AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



T7 



that I might not be deceived, I carefully 

 examined the cells, every one, which 

 were capped by the bees, and in nearly 

 every instance was found the same hard 

 mass of old foul brood ; these were care- 

 fully dissected out and examined, and 

 found to contain both the spores and 

 bacilli, from which cultures were made. 

 With these I had less trouble in obtain- 

 ing pure.cultures, as I had fewer other 

 micro-organisms to contend with, which 

 was as I had anticipated. My next move 

 was to take the honey dipped out of 

 these cells, without disturbing the cell- 

 walls, and examine with the microscope, 

 which revealed both spores and bacilli 

 suspended, from which pure cultures 

 were obtained. 



After communicating these facts to 

 Mrs. Jennie Atchley and Mr. Wm. Mc- 

 Evoy in detail, they urged me to make 

 known at once the results of my investi- 

 gations in this line. Not wishing to be 

 in too great haste to rush into print, I 

 carefully went over my work again, 

 taking extreme precautions that no 

 error might be made ; I arrived at the 

 same conclusions as before. 



In making these last cultures from 

 honey, twelve were on potato, six on 

 gelatine plates, both excluded from 

 oxygen, and eight stab cultures in agar- 

 agar, each giving satisfactory results. 



I am now preparing the manuscript 

 for the entire report of my investiga- 

 tions, to be published in pamphlet form, 

 in which these experiments are given 

 more in detail, bringing to light many 

 more important facts regarding the 

 biology and histology of the bacillus of 

 foul brood, and its pathological relations 

 to the disease, which, when fully under- 

 stood, will greatly simplify its eradica- 

 tion. 



Appended to this report will be given 

 a review and free examination of the 

 theories held by the writers of the day, 

 in which each one will be treated fairly 

 and honorably, without bitter person- 

 alities, but from a scientific stand-point, 

 and should I differ from any one, I am 

 willing to go over the ground with them 

 and let future demonstrations prove the 

 right. (Dr.) Wm. R. Howard. 



Ft. Worth, Tex., Dec. 28, 1893. 



Extracting-Supers in Winter, Etc. 



Mrs. Atchley : — In recent copies of 

 the Bee Journal I note several ques- 

 tions. In reply to them I would say : 

 To the correspondent from Florida, that 

 extracting-supers are safely wintered on 

 the hive. I often tier them up two high, 



and leave them until needed in the 

 spring. Bees will frequently move up- 

 stairs, but the combs below are all cared 

 for. Italians and hybrids will keep free 

 of moth three sets of combs, provided 

 the queen is strong and vigorous. I 

 have never seen moths doing any injury 

 where the bee-master was competent, 

 and I have them gay and festive (the 

 moth) and plentiful here. This old-fogy 

 talk of moth killing out a colony is 

 sheer nonsense — neglect or ignorance 

 kills. 



If it is desired to keep up the number 

 of colonies, re-queen all where the queen 

 has begun to decline, as occasion re- 

 quires, and as late' as your season will 

 allow; when all is safe until the new 

 season opens. 



DESTROYING BIRDS IN TEXAS, ETC. 



To the correspondent from Texas: 

 Get a good shot-gun, and give the birds 

 cold lead, and keep at it ; thus improv- 

 ing your marksmanship, and sweeten 

 your temper, for what is more aggravat- 

 ing than a string of 20 birds eating at 

 least 50 bees twice a day ? I often pop 

 off two or more at a shot. I believe this 

 is the only remedy. If, however, the 

 birds are granivorous, try wheat or some 

 small seed soaked in a solution of strych- 

 nine, and put about in small, shallow 

 boxes — out of reach of chickens and 

 small boys, of course. 



In your climate, give bees from 30 to 

 50 pounds of stores — the more the bet- 

 ter, to the extent of all they will use of 

 it. How is this for a truism ? No bees 

 without honey ; no honey without bees. 

 Give a good queen 50 pounds of honey 

 for stores, and note what you get for 

 spring work. No winter protection is 

 necessary, except to keep the water out. 



GETTING RID OF SKUNKS AND TOADS. 



About those skunks : The strychnine 

 egg is the medicine, in fact it is a spe- 

 cific. Have your eyes "out" for that 

 fat, innocent-looking toad, that hops 

 about your door-yard, or sleeps under 

 some building all day long, but at night 

 fills himself at the expense of your pet 

 bees. My conscience allows me to crack 

 them on the head, every one. You will 

 know of their presence at the apiary, as 

 they leave a mass composed of masti- 

 cated bees and bugs. 



GETTING BEE FROM BUILDINGS. 



I have never been so wicked as to rob 

 a church, but I have taken bees from 

 every conceivable position in buildings 

 and trees. Perhaps I could give the 



