134 



Leave it ovit entirely. We have been doing- 

 it for the last two years, and use it only 

 when there is less than a full complement 

 of frames in the hives. In our opinion a 

 clumsy thick follower-board in a ten-frame 

 hive with nine frarnes will not help matters 

 much. What we need is extra room with- 

 out a follower-board. 



That room is not needed with the ordi- 

 nary unspaeed frames that can be squeezed 

 closer together to remove the one desired. 

 But with the self-spacer there is or should 

 be, at least, extra room in the hive. By 

 removing that naughty division-board, and 

 keeping it out where you have a full com- 

 plement of frames, with either eight or ten 

 frame hives the extra room will be pro- 

 vided. 



First Annual Report of the Minnesota 

 Inspector of Apiaries 



Mr. Charles E, Blaker^ the State In- 

 spector for Minnesota, has just put out his 

 first annual report. It is unfortunate, as 

 Mr. Blaker says, that up to 1915 there is no 

 available record of inspection work in the 

 state, which handicaps the work somewhat. 



So far the work has been chiefly with 

 American foul brood, as the European type 

 of the disease has not made much of a start. 

 It was reported in 1914, and then discover- 

 ed in several other points in 1915. On ac- 

 count of the danger existing when this 

 disease becomes prevalent, a full descrip- 

 tion is given of it, methods of treatment, 

 etc., along with descriptions and methods of 

 treatment of American foul brood and of 

 sacbrood. 



Out of 452 apiaries visited, disease was 

 found in 57; 7114 colonies were examined, 

 and 269 found diseased. 



Beekeepers of Minnesota may obtain a 

 copy of this report on application to Chas. 

 E. Blaker, Inspector, 4420 Grimes Ave., 

 Minneapolis. 



Bees and Smelter Smoke, again 



In our issue for Dec. 15, page 915, we 

 stated that the beekeepers of Ontario, Can- 

 ada, were about to bring suit against a 

 silver-smelting company for alleged dam- 

 ages to their interests in the sum of $30,000. 

 We have heard notliing further from this, 

 altho the case was to come up in the courts 

 in November. Whether it has been settled 

 we are unable to say. At all events, we 

 learn from a clipping from the Illustrated 

 Buffalo Express of December 19 that means 

 have been discovered for eliminating almost 

 entirely the injurious effects of smelter 

 smoke on either plants or animals. As the 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Buffalo paper is published near the scene 

 of the trouble referred to, it is possible 

 some compromise has been effected, or that 

 the damage claimed is merely nominal. 



It appears that the new means of filter- 

 ing the smoke prevents the incrustation of 

 Certain chemicals on vegetation which, when 

 eaten by animals, caused more or less trou- 

 ble. No mention is made of bees in the 

 clipping referred to. 



If any of our subscribers in Canada or 

 the United States know the outcome of the 

 Ontario case we shall be glad to have them 

 write us. 



The Importance of Scattering Colonies 

 of Bees in Fruit Orchards 



In this issue, page 145, Mr. J. E. Crane 

 brings out a point that is worth the careful 

 attention of evei'y fruit-gTower and bee- 

 keeper ; namely, that bees in orchards do 

 better work in pollinating the blossoms if 

 the hives are scattered thruout the orchard. 

 That has been our policy where we put out 

 bees in this way. If the season is a little 

 unfavorable the trees nearest the bees will 

 show more fruit than those further re- 

 moved. 



Mr. Crane mentions that a prominent 

 fruit-grower stated before the Vermont 

 Horticultural Society that he scatters the 

 bees all tliru the orchard, "with the result 

 that in seasons when during fruit-bloom it 

 is cold and cloudy the three or four trees 

 close to a hive of bees were much more 

 fruitful than those further away." Mr. 

 Crane draws the conclusion that " as we are 

 apt to have a great deal of such weather in 

 northern New England this season of the 

 year," this is a " very important considera- 

 tion." 



Beekeepers will get calls for bees to be 

 located in fruit-orchards more and more; 

 and what is an advantage the fruit-gTower 

 is also to the advantage of the beekeeper — 

 more pollen more brood, and more returns 

 when the honey-flow comes on in June and 

 July. 



Bee Inspection in Idaho 



The sum of $3000 was appropriated by 

 the Legislature for bee inspection in Idaho 

 during 1915 and 1916, which is more than 

 double the amount ever expended before 

 for the same period. This has made it 

 possible for the inspection to cover much 

 neglected territory. 



State Horticultural Inspector Graham, in 

 liis annual report for 1915, says that 3648 

 colonies were found diseased, or were kept 

 in box hives in violation of the law, out of 



