BEE DISEASES IN MASSACHUSETTS. I [ 



)ressed. The rapidity' Avith wliich they spread, however, makes co- 

 'peration of bee keepers throii<2:hoiit the State or States essential, 

 sixteen States and Territories " now have legislation and inspectors 

 iesigned to protect the bee keepers from the spread of these infectious 

 iiseases. The State nearest to ^Massachusetts is New York, where 

 he annual loss of bees alone is shown in the following figures:'' 



'revious to 1S99, in a limited area, the loss of bees aloue is estimated 



at $39,383 



u 1S99, wlieu concentrated effort to suppress bee disease was begun, 



it amounted to 25,420 



n 1900 20, 289 



:n 1902 10, 853 



u 1903 the loss of the previous year was lialved, making it 5, 860 



in 1903 it was 4, 741 



[n 1904 it was again divided by two, being 2, 220 



In 1905 there was again a reduction of nearly 50 per cent 1, 725 



Total loss of bees, covering about ten years 110, 491 



In other States the encouraging results of inspection and per- 

 sistent effort to suppress the inroads of disease are similar. 



INSPECTION. 



Inspectors are not alone police officers. They are educators, up-to- 

 date bee keepers giving instructions in modern methods of bee keep- 

 ing, thoroughly experienced in treating foul brood, and a great stim- 

 ulus to i^rogress. They are necessarily exacting and thorough; but 

 the}' are not out to seize and condemn ; their aim is to help the bee 

 keepers, to assist them in a cooperative effort to eradicate disease, and 

 to promote bee keeping. Of course the individual can do much for 

 himself bj' keeping his own yard clean and free from infection; but 

 he is in constant danger of reinfection from his neighbors, if they 

 fail to cooperate with him. 



A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF TREATMENT FOR BROOD DISEASES. 



Those who are most experienced in the suppression of brood dis- 

 eases are agreed that " shaking,'''^ which is practically " shook swarm- 

 ing," and modifications of this process are the only successful methods. 



° The legislation empowering this inspection in twelve of these States and Ter- 

 ritories is reprinted from Bui. 01, Bur, Ent., issued November 5, 190G, and en- 

 titled " The Laws in Force Against Injurious Insects and Foul Brood in the 

 United States," compiled by L. O. Howard and A. F. Burgess. 



'" These figures are afforded by a compilation made in 1905 by Mr. Charles 

 Stewart from the records of the commissioner of agriculture of New York 

 State. 



f^The various treatments are described by Dr. E. F. Phillips in Circular 79, 

 of this Bureau, mentioned above. 



