1911 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



131 



with dislodging and frightening the bees 

 down. There is no time for them to crawl 

 back to the cleaned surface of the comb be- 

 fore it is slipped over, always toward us, and 

 the other side brushed. At the last comb 

 the brushing will include the furthest side 

 of the hive with the outside of the last comb, 

 when the body or super must be quickly re- 

 moved. For two years both my assistants 

 and I have used this system entirely when 

 extracting or clearing brood-nests. It is 

 quick and positive in results, a complete 

 ' ' Waterloo ' ' to robbers, easy on the operator, 

 arouses practically no cross bees, and loses 

 fewer queens, we find, than shaking. Like 

 other systems, little acquired knacks soon 

 become fixed habits. The operator learns 

 to puff the smoke behind the end-bars pret- 

 ty well at the beginning of the operation, 

 which gets the bees well toward the center 

 of the combs and in reach of the brush. 

 Also the smoker bellows, while suspended 

 against the hive, is worked by pressure of 

 the body, which exercise we believe to be 

 healthful, as we always have large appetites 

 when extracting honey. 



The system of treatment for European 

 foul brood outlined embodies features which 

 I feel confident will appeal particularly to 

 the specialist in extracted honey, as it is 

 safe, and economical of labor and material. 

 The combs are saved, the infected honey ef- 

 fectually removed, and permanent immu- 

 nity established. I do not know absolutely 

 what the results would be in a location hav- 

 ing no fall flow, although I see no reason 

 why they should not be equally favorable; 

 at any rate, I should be very glad to hear 

 from those who try the system under such 

 conditions later. The treatment was evolv- 

 ed from a series of experiments made while 

 studying the suggestions of authorities who 

 know a great deal more about folil brood 

 than I pretend to know. I may also say 

 that I have not had long enough experience 

 to know whether it will always work or not, 

 as I have used it only a part of two years, 

 and used other treatments in the majority 

 of cases; however, the principles appear 

 sound from our present limited knowledge 

 of the disease, and I believe it is worthy of 

 continued and more extensive trial. 



Remember above all to be thorough in 

 every thing that is done; for, while black 

 brood is easily cured at certain seasons of 

 the year, if neglected it will at other times 

 spread like wildfire from one colony to an- 

 other. Thoroughness, vigilance, and dili- 

 gence mean a healthy apiary the follow- 

 ing spring. 



ADVICE TO AMATEUR AND SIDE-ISSUE BEE- 

 KEEPERS. 



There are methods of cure, some involv- 

 ing the use of the bee-escape, others various 

 manipulations which the expert could use 

 to advantage in a small comb-honey yard, 

 but which are hazardous in the hands of the 

 inexperienced. I have seen so many costly 

 messes which beginners have blundered in- 

 to in attempted treatments, some of which 

 were the cause of reinfecting entire yards 



anew, that it seems unwise lo advise any 

 other treatment than the McEvoy, and 

 which should not be given until the colo- 

 nies are made strong by uniting. Hives 

 should invariably be disinfected to make it 

 a success, and the work all done at once, so 

 as to remove contagion from the newly 

 shaken colonies which are most easily rein- 

 fected. Make arrangements to requeen with 

 young yellow Italians as soon as possible 

 after treating, for immunity must be estab- 

 lished for future protection. 



At first sight the above may sound enig- 

 matical — to be condemning one treatment 

 for large apiaries and advocating it for small 

 ones; but this is the very point which I wish 

 to impress, viz., that the treatment must 

 vary to meet the .requirements of different 

 conditions. I believe it wise in all cases to 

 get rid of the honey in the hive which may 

 be diseased. This may be accomplished 

 safely with the extractor by the specialist; 

 but in the case of amateurs it can not be ac- 

 complished other than by shaking, for there 

 is usually no extractor and no equipment 

 of combs. It is always best for a beginner 

 to get an experienced bee-keeper to help do 

 the work properly, and for bee-keepers to 

 work together cleaning up one apiary after 

 another in rapid succession, remembering 

 that you are never rid of the disease until 

 your neighbors are rid of it. 



A FEW CI.OSING HINTS. 



Avoid robbing, especially in a diseased 

 apiary, by placing removed supers on an 

 escape-board or inverted cover instead of 

 standing them on end with both surfaces 

 exposed. Have a good robber cloth, and 

 use it. Place heavy supers on the wheel- 

 barrow if the height is more convenient. 

 Use queen-excluders in producing extracted 

 honey. First choice, the wood wire; second 

 choice, wood-bound. Only by their use can 

 we determine with certainty the location of 

 the brood-nest, which is essential in treating 

 a brood disease. 



Extracting-combs may be set out for bees 

 to clean up after all brood has hatched in 

 the fall, without fear of contagion from 

 black brood. We often pile the supers zig- 

 zag in the honey-house and open the door, 

 leaving the bees lo do the rest. Neither do 

 we space the combs as formerly, as the wax 

 from gnawed combs is saved on the floor. 



European foul brood is a peculiar disease 

 to deal with, and a dangerous one to trifle 

 with. Easy to exterminate during a honey- 

 flow, it spreads like wildfire during a dearth 

 in the breeding season. Let no man boast 

 of a cure, therefore, until the following 

 breeding season confirms his hopes. Be 

 faithful to the marks on the hive; requeen 

 and rehoney the hive, even if the disease 

 does disap2)ear entirely during the honey- 

 flow. There would be less talk of " the un- 

 certainty of cure "and "danger of return- 

 ing" if bee-keepers themselves would get 

 down to business and quit playing hide and 

 seek with the disease. Neither should we 

 lose sight of the fact that, by getting our 

 colonies in excellent condition, and with 



