AUGUST 15, 193 6 



prising- the alfalfa and mountain-sage coun- 

 try, are somewhat meager and scattering. 

 There were very heavy winter losses in 

 ]\[ontana. Many colonies were so weak that 

 they were in no shape to catch a ilow, 

 even if it had come. In many portions 

 of the state it did not come, so we sliall 

 not expect much from Montana. 



In Nevada according" to one report late 

 frosts injured the alfalfa, and there will 

 be only from a third to a half of a crop 

 of alfalfa. Around Reno the main flow, 

 starting about July 3, is already gone. 



In Colorado the few reports we have re- 

 ceived indicate from a light to a fair crop. 



In Arizona and Imperial Valley, Cali- 

 fornia, the yield has been below normal. 

 Some of the largest beekeepers in Imperial 

 Valley are discouraged. Further north in 

 California the crop has been estimated at 

 from one-fourth to one-half of a crop. 



The possible and probable shortage of 

 honey in the West, comprising the irrigated 

 districts, the severe drouth in the East, with 

 the i^rospect of clover being short next 

 year, may have and should have a tendency 

 to hold up prices, altho if reports are cor- 

 rect it is evident tliey will sag below those 

 of last year. During the middle and fore 

 part of July it looked as if prices on both 

 comb and extracted clover honey would go 

 down to a low^ level. Buyers were very shy 

 about making offers. In one case a buyer 

 refused to make any offers, and finally, af- 

 ter lepeated requests to name some figures, 

 he mentioned six cents on a fine article of 

 extracted. The buyer made this low offer 

 expecting it would be turned down as he 

 did not wish to buy then ; but he was snap- 

 ped up instantlj^ Avith a carload, with the 

 offer of more at the same price. This has 

 had a tendency to demoralize prices; but 

 the drouth has given prices an upward boost 

 and beekeepers are more hopeful. 



TRAVEIrSTAINED COMB HONEY. 



The market is still well .stocked with a 

 fine grade of comb from last year. The 

 new- crop is now ready to be delivered, and 

 it is reasonably certain that the prices will 

 be easier. 



Probably some of the comb honey this 

 year will be travel-stained because the 

 clover yield, owing to the rainy weatlier 

 followed by drouth has been irregular — a 

 little every day, then stopping entirely, and 

 then starting briskly. With conditions like 

 this where the flow is slow, there is almost 

 sure to be some travel-stained comb honey. 



Our readers are requested to send in 

 their postal-card reports. Indicate what 

 the final yield has been, and what prices 

 are being secured. In mentioning prices. 



be sure to say whetlier th?y are retail, 

 wholesale, or jobbing. 



LaUr. — Some good rains have fnllowrd, 

 and the drouth seems to be broken for the 

 time being. 



The Isle of Wight Disease or Bee 

 Plague in Ohio 



The bee-inspectors of Ohio have found 

 in several of the apiaries in southern Ohio 

 and in the western part of the state a 

 disease among the adult bees resembling 

 'oee paralysis or Isle of Wigiit disease. In 

 .>ome cases the colonies have been consider- 

 ably reduced in strength, right in the midst 

 of the honey-flow. Some scare headlines in 

 the dailj^ press have appeared, referring to 

 a certain bee plague. 



In our issue for July 15, page 58^, we 

 mentioned the fact that Mr. C. H. Bo- 

 cock, of Newmarket, England, who had 

 been investigating the Isle of Wight disease 

 for the Board of Agriculture < f Great 

 Britain, had come to this country to dis- 

 cover whether we had the same or a similar 

 disease here. On the very morning that the 

 scare headlines concerning the bee plague 

 appeared in our daily papers Mr. Bocock 

 arrived in Medina. At the earnest solicita- 

 tion of Dr. E. F. Phillii^s we drove with 

 Mr. Bocock over to Weston, Ohio, where 

 we met by appointment not only Dr. Phil- 

 lips, but Bee Inspector N. E. S!.aw, of 

 Ohio. 



This Weston apiary is owned by one of 

 the assistant inspectors, Mr. A. C. Ames. 

 Unfortunately for the purpose of this in- 

 vestigation the disease had almost disap- 

 peared at the time of our visit. In fact, 

 it has been in the habit of coming and 

 going. Sometimes the disease will nearly 

 disajopear, and then return with all ils for- 

 mer virulence. Mr. Ames, altho situated in 

 n favorable locality, had estimated tl:at his 

 crop of lioney had been materially reduced 

 on. account of the heavy losses from his 

 hives. On some occasions a number of 

 dead and dying bees were scattered all over 

 the vicinity — so much so that the dead and 

 dying bees attracted the attention of many 

 people who were not beekeepers. "You can 

 imagine," said Mr. Ames, 'Hhat when other 

 people find dead and dying bees all over 

 the ground, within a short distance of the 

 apiary, the situation is soraeAvhat serious." 



Mr. Phillips and one of the bee-inspect- 

 ors reported finding a similar trouble at 

 several of the southern apiaries that he 

 had inspected. 



On arrival at the Ames apiary Ave re- 

 jiaii-ed to the beeyard. As already slated, 

 (he disease had all but disappeared; but 



