Nov. 29, 1906 



American Ttee Journal 



rule, and suoh cases are probably not authen- 

 tically reported. 



American Foui. Brood. 



American foul brood (often called simply 

 " foul brood") is distributed thru all parts 

 of the United States, and from the symptoms 

 published in European journals and texts, 

 one is led to believe that it is also the preva- 

 lent brood-disease in Europe. Altho it is 

 found in almost all sections of the United 

 States, there are many localities entirely free 

 from disease of any kind. 



The adult bees of an infected colony are 

 usually rather inactive, and do little toward 

 cleaning out infected material. When the 

 larva; are first affected they turn to a light 

 chocolate color, and in the advanced stages of 

 decay they become darker, resembling roasted 

 coffee in color. Usually the larvie are at- 

 tacked at about the time of capping. As de- 

 cay proceeds these cappings become sunken 

 and perforated, and as the healthy brood 

 emerges, the comb shows the scattered cells 

 containing larva; which have died of disease, 

 still capped. The most noticeable character- 

 istic of this infection is the fact that when a 

 small stick is inserted in a larva which has 

 died of the disease, and slowly removed, the 

 broken-down tissues adhere to it and will 

 often stretch out for several inches before 

 breaking. When the larva dries it forms a 

 tightly adhering scale of v6ry dark brown 

 color, which can best be observed when the 

 comb is held so that a bright light strikes the 

 lower side-wall. Decaying larva; which have 

 died of this disease have a very characteristic 

 odor which resembles a poor quality of glue. 

 This disease seldom attacks drone or queen 

 larva;. It appears to be much more virulent 

 in the western part of the United States than 

 in the East. 



European Foul Brood. 



European foul brood (often called " black 

 brood") is not nearly as widespread in the 

 United States as is American foul brood, but 

 in certain parts of the country it has caused 

 enormous losses. It is steadily on the in- 

 crease, and is constantly being reported from 

 new localities. It is therefore desirable that 

 bee-keepers be on the watch for it. 



Adult bees in infected colonies are not very 

 active, but do succeed in cleaning out some 

 of the dried scales. This disease attacks 

 larva; earlier than does American foul brood, 

 and a comparatively small percentage of the 

 diseased brood is ever capped. The diseased 

 larva; which are capped over have sunken 

 and perforated cappings. The larva;, when 

 fir6t attacked, show a 6<nall yellow spot on the 

 body near the head, and move uneasily in the 

 cell. When death occurs they turn yellow, 

 then browD, and finally almost black. De- 

 caying larv;e which have died of this disease 

 do not usually 6tretch out in a long thread 

 when a small stick is inserted and slowly re- 

 moved. Occasionally there is a very slight 

 "ropiness," but this is never very marked. 

 The thoroly dried larva; form irregular scales 

 which are not strongly adherent to the lower 

 side-wall of the cell. There is very little odor 

 from decaying larva; which have died from 

 this disease, and when an odor is noticeable 

 it is not the " glue-pot" odor of the American 

 foul brood, but more nearly resembles that of 

 soured dead brood. This disease attacks 

 drone and queen larva; very soon after the 

 colony i6 infected. It is as a rule much more 

 infectious than American foul brood, and 

 spreads more rapidly. On the other hand, it 

 sometimes happens that the disease will dis- 

 appear of its own accord, a thing which the 

 author never knew to occur in a genuine case 

 of American foul brood. European foul brood 

 is most destructive during the spring and 

 early summer, often almost disappearihg in 

 late summer and autumn. 



"Pickle Brood." 



There is a diseased condition of the brood 

 called by bee-keepers "pickle brood," but 

 practically nothing is known of its cause. It 

 is characterized by a swollen watery appear- 

 ance of the larva, usually accompanied by 



black color of the head. The larva; usually 

 lie on their backs in the cell, and the head 

 points upward. The color gradually changes 

 from light yellow to brown after the larva 

 dies. There is no ropiness, and the only odor 

 is that of sour decaying matter, not at all like 

 that of American foul brood. In case the 

 larva' are capped over, the cappings do not 

 become dark, as in the case of the contagious 

 diseases, but they may be punctured. So far 

 no cause can be given for this disease, and 

 whether or not it is contagious is a disputed 

 point. Usually no treatment Is necessary be- 

 yond feeding during a dearth of honey, but 

 in very rare cases when the majority of larva; 

 in a comb are dead from this cause, the frame 

 should be removed and a clean comb put in 

 its place to make it unnecessary for the bees 

 to clean out so much dead brood. 



The treatment recommended is the well- 

 known McEvoy treatment, which is called 



" Shaking Treatment," and also the Baldridge 

 treatment, which is called " Treatment with 

 Bee-Escape." Besides these there is also 

 given 



Fall Treatment. 



If it is desirable to treat a colony so late in 

 the fall that it would be impossible for the 

 bees to prepare for winter, the treatment 

 may be modified by shaking the bees on to 

 combs with plenty of honey for winter. This 

 will be satisfactory only after brood-rearing 

 has entirely ceased. In such cases disease 

 rarely reappears. 



In the Western States, where American 

 foul brood is particularly virulent, it is de- 

 sirable thoroly to disinfect the hive by burn- 

 ing the inside, or by chemical means before 

 using it again. This is not always practised 

 in the Eastern States, where the disease is 

 much milder. 



iscollaneous 

 ews -Items 



The Chicago-Northwestern Conven- 

 tion meets next Wednesday and Thursday, 

 Dec. 5 and 6, in Brunt Hall, Bush Temple of 

 Music, corner of North Clark Street and Chi- 

 cago Avenue. Reduced rates will be effective 

 on all railroads leading to Chicago, on ac- 

 count of the Live Stock Exposition to be held 

 here next week. Dr. C. C. Miller, C. P. 

 Dadant, N. E. France, and many other api- 

 arian notables are expected to be present. 

 Come, if you can. The Chicago-Northwest- 

 ern has had for years some of the very best 

 bee-keepers' conventions held in this or any 

 other country. 



^£> 



visited a bee-yard to examine bees, impressed 

 me with the thought that if she knew any- 

 thing about the nature of bees in general she 

 was very courageous, or had the utmost con- 

 fidence in what I said to her. 



Wm. M. Whitney. 



Mr. D. H. Coggshall. of West Groton, 

 N. T., called at this office when on his way 

 home from attending the San Antonio con- 

 vention. He reported a very enjoyable trip 

 to various parts of Texas. Mr. Coggshall is 

 one of the oldest readers of the American Bee 

 Journal. 



A Black-Stockinged Little Girl- 

 Mr. Wm. M. Whitney, of Lake Geneva, Wis., 

 wrote us as follows, Oct. o: 



Friend York:— Herewith I enclose a snap- 

 shot taken a few days ago in my bee-yard. 

 While working among the bees I noticed a 

 little girl watching me at a distance, and 

 asked her if she would like to see the bees, 

 which she assented to do. When she came 

 into the yard I noticed her black stockings, 

 and thought of what so many have said about 

 bees stinging anything black; but noticing 

 that they were not of the fuzzy kind, I felt 

 sure that there would be no more danger than 

 if they were white. I gave her a veil for her 

 face, and commenced opening a hive. 1 took 

 out several frames without using smoke, 

 found the queen, and asked her if she would 

 like to hold the frame of bees. "Why, yes," 

 she said, " if 1 may." 



I said to her, " Do not be afraid if the bees 

 crawl over your hands; they'll not sting." 



Then I removed her hat and took the en- 

 closed picture. Being the first time she ever 



Apiary of Jay Smith — When sending 

 the photograph, Mr. Smith wrote us as fol- 

 lows, July 23: 



I enclose a picture of my bees and "honey." 

 The little fellow on the hive is all the family 

 I have; his sister and most-beloved mother 

 are in the Better World. 



My 60 colonies have yielded large returns, 

 but, like Prof. Bigelow's bees, mine have paid 

 me mostly in enjoyment, and very little in 

 cash. But money is simply a commodity with 

 which to purchase pleasure, but my bees yield 

 the enjoyment direct, thereby avoiding the 

 middleman's profits ! 



I ne^er work among the bees without feel- 

 ing grateful to God for giving U6 this the 

 most fascinating of all pursuits. It helps me 

 to pass the otherwise gloomy hours with 

 pleasure. 



One day I found an extra-fine queen-cell 

 from which a virgin had just emerged. I laid 

 it aside to show visitors, who come in num- 

 bers, and are always welcome. When I again 

 looked for it, it was gone. Then my little 

 boy " Manly " sang out : "Oh, Daddy, I eat 

 up the queen-shell." Jay Smith. 



The Trip to San Antonio. — We doubt 

 if there ever was a more congenial and good- 

 natured company than was that which left 

 the La Salle Street Station, Chicago, at 10:37 

 a.m., Nov. 6, in a special car for the 37th 

 annual convention of the National Bee-Keep- 

 ers' Association, to be held in far-away San 

 Antonio, beginning Nov. S. It was, rather, 

 a happy family, including grandparents and 

 grandchildren — from 78 years down to 8 years 

 — with nearly all sizes and ages between. 



It was a very representative company, both 

 as to the bee-keeping industry and the vari- 

 ous sections of our country— from New York 

 to Nebraska, and from Wisconsin to Missouri 

 — 9 States in all being represented. 



Then there was President Dadant, Vice- 



