422 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Spraying trees during fruit bloom has caused severe loss 

 in some sections by poisoning great numbers of bees. 

 Spraying at this time is never necessary, and is prohib- 

 ited by law in some and should be in all States. The 

 direction given by Prof. M. V. Slingerland in Cornell Ex- 

 perhnent Station Bulletin 142, p. 58, "The codling moth," 

 is : "iVeyer sj^ray a fruit tree when it in in blossom. You can 

 reach the insect and fungous enemies as effectively, and in 

 some cases more so, either just before or just after the trees 

 bloom." You may then be certain of poisoning no bees. 



Mice and rats have a sweet tooth, and, if allowed to, 

 will work havoc in an apiary in winter. This may be pre- 

 vented by tacking over the entrances wire mesh of proper 

 size, not to prevent the passage of bees, but to keep out the 

 mice. All surplus combs or honey must be stored in mouse- 

 proof rooms or boxes. A better way still is to completely 

 rid the premises of all such pests, and then keep traps well 

 baited and set the year round. Place no dependence on 

 cats to do the job thoroughly enough ; and, with the pests 

 once inside the hives, the cats cannot get them. 



The kingbird is supposed to feed upon bees, the name 

 " bee-martin " or " bee-eater " being usually applied in some 

 sections. Stomachs of 281 birds shot about apiaries re- 

 vealed the remains of 4 workers, 40 drones and some 

 robber-flies. Reliable observations show, however, that 

 this bird merely kills the bees, dropping them beneath the 

 perch. Upward of GO bees an hour have been recorded as 

 crushed by a single bird.* Not as formerly supposed, the 

 kingbird in numbers is a serious enemy to the apiarist. 



Toads sometimes take a few bees about the entrances of 



the hives. The remedy for this is to raise the hive a few 



inches from the ground, and provide a generous alighting 



board. 



Improved Stock. 



In bee keeping, as in other lines of husbandry, in addi- 

 tion to intelligent care, " improved stock " is the watchword 

 of success. We have already seen that the dangers con- 

 nected with the bee moth, with robbing and even with win- 



* For details of these valuable observations, see "American Bee Journal," 

 Vol. XLIV., No. :?r,, 11. f)22, Sept. 8, 1904. 



