310 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



April 15. 



not believe we shall ever be able to overcome 

 swarming entirely, but I believe my plan stops 

 the loafing better than any thing else I know 

 of. We had 57 swarms this year, but no loaf- 

 ing in the out-apiary. We have bought an ex- 

 tractor for that apiary, and will continue to 

 run on that plan to start them to work. After 

 the first super of sections is well started there 

 is no more trouble about loafing. My neigh- 

 bors' bees loafed and swarmed through all the 

 best of the season, while mine were haid at 

 work. I wish some one would try my plan, 

 and report. 



Mancos, Colo., Nov. 17, 1898. 



[There, Mrs. B., you have struck a keynote 

 I have been trying lo sound for the last two 

 years. I have found, as you say, that colonies 

 given sections are often — yes, generally — loath 

 to enter them ; but if they are given a set of 

 extracting-combs they will go right to work — 

 that is, if there is any honey in the field. 

 Now, when those colonies get into the work- 

 ing-fever (instead of s warming-fever) they 

 will keep right on, even if a super of sections 

 is given them. Some of my friends could not 

 understand how I could produce both comb 

 and extracted honey on the same hive to ad- 

 vantage. The plan I pursued was the same 

 as this, almost exactly. I know it has worked 

 very satisfactorily at our out- yard, where I 

 gave it my personal attention, not by direct- 

 ing the work, but by doing it myself. In 

 many cases I used full-depth stories of ex- 

 tracting-combs, but with colonies of moderate 

 strength a -half -depth story was used. 



Now, I am not going to claim that I discov- 

 ered this method before you did ; but until 

 some one else claims it I propose to call it the 

 Barber method of producing comb and ex- 

 tracted honey. — Ed.] 



RAMBLE 165. 

 A New Treatment for Foul Brood. 



BY RAMBLER. 



Whenever you find foul brood in a comb, 

 uncap it and wash it all out under a faucet of 

 water running with considerable force. When 

 thoroughly washed, shake out the water as 

 clean as possible; then make a solution of one 

 teaspoonful of formalin to one quart of water. 

 Spray the cells full of this solution ; place the 

 combs in a pile, and allow them to remain 

 two days ; then shake out the solution and 

 return the combs to the hive. In the treat- 

 ment as given by Dr. Chase he takes the 

 combs only as they show the disease, and con- 

 tinues the practice until all vestige of the dis- 

 ease disappears in the apiary, which would 

 probably take much time. 



In treating a colony as a whole it would be 

 necessary to put the bees on dry combs or in 

 a box where they could be put through the 

 starving process while their own combs and 

 hive were being treated. The moist combs 

 could be given them one or two at a time 

 until all are returned. If the treatment will 

 cure, as the doctor assured me it would, the 



method can be varied to suit the convenience 

 of the operator. The great advantage gained 

 in this treatment is the non-destruction of the 

 combs. 



Formalin is a comparatively new antiseptic, 

 and the most powerful now in use. It is 

 largely used by the Red Cross Society in their 

 work in the army. It is manufactured in 

 Germany under a secret process, and is not 

 an expensive remedy. 



To persons who wish to try this remedy I 

 would suggest that, where there is honey in a 

 comb, and we wish to make a thorough job, 

 the honey should be extracted and the comb 

 returned to the hive for the bees to clean up ; 

 then there will be no danger of other bees 

 sipping the wash where there might be 

 disease-germs. Or instead of washing under 

 a faucet, which would be extremely inconven- 

 ient in nearly all of our California apiaries, 

 as the next best thing put the combs to soak 

 in a tank of water. Changes of water with 

 formalin added could be used. I am aware 

 that tlvere has been a prejudice created against 

 the use of drugs, or, rather, has grown from 

 the repeated failures of their use, and to such 

 an extent that Mr. McEvoy, one of our best 

 authorities, comes out squarely and says that 

 foul brood can never be cured with drugs. 

 Now, we may be somewhat skeptical when a 

 new treatment with a drug appears ; but are 

 we to take the dictum of any one person, and 

 never make another trial? ,It seems to me if 

 we do, the bars are put up against all progress 

 and seeking for better methods of treatment. 

 I believe that, if there is the merest shadow for 

 success, we should let down the bars and con- 

 tinue the experimentation with drugs. 



I can readily understand that, where the 

 germ becomes dried down in the bottom of a 

 cell, or where it is covered with honey, fumi- 

 gation or slight spraying would have no effect; 

 but by putting said germ to soak for several 

 days there is a chance of rendering it open to 

 the influence of the proper drug. I think I 

 have made Dr. Chase's treatment sufficiently 

 plain so that any one can give it a thorough 

 trial. 



Dr. Cha c -e also uses another antiseptic for 

 protecting combs from the ravages of the 

 moth-worm. He allowed me to examine sev- 

 eral brood-combs wherein were the well-known 

 silken galleries and the worms, but the latter 

 were dead. His treatment is to set the hives 

 containing the combs in a pile of several in 

 height ; place under the bottom hive a few 

 drops of bisulphide of carbon, and it soon 

 accomplishes its mission. Comb honey can 

 be treated in the same way, or the disinfectant 

 can be sprinkled liberally in a room where 

 comb honey or brood-combs are stored, with 

 the same effect. 



In his practical work in the apiary the doc- 

 tor uses the Hoffman hive and frame, but it is 

 shortened up to 14 inches in length, and he 

 uses nine frames in a hive, which makes the 

 surface nearly square. He thinks a large hive 

 is not adapted to the climatic conditions in 

 Oregon, as there is so much moisture during 

 certain portions of the year that all portions 

 of the brood-combs that are exposed mold. 



