January, 1921 



GLEANINOS IN BEE CULTtJRE 



with American foul brood alone finds the 

 problem of diagnosis comparatively simple 

 since in this disease the symptoms are fair- 

 ly constant. In the case of European foul 

 brood, however, diagnosis from appearance 

 only is more difficult since in this disease 

 there is a wide variation in the appearance 

 of the dead larvae or pupae. It sometimes 

 happens that experienced beekeepers who 

 have long dealt with American foul brood 

 and who have had no question as to their 

 ability to diagnose this trouble correctly, 

 will suddenly lose confidence in their ability 

 in this respect after coming in contact with 

 the varying symptoms of European foul 

 brood. Many beekeepers have decided that 

 there is no use trying to learn to distin- 

 guish between the two brood diseases since, 

 as they say, they are sometimes much alike 

 in appearance. Some have even contended 

 that there is a third disease which behaves 

 somewhat like European foul brood but re- 

 sembles American foul brood, while others 

 contend that there are two or three kinds 

 of European foul brood. 



The thing to remember is that the same 

 organism is responsible for the death of 

 the larvae or pupae in this disease even tho 

 there is a great difference in the appear- 

 ance after death- The truth is, however, the 

 beekeeper can learn to distinguish between 

 these two diseases with sufficient accuracy 

 for his needs in most eases, if he is willing 

 to make a careful study of the gross ap- 

 pearance and behavior of the two diseases. 

 This is a good time to study the descriptions 

 given in the bulletins on bee diseases from 

 the Bureau of Entomology at Washington, 

 D. C, as well as the various state publica- 

 tions and the text-books on beekeeping. 



Inspectors of apiaries especially should 

 be thoroughly familiar with the variations 

 in the gross appearance of European foul 

 brood as well as the finer distinctions be- 

 tween the two diseases in those cases in 

 which European foul brood resembles 

 American foul brood in appearance, for it 

 is of utmost importance in the ti-eatment to 

 know which of the brood diseases is pres- 

 ent. If the wrong treatment is given the 

 trouble is usually made worse than before, 

 and many expensive mistakes have been 

 made thru mistaken diagnosis both by bee- 

 keepers and inspectors. In all cases of doubt 

 a sample should be sent to the Bureau of En- 

 tomology at Washington for a laboratory 

 examination. 



SINCE OUR last issue the honey market in 



a jobbing way has not improved. There are 



two reasons for this: 



The Honey (1) Buyers' waiting to 



Market to see what is going to 



Situation. happen, (2) no export 



demand. While a little 



honey has gone to Europe, the amounts 



have been so small as to be practically neg- 

 ligible. 



In the meantime the sugar market con- 

 tinues to decline. When honey and sugar 

 were competitors a fall in sugar meant a 

 corresponding drop in honey; but that 

 is hardly true today. During the great war, 

 sugar could be had in only very limited 

 quantities, or not exceeding two pounds at 

 retail. Europe could get scarcely any. Hon- 

 ey and cane syrup, and especially honey, 

 then began to go to Europe in car lots to 

 take its place. Honey was bought and used 

 in place of sugar in a very large way all 

 over this country. While it is still used by 

 bakers, we must consider that honey now 

 stands on its own bottom to a very great 

 extent. No matter if granulated white sugar 

 does go down in price, we are not now to 

 expect that honey will, in consequence, fol- 

 low suit. Sugar, in car lots, can now be had 

 at one-third or even one-fourth of the for- 

 mer inflated price. Honey, on the contrary, 

 in car lots has dropped scarcely more than 

 a half from the prices that ruled during the 

 war. This is very encouraging in that it 

 goes to show that in a very large way honey 

 is not now acting in sympathy with sugar. 

 It has gone back to pre-war conditions in 

 that it holds a field of its own apart from 

 sugar. 



Still further, it is encouraging to note 

 that, in a retail way, extracted honey is al- 

 most if not entirely up to war prices now. 

 While it will probably not stay there, the 

 fact that it does hold its own so long and 

 so tenaciously when sugar at retail has 

 made a sharp decline, suggests the possibil- 

 ity that the jobbing price of honey may 

 come up. 



It is further encouraging to note that, 

 while there are a few large stocks of west- 

 ern honey available in car lots, honey east 

 of the Mississippi has been pretty well 

 used up. 



It is encouraging to note further that 

 comb honey, both in car lots and in a retail 

 way, is still holding even a higher price 

 than it did during the war. The beekeeper 

 who can produce comb honey, therefore, 

 should produce all he can for the next sea- 

 son. In saying this it should be understood 

 that not all honey is suitable for putting in 

 sections. For example, some southern honeys 

 are very much inclined to show ooze, or 

 look watery when held in the combs. But 

 there is no reason why clover of all kinds, 

 raspberry, alfalfa, sage, orange, and pure 

 gallberry should not be produced in the 

 form of comb honey; and the wise beekeep- 

 er who has the equipment and locality, in 

 view of the high prices that this kind of 

 honey is commanding, will put himself in 

 position where he can produce that which 

 will have a big market at high prices next 

 season. If he has not the equipment he should 

 lose no time in getting it, as it takes time 

 to get comb-honey supers all ready for the 

 hives. 



