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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15 



Read the proposed foul-brood bill below. 



This is probably the severest winter that 

 bee-keepers have experienced for over 20 

 j^ears. It has been continuously cold since 

 the first cf December, with only two days 

 when the bees could fly. 



I CAN only wish that all of our bees that 

 are on their summer stands were indoors 

 in one of our bee-cellars. I am fearful we 

 shall have heavy losses among' the outdoor 

 bees before warm weather sets in in the 

 spring-. 



The bee-keepers of Ohio are requested to 

 write to their Senators and Representatives 

 at once, and ask them to support the bill 

 for the suppression of foul brood. This 

 bill is now pending before the House. If 

 you don't know who the members are, ask 

 some county official or your postmaster. It 

 is very necessary that you write at once. 



A FOUL-BROOD BILL BEFORE THE OHIO LEG- 

 ISLATURE. 



As I have before reported in these col- 

 umns, the bee-keepers of Hamilton Co., O., 

 have been very active for some time in the 

 matter of securing foul-brood legislation for 

 Ohio. In the southern part of the State the 

 dread disease has been making consider- 

 able progress, especially with the box-hive 

 bee-keeping class; and the up- to date bee- 

 keepers have been simply forced to take 

 this course in self defense. 



It seems the disease was imported from 

 Kentucky; and in spite of all the bee-keepers 

 on the border-line in this State could do, it 

 has been making headway against them 

 because there was no law by which they 

 could compel the box-hive men and others 

 to treat their colonies. In other portions of 

 the State — notably in the northern part — 

 the disease has made some inroads from 

 Michigan. Taking it all in all, it seems as 

 if now were the time when we should have 

 suitable legislation — when the traditional 

 " stitch in time " would " save nine." 



It has cost other States large sums of 

 money, particularly Canada, New York, 

 Wisconsin, Michigan, and Colorado, while 

 the direct cost to the bee-keeping industry 

 has been enormous. In some sections of 

 New York, bee-keeping has been well nigh 

 wiped out, where, under ordinary condi- 

 tions, bees have made good money for their 

 owners, and could do it again. 



It is very necessary that the bee-keepers 

 in every State where no laws are in force 

 get some bill before their legislature this 



winter, and, if possible, get it passed so 

 that the necessary stitch in time may be 

 taken. 



That is preciselj' what the Ohio bee- 

 keepers are trying to do, and none too soon 

 either. A bill has been presented by the 

 bee-keepers of Hamilton Co. that has been 

 modeled after the excellent law that is in 

 force in Colorado. As will be seen by the 

 text herewith given, it is a county law. 

 Whenev r foul brood or any other conta- 

 gious disease is found to exist in any par- 

 ticular county, on the complaint of three 

 citizens the county c:mmissioners shall ap- 

 point an inspector who shall mike the nec- 

 essary investigation; and if he finds the 

 disease to exist he shall, under the provi- 

 sions of the law, order the necessary treat- 

 ment to be carried into effect. There are 

 suitable penalties for failure to comply 

 with his orders. Among the provisions, it 

 will be noted, is one requiring box-hive 

 men who are supposed to have foul brood to 

 transfer on to movable frames. 



Now, while, generally speaking, a State 

 law with one inspector has proven to be 

 more satisfactory, and while it is true, 

 also, that certain measures of this kind 

 have been repealed in favor of a general 

 State law, yet a careful canvass of the sit- 

 uation on the part of the Ohio bee-keepers 

 seems to show that the Colorado law is the 

 only measure we could get at present in 

 this State, as our General Assembly is 

 somewhat shy about passing any bill that 

 requires an appropriation, especially if it 

 thinks the passage of the bill will create a 

 "job " for some one. So many bills creat- 

 ing jobs have been imposed on them that it 

 would be simply impossible to get a State 

 law now. If the present measure shall 

 prove to be inefficient it will serve as an ex- 

 cellent stepping-stone for something better. 

 Michigan first had a county law for a few 

 years, repealed it, ard substituted a State 

 law; but I understand that the bee keepers 

 of Colorado are very well pleased with the 

 practical working of their county law, aft- 

 er which the Ohio measure is modeled, and 

 it may never be necessary to ask for any 

 thing better. 



The Ohio bill has been thrown into the 

 hopper, and is being considered by the 

 Committee on Agriculture. A large repre- 

 sentation of Hamilton Co. bee-keepers, as 

 well as a representative of this journal, ap- 

 peared before the committee, and stated the 

 urgent need of the measure. General Man- 

 ager France has furnished some data for 

 the consideration of the committee. We 

 have every reason to believe that the commit- 

 tee will report the measure favorably with- 

 out amendment, and that the same will be 

 passed without opposition. But bee keep- 

 ers all over the State are urged to write to 

 their Senators and Representatives, and 

 ask them for their support, and explain 

 why the law is needed. If we get the idea 

 that the bill will pass of itself, we shall be 

 woefully mistaken. Every subscriber to 

 this journal in Ohio should make a point to- 



