56 



pick, a match or a sliver of wood sharpened to a point. The capping is 

 removed, when a dead larvae will be found in the cell. The tooth-pick is 

 pushed into the dead magot, then slowly withdrawn. If the decaying mass 

 adheres to the point of the wood and stretches out like melted glue, length- 

 ening anywhere from half an inch to several inches before it breaks, then 



FIG. 18. Showing- the ropiness of American Foul Brood. 



the probability is that American Foul Brood was the cause of death. This 

 is the form of the disease that is apt to reach this province first as it is 

 very prevalent on the Pacific Coast. 



The colour indications deserve consideration. When the larvae are first 

 affected they turn to a light chocolate colour, then as decay advances, they 

 become darker, resembling roasted coffee in colour. When the larvae 

 dries it forms a tightly adhering scale of very dark brown colour, which 

 can be best observed when the comb is held so that a bright light, say from 

 the direct rays of the sun, strikes the lower cell well. 



A hive affected by American Foul Brood has a very characteristic odour, 

 resembling a poor quality of glue. In the early stages it is not very pro- 

 nounced but grows strpnger as the disease spreads. 

 KritOPKAX FOUL HKOOI). 



European Foul Brood is most prevalent in the east, so our risk of in- 

 fection is from imported bees. It attacks the larvae earlier than does 

 American Foul Brood, hence only a small part of the diseased larvae are 

 ever capped. Those that are capped over have the sunken and perforated 

 appearance as in the case of the American form. 



When first affected the larvae show a small yellow spot on the body near 

 the head. After death they turn first yellow, then brown, finally almost 

 black. When the tooth-pick test is tried, the decaying matter very rarely 

 stretches out in a long thread. 



The dried bodies of larvae that have died from American Foul Brood 

 adhere firmly to the bottom of the cell, those whose death has been caused 

 by European Foul Brood do not adhere strongly. There is very little odour 

 from the decaying larvae, and it is not nearly so noticeable as the "glue- 

 pot" smell from American Foul Brood. 



European Foul Brood is much more infectious than the American type 

 and spreads more rapidly. 



TREAOSHEiXT OF FOUL BROOD. 



'Very careful experiments prove that drugs and chemicals, no matter how 

 applied, whether in food or for fumigating combs, have no effect upon the 

 germs that produce Foul Brood. 



With a condition of immunity such as British Columbia enjoys at present 

 the only wise thing is to stamp out the infection as soon as it secures a 

 ioothold. Up to the present time before any suspected hive has been 



