26s 



Add excess of flowers of sulphur and nitre to about 

 I pint of carbon bisulphide. Shake well from time to time 

 to dissolve to saturation. Steep the prepared paper 

 in this, shake up to coat with excess of sulphur, remove 

 and allow to dry. The paper is then ready for use. 

 Carbon bisulphide is highly inflammable and must not 

 be handled near a light. If fumigation by this means 

 be carried out efficiently and extensively tlu-oughout the 

 country, as late in the season as possible, when inter- 

 mingling of bees of different stocks has ceased, I antici- 

 pate a significant reduction in the amount of disease 

 next year. Material made up as described can be 

 obtained along with that referred to in par. 3 below. 



2. " Flouring " of Bees. It is a useful procedure in 

 autumn to dust the bees with ordinary flour, frame by 

 frame, while they are still working. If this is done in a 

 fine spray from a suitable syringe, better results will be 

 obtained. The process is specially helpful when the 

 bees are suspected of robbing other stocks, and acts in 

 the way of obstructing the migrating mites while still 

 outside the bodies of the bees. The cleaning and fan- 

 ning which takes place assists further in preventing these 

 gaining the spiracles. It is hoped to publish at an early 

 date an account of an extension of this method of treat- 

 ment together with a description of a specially made 

 syringe suited to the work. 



3. The following recommendation is not intended to 

 be adopted, in the case of stocks, known by microscopi- 

 cal examination to be free from disease. It is applicable 

 only to such colonies, as have been shown to be diseased 

 and which are regarded on general grounds as worth 

 saving. In addition to the foregoing, just before the 

 bees settle for winter, a few drops of the preparation to 

 be issued by this Department (made up in appropriate 

 strength and supplied with all necessary directions), 

 should be allowed to soak into some absorbent material 

 and placed within the hive. It may be simply dropped 

 on to the tops of the frames. This treatment should 

 be repeated five or six times at intervals of 2 days and 

 renewed on specially mild days throughout the winter 

 when the bees fly. It is a proved " mite killer " to the 

 extent already indicated. In view of the care required 



