JUNE 1, 1916 



451 



was particularly emphasized that beekeep- 

 ers give more and more atljntion to sup- 

 plying their customers sixteen ounces for a 

 pound package and eight ounces for a half- 

 pound package. It is being considered by 

 the association to adopt a label which mem- 

 bers of the association may use. This at- 

 tached to their products indicates their af- 

 filiation with the local society and is thought 

 to be of advantage in selling local products. 



A most interesting address followed by 

 A. W. Yates, of Hartford, Ct., entitled 

 " Spring Handling of Bees." 



A committee consisting of the presidejit 

 as chairman, the three vice-presidents, and 



the secretary-treasurer, was appointed to 

 wait upon the managers of the agricultural 

 fairs for the purpose of obtaining proper 

 recognition of beekeepers for displays of 

 l)eekeeping products at these fairs. It was 

 left to the Executive Committee, and the 

 Secretary particularly, to arrange for the 

 society to hear Mr. C. P. Dadant, of Ham- 

 ilton, 111., when he visits the East next 

 August. This will constitute the field meet- 

 ing of the association. 



The meeting adjourned shortly before five 

 o'clock, there having been a good attend- 

 ance. 



Amherst, Mass. 



ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE SHOWS VARIOUS SYMPTOMS 



BY B. BLACKBOURNE 



One of the peculiarities of the Isle of 

 Wight disease is the different symptoms 

 exhibited by different stocks of bees suffer- 

 ing from it. Jn some cases the sick bees 

 api^ear shiny and black, active on their legs, 

 the unable to fly. In others they are slug- 

 gish, with swollen abdomens and dislocated 

 wings. Some stocks die out in a few weeks, 

 while others hang on for months, and still 



Dead bees on the floor of a hive containing a colony 

 badly affected with Isle of Wight disease. 



others will be found almost completely de- 

 pleted of bees without having shown any 

 crawlers or dead bodies in front of the 

 hives. 



In the spring of 1913 I was greatly dis- 

 turbed by seeing crawlers and sick bees 

 being thrown out of my hives, and took it 

 for granted that I had miscrosporidiosis. 

 As the year advanced, however, these symp- 

 toms disappeared, the bees did very well, and 

 appeared in normal health, so I concluded 

 the trouble was a touch of paralysis. The 

 next year the same thing happened ; but that 

 one stock, which did not appear to be doing 

 much work, when examined was found to 

 consist of brood from top to bottom (20 

 standard frames), and the queen laying 

 freely, but not an old bee in the hive. Where 

 had they gone, for there were no dead out- 

 side "? 



In 1915 there was no doubt that T had the 

 real thing. There were always numbers of 

 bees hopping about on the grass, trying to 

 fly, and the characteristic mud-colored ex- 

 crement was in evidence practically all over 

 the hives. The worst affected was the 

 strongest stock, which required supering, 

 and built queen-cells in preparation for 

 swarming long before any of the othei"s. 

 Practically all the stocks were affected, tho 

 some only very slightly. Just before fruit - 

 bloom I had to go aAvay from home for a 

 time, and left my apiary in charge of a 

 young man who had been with me for a 

 couple of years. It is a curious fact that 

 diseased bees are frequently given to ex- 

 cessive swarming, and my man was kept 

 busy hiving swarms. Very often the swarm 

 will show the characteristic symptoms before 

 the stock from which it sprang. Presum- 

 ably this is because the greater proportion 



