley indicated, there must be a united effort 

 to see we get that in addition to our former appropria- 

 tion. 



Mr. Gill — I want to enter a few words of caution to 

 amateurs in this treatment of disease; our work goes out 

 and it is dangerous for amateurs. Experts will do as they 

 have a mind to, and it is safe to let them, but I would 

 advise any amateur attempting any fad in the matter of 

 treatment, when he has doctored his combs to make them 

 into beeswax, and when he has doctored his honey 

 either to burn or destroy it. All the drugs in the hands 

 of amateurs are not a success. When it comes to the 

 treatment by shaking or driving be sure you do it a 

 second time. The proper media for increase of the germs 

 is in the larvae, the germ itself is in the honey, and the 

 danger lies in the honey. Bury it or burn it up. I am 

 speaking for amateurs alone. I have had more experience 

 with foul brood than I hope I will ever have to have 

 again. I have had to treat from 25 to 150 cases every 

 year, but it is getting less. I have apiaries that are en- 

 tirely clear from it, and remain so, and then in a year or 

 two up comes some of it. You can have all the law and 

 legislation you wish, but we have got to contend with 

 foul brood, the same as the human family must contend 

 with tyohoid fever. I believe there are sections of the 

 country on account of the flora, soil, atmosphere or 

 humidity that are mpre immune from disease than others. 

 I have seen sections where it seemed hard to spread it, 

 and other places you couldn't keep from having it 

 all the time. But it is safe at all times to the amateur 

 to be sure of what he does. If in the fall you have had a 

 bad case, use fire; in the spring, if you have something 

 worth saving, starve them pretty near to death, then put 

 them on clean combs, then when the honey season comes, 

 the best plan is to turn them into clean, new hives, but be 

 sure you know what to do with those old combs; take 

 care of them, and be careful, and you will be rewarded. 



Dr. Miller— Prof. Benton tells us it lies with us to 

 secure so and so. Now, he supposes we common, every- 

 day bee-keepers are smart enough to know all about 

 what that means. I would like to have him say dis- 

 tinctly what he wants us to do. ... , 



Prof. Benton— What I mean is simply this, that when 

 the Bill which will go before Congress making appropria- 

 tions for the United States Department of Agriculture has 

 been reported, when it is in the committee's hands, and 

 then later on when it goes to the House and to the 

 Senate for passage, every member should see that both 

 of his Senators and the Representative from his district 

 are touched up by a short letter to the point, stating we 

 are interested in seeing work that affects our pursuit fav- 

 orably considered by your committee. You need not say, 

 we want ten or twenty thousand dollars, but simply fav- 

 orably considered; we wish to see our interests repre- 

 sented, and there are measures included in this Bill in 

 which we are vitally interested; will you give them your 

 support? Merelv a touch-up of that sort from all over 

 the country, and' particularly any member who is a mem- 

 ber of the committee on Agriculture, would affect the 

 purpose probably. . -.Tr j >.. 



Dr. Miller— That is good so far as it goes. We don t 

 know enough about these things we want to do. Would it 

 be asking too much of Prof. Benton if he would, when 

 some bill comes up of that kind, tell us through the bee- 

 papers somewhat distinctly what we are to do? 



Prof. Benton— I will do that. There is not only such 

 legislation as that, but sometimes a pure food bill has 

 been before Congress: it is a good thing to have that 

 kept track of, and it is a thing that every bee-keeper is 

 interested in seeing passed, and might influence very 

 largely in matters of that sort. There are sometimes 

 matters affecting the duties on honeys. 



Dr. Miller— I think if Prof. Benton will do that it 

 will help very largely. , . . , .. 



Mr. Smith — .Along this same line, and in view ot the 



