would increase our exports to the British Isles. Growers, however, 

 particularly those in Uassachusett s, need no reminder that the best 

 market to develop is the one nearest home. It should be the aim of 

 every fruit grower, every fruit handler, and every fruit retailer 

 to so popularize apples that the steady decline in per capita con- 

 sumption in our own United States will be stopped. There are 

 plenty of apple consumers here, and they will consume if they get 

 what they want. L. Southwick 



Control of American Foul Brood 



American foul brood is an infectious disease of the im- 

 mature or larval stages of the honeybee. It is caused by a micro- 

 scopic spore-forming organism known as Bacillus larvae. This 

 bacillus is carried to the larval bees in the food. Under favor- 

 able conditions the organism grows and causes the death of the 

 young bee, usually in the late larval or early pupal stages. The 

 honeybee is the only known host of this organism. Warm-blooded 

 animals are not affected by it. It is of utmost importance that 

 every beekeeper should become farailii^r with the symptoms of this 

 and other bee diseases in order to avoid confusion of the various 

 diseases and to prevent their spread. Since the recomriended treat- 

 ments are not the same for the various brood diseases, the im- 

 portance of the foregoing statement is rea.dily seen. In order to 

 familiarize oneself with the symptoms of bee diseases, consult 

 either U.S.D.A. Farmers' Bulletin I713 or U.S.D.A. Circular 392. 



As regards the control of American foul brood it is the 

 opinion of many of our beekeeping specialists tliat burning of 

 diseased colonics is the best method of control. This method is 

 briefly as follows. The bees are killed, preferably in the evening, 

 by placing about a tablespoonf ul of calcium cyanide in the hive en- 

 trance. It may be well to place a. small amount of cyanide in the 

 top of the hive to insure that all the bees ivill be killed quickly. 

 The hive should then be carried to the side of a pit at least IS 

 inches deep which has been dug previous to the killing of the bees. 

 A brisk fire should be started and the bees and frames should bo 

 burned. Following this the pit should be filled with dirt. 



The hive bodies, covers, a.nd bottom board can be saved. 

 These should be thoroughly scraped and then washed with a hot lye 

 solution or scorched with a blovr torch. If the equipment is washed 

 it is necessary that the washing solution be disposed of in such 

 a way as to prevent bees coming in contact with it. If triere is 

 any considerable amount of honey in the supers, it can be sold. 

 Ho"'ever, the greatest care must be taken that at no time does the 

 honey become accessible to bees. Any equipment used in thc.^^prepar- 

 ation of such honey for market should be thoroughly cleaned~"wl:t4K 

 soap and hot water. Some beekeepers contend that the disease can " 

 be controlled by shaking. This method is not recommended for gen- 

 eral use. The opinion of some of our beekeeping specialists is 

 that there are only a fev' instances where the shaking treatment can 

 be utilized. For further details concerning the use of this method, 

 consult U.S.iJ.A. Fa.rmers' Bulletin I713. P p^ Qy.^^^ 



Handling: Neglected Orchards in the Sta.te of W,qshin,?ton 



The problem of neglected orchards in Washington is handled 

 by the local horticultural office, which is under the direction of 



