GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 1 



In the face of these facts I am at a loss 

 to understand Mr. Simnjins' remark, p. 1311, 

 ' ' when there is no brood in warm weather, 

 every spore must germinate, appears to be 

 fatal to the disease, there being no further 

 soil for carrying forward the reproductive 

 series of germs." 1. Science teaches us 

 that these spores do not germinate except in 

 a suitable medium; 2. That they can resist 

 high and low temperature, boiling and freez- 

 ing. True, the spores by lapse of time may 

 lose their vitality; but if after eight years 

 we had taken those ten combs and distribut- 

 ed them between ten stocks, what would 

 have been the result? 



If Mr. Simmins is correct, then his state- 

 ments can be confirmed by your State ento- 

 mologist, i. e., that spores must germinate 

 in warm weather without a medium. 



On page 1312 Mr. Simmins says: "When 

 the combs with old candied honey were open- 

 ed up for brood-rearing, the larvae rapidly 

 assumed the appearance of the foul pest." 

 The foregoing clearly proves that Bacillvs 

 alvei lay lurking in the honey, and did not 

 germinate in warm weather. 



An abundant harvest and plenty of pollen, 

 for we must not forget that pollen forms 

 the tissues of bee life, combined with a vig- 

 orous queen (not necessarily a new queen), 

 may apparently cure a stock; but while the 

 old brood-nest remains with its tainted stores 

 "bacillus is not dead but sleepeth," ready 

 to awake when the cupboard is going bare. 

 The last cells of honey being used, all pollen 

 reserves gone, then is the time for the spores 

 to break forth and assume the active bacilli. 

 The bees may use a thousand cells of healthy 

 stores; but as soon as the seal is broken and 

 the food given out from the one spore laden 

 cell, then will Bacillus alvei reign rampant 

 again. 



A CURE. 



We will assume that your stocks stand in 

 pairs, say two stocks on 4 ft. with 8 inches 

 between. 



1. When the bees are gathering nectar; 

 2. Take a clean hive, the frames fitted with 

 foundation; place it between the stands of 

 Nos. l^and^2; now'^takei Nos.^l land 2 to a 

 quiet part of the apiary, using as little 

 smoke^as^possible, so, that.the^bees';carry no 

 stores^f rom^the pld home; 3. Search for one 

 of j the queens; cage her, and take! her to 

 your new stock; 4. Unite Nos. 1 and 2; 

 5. Repeat I the operation^with'3 and,4, and 



Slace beside Nos. 1 and^2; 6. When brood is 

 atched, reduce the brood-nest to one story 

 of the still diseased stock. The queen is 

 usually found in one story only, usually, the 

 top, so that, when the eggs ^ that were in 

 the hives when'united have reached the im- 

 ago stage, the hive can be reduced 'to one 

 story, and 7 can be put in force; 7. Burn 

 the comb, bury the ashes; cleanse the hive; 

 8. Examine the new stocks for odd cells of 

 Bacillus alvei, and treat as directed above. 

 Your apiaryjs now half clear of disease, 

 and the process can be repeated till the 

 whole apiary is clear, with very little loss. 

 Long Caton, England. 



MR. HENRY SHAFFER. 

 The First Foul-brood Inspector of Ohio. 



BY HENRY REDDERT, SEC. 



Mr. Root:— I inclose a photograph of the 

 first bee- inspector appointed in Ohio, Mr. 

 H. Shaffer, a member and twice president of 

 the Southwestern Ohio and Hamilton Coun- 

 ty Bee-keepers' Association. He was ap- 

 pointed by the Board of Commissioners of 

 the county of Hamilton to serve for two 

 years, or until his successor is appointed. 

 Mr. Shaffer is a resident of Westwood, a 

 beautiful suburb of Cincinnati, at 2860 Har- 

 rison Ave. He was born north of Cheviot, 

 Ohio, also a suburb of Cincinnati, 49 years 

 ago. Twenty years he has kept bees. The 

 last five years he has bred queens of a fine 

 Italian strain in connection with the pro- 

 duction of honey. His father being a farm- 



HENRY SHAFFER. 



er, and his neighbors keeping bees in the 

 old-time box hives, young Shaffer natural- 

 ly took to bees. He now has an apiary of 

 90 colonies. As a man Mr. Shaffer is easi- 

 ly approached, honest to the core, and he 

 has a kind word for everybody. No better 

 man could have been selected for the in- 

 spection of apiaries. He was unanimously 

 chosen by the members of our society as 

 bee- inspector, and his name presented to 

 the County Commissioners by a petition of 

 85 bee-keepers— surely a token of good 

 faith placed in Mr. Shaffer as the proper 

 man for this work. One thing we regret is, 

 that the legislature did not make the special 



