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Bee paralysis is not a common disease in cool climates, but there are a few reports 

 of its occurrence in the Province. The sick bees look black and greasy, and have a very 

 swollen abdomen. They generallj^ stagger around as if paralysed. The disease is 

 supposed to be constitutional, so the usual remedy is to destroy the old queen and 

 introduce another from a healthy stock. 



Spring dwindling is a term that may cover a multitude of troubles. There is 

 undoubtedly a germ disease affecting the intestines that sometimes develops in the 

 spring months, but not much is definitely known about it. Dwindling may, however, 

 be due to lack of bees — that is, not a sufficient number to keep the hive warm enough 

 for brood-raising, or from want of stores — either honey or pollen. 



Brood Diseases. 



The diseases that attack the larvse are American foul brood, European foul brood, 

 and pickled brood. Both of the forma of foul brood are very deadly, and once they 

 get a foothold in a district they will, if unchecked, wipe out every colony. The bees 

 themselves are unable to cope with them ; hence it is utterly futile for a bee-keeper to 

 conceal the fact that there is something wrong with his bees, in the hope that the 

 trouble may disappear. If left alone, a slight case of infection, once it gets headway, 

 will spread, not only over every colony in that apiary, but in the district. Tlie writer 

 cannot speak too strongly on this subject, especially since at the time of writing, the 

 Province is probably free of these diseases. But continued immunity will be got by 

 vigilance only, for in the older settled regions of the Dominion and in some parts to 

 the south of us a fierce fight is being carried on with foul brood. This Province is free 

 because it is young. To keep it free, the introduction of contagion must be prevented 

 as far as possible. Every bee-keeper can help by following two simple rviles : First, 

 not to bring into the Province any hives of bees, empty hives, or used appliances of 

 any kind ; second, never to feed honey to his bees unless he knows for certain that 

 it was produced in an apiary free of disease. The germs of foul brood are present in 

 the combs and honey, so that the reasons of the above recommendations are very 

 apparent. Furthermore, at the slightest hint of diseased larvae being found in his own 

 hives or those of another, every bee-keeper is earnestly urged to at once notify the 

 Department of Agriculture, so that steps may be taken for its eradication. 



American Foul Brood. 



American foul brood has been so named because the germs that cause it were 

 first isolated on this continent. The symptoms of the disease are thus described by an 

 authority : — 



" Some of the brood fails to hatch. Cappings here and there are sunken and 

 perforated at the centre. On opening one of these cells there will be found a dead 

 larva lying on one side of the cell, somewhat shrunken, and of a brownish colour, 

 varying all the way from a light pale brown to a dark brown. In the more advanced 

 stages the brown is of the colour of a coffee-berry after being roasted. In the incipient 

 stages the brown is of the colour of the coffee we drink, when greatly diluted with 

 milk. But so far all these symptoms may be present as the result of chilled, over, 

 heated, or pickled brood. But to determine whether it is the real ropy foul brood, 

 run a toothpick into the dead larva and then draw it slowly out. If the maturated 

 mass adheres to the end of the pick like spittle, stretches out from one-half to one 

 inch, and finally the fine thread breaks when the pick is drawn back, it is probably a 

 case of foul brood. With all other forms of diseased brood, with perhaps the exception 

 of European foul brood, where the roping is never more than slight, this ropiness does 

 not appear ; but with foul brood it is invariably present. There is another symptom 



