130 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Information from Entomologists and Officials of the 

 Various States. 



On April 7, after reviewing the various reports of losses 

 coming from all quarters of the country, the writer wrote to 

 the officials of many States from which such reports had 

 originated, asking for a brief summary of the situation, and 

 any particular damages which might have been reported, 

 alleged to have been the result of arsenical sprays. Inquiry 

 was also made concerning the activity of the beekeepers in 

 meeting the situation in their States. 



The conditions in Colorado have already been mentioned. 

 The State entomologist, Professor C. P. Gillette, in his reply to 

 the writer's inquiry, states that he must necessarily 'be guided 

 almost wholly by the opinions of others;" yet he says: "I 

 have, in a few instances, been in apiaries on the western slope 

 where the owners have claimed great damage to their bees 

 from orchard spraying while red clover or alfalfa in the orchards 

 was in bloom." Pie also refers to the experience of Wesley 

 Foster, who has had, as most beekeepers know, a wide experi- 

 ence in the apiaries of this State, adding, "I know he is thor- 

 oughly convinced that such poisoning does take place." 



Again referring to the disasters, he says : — 



I am convinced, therefore, that honey bees in Colorado are occasionally 

 killed, and sometimes the colonies are verj^ seriously reduced, as the 

 direct result of the spraying either of the fruit trees while in full bloom, 

 or the spraying of fruit trees where red clover, and possibly aKalfa as well, 

 is in bloom underneath the trees. 



From the State entomologist of Indiana, it was reported that 

 during the past three years several instances of alleged poison- 

 ing of bees by arsenical sprays had been reported. No specific 

 cases, however, were cited. 



From New Mexico a county bee inspector reports that he lost 

 70 per cent of his bees which were near an orchard which had 

 been improperly sprayed. He further reports a 90 per cent loss 

 among some other beekeepers. 



Dr. E. Merrill, entomologist of New Mexico, reports con- 

 cerning the losses of Henry C. Barron, a prominent apiarist 

 and inspector. 



