Part I.] STATE INSPECTOR OF APIARIES. 143 



For several years we have had more or less complaint, especially in 

 the Waban section, that at the time of sprajing colonies of bees were 

 practically exterminated. Last year I tried notifying all those I knew 

 who kept bees that we would be spraj'ing a't or about a certain time, 

 and requested that their bees be closed up for a few days during this 

 period. I had hoped that this might prove satisfactory, but I am afraid 

 it did not, as the result showed that a great many bees were killed last 

 year [1915], due in a great many cases to the fact that rainy and stormy 

 weather interfered with our schedule of spraying, so that we were unable 

 to spray in a certain section when we had planned to. 



Such an arrangement, while it might appear theoretically 

 possible from the beekeeper's standpoint, could hardly be ex- 

 pected to give general relief. The use of repellent sprays, how- 

 ever, ought to give greater protection. Fortunately the writer's 

 proposal has been tried by the city of Newton during the year 

 1916, at the particular suggestion of Mr. Gourley, a resident 

 beekeeper. He and others of whom the writer has inquired 

 report very favorable results. 



A fumigant of the sulphonaphthol type, used largely for 

 disinfecting purposes and known as "Milkol," was "used in 

 proportions of 1 pint of Milkol to 100 gallons of arsenate of 

 lead solution. According to the reports so far [July 24, 1916] 

 the results have seemed to prove satisfactory. The present 

 year we used this only in one section of the city. If we have 

 complaints in the future from any other section where bees are 

 kept I shall be glad to use the mixture there; in fact, I think 

 the cost of using it in all our spraying operations, all over the 

 city, would not be very great."^ This marks the first munic- 

 ipal effort toward co-operation among intensive sprayers with 

 beekeepers. It is hoped that like experiments may be tried 

 elsewhere. 



Apiaky Supervision. 



Co-ordinated with the disease investigations, referred to in 

 "Miscellaneous Work" of the service, an apiary in Wilbraham, 

 which had shown the presence of European foul brood for sev- 

 eral successive years, was taken over on July 27 to be directed 

 by the inspector. The apiarist had previously met with only 

 partial success in the treatment of his colonies, due to several 

 factors. Discouraged, he was inclined to destroy all diseased 



1 Letter from Forest Commissioner Wm. W. Colton. 



