134 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The Pollen. 

 In some cases nectar is thought to convey the poison, "but 

 my observations and experience convince me," says the "New 

 England Veteran," ^ "that the chief damage is by the pollen, 

 which soaks up and retains the arsenic; hence the slow building 

 up of a poisoned colony." 



Some Peculiar Features of the Situation. 

 The inspectors have noticed, and some keen beekeepers have 

 reported, that certain colonies in an apiary may be affected 

 while others apparently are not. The question may well be 

 raised, therefore, why should one colony escape and the one 

 next to it not? Furthermore, not all apiaries in a given locality 

 are injured or equally depleted. One beekeeper, reporting for 

 his locality, says, "perhaps one apiary in ten is doing well." 



Efforts of Beekeepers for Protective Measures. 

 Something should be done to save the bee, for she is surely doomed if 

 the [indiscriminate and promiscuous] spraying is continued in the present 

 manner. I am sure that all beekeepers, even those who are in it in a small 

 way, will back me in what I have written, and daresay some will be a 

 little more emphatic. 



While the statement is not over aggressive, others have been 

 exceedingly emphatic. It is not surprising, for year after year 

 of loss and failure may be expected to result in a disheartening 

 effect upon beekeeping. 



The remedial measures suggested may be grouped as fol- 

 lows: — 



1. Legislation, which shall control spraying practices, over- 

 come the spraying of blossoming trees, license contracting 

 spraymen, and limit the indiscriminate, injudicious and unnec- 

 essary use of poisons; the correction of mistaken State and 

 municipal spraying practices. 



2. Educational campaign, which shall correctly inform users 

 of spray poisons, and reveal the errors and fallacies in current 

 spraying practices; M^hich shall promote the welfare of bee- 

 keepers. 



' "Gleanings in Bee Culture." 1914, Vol. 42, pp. 91-93. 



