1904 



THE ,\.]fERrCAN liEE-KEEPER 



27 



produces one grain formaldehyde. 

 First, it acts as formaldehyde, then as 

 formic acid into which it was trans- 

 formed by oxydation. C.H.20 (formal- 

 dehyde + 20 (oxygon )=C H20 formic 

 acid). Formaldehyde readily oxydizes 

 into formic acid in the air. It is not 

 imi)nssil)le that the escaping formic 

 acid, which is generated in the brood 

 cells, originates from formaldehyde. 



Is it not interesting to know that 

 science has found the way of Nature, 

 and that the antiseptics we now use 

 and which are acknowledged to be the 

 best are the same, which Nature has 

 forever used in the bee hive? We no 

 longer place all our hopes upon the ap- 

 plication of one remedy, but rather 

 upon the colony itself, upon the con- 

 ditions prevailing in the hives, upon 

 the conditions of the colon^, so that 

 it is able to produce the substance 

 which it needs for the prevention of the 

 evil, uiion the energetic spirit which 

 will make the bees throw out the dead 

 larvae and nymphs. 



The strength of the colony which has 

 to be treated must be talven into con- 

 sideration. When the disease is no- 

 ticed in a weak colony, I would not 

 try to cure it, but would unite it with 

 another one of the same condition, as 

 the value of time thus employed would 

 re])av the trouble. The sickness iiasses 

 through various stages, we may there- 

 fore make two divisions, calling the 

 one the first or harmless stage, and 

 when it is further advanced, the sec- 

 ond or dangerous stage. A strong col- 

 ony throws out the nymphs and larvae 

 when dead at once and cannot become 

 foul broody. 



If the colony suffers, however, under 

 the depression of unhealthy conditions 

 by not having enough supply of 

 healthy food or from exposure to the 

 cold, or from overlTeating, then we 

 notice dullness and laziness on the 

 part of the bees and they no longer 

 throw the dead larvae and nymphs out 

 of the cells. These suffering bees 

 may malce an attemjit to do so, or may 

 gnaw at the dead larvae and nymphs, 

 removing the cappings of the cells in 

 which they had died two days after 

 being capped. In such combs, we see 

 uncapped cells among the perfectly 

 capped brood, these uncapped cells 

 contain white and brownish nymphs 

 which had died two days after being 

 capped. This can be seen plainly on 



the pointed head. Such a colony, which 

 has uncapped foul brood cells, suffers 

 from the harmless stage. If the bees 

 notice the foul brood, they gnaw the 

 hirvae, nymphs and cappings, but can 

 not resolve to clean the cells. If, how- 

 ever, better weather and food sets in, 

 they often awake to new life; they 

 clean the cells and by so doing de- 

 stroy the harmless foul brood. The 

 same result may also be obtained by 

 artificial means. If such a colony, 

 where there is no flow of honey, be 

 daily supplied with prepared honey 

 pollen, at the same time placing a 

 piece of blotting paper, on which from 

 40 to 50 drops of Ajowan oil, rosemary 

 oil, melissen oil, or anis oil had been 

 poured, on the bottom board of the 

 hive you will be astonished at the 

 stimulating effect the oil will have 

 upon the colony, how it will bring out 

 new life and how the colony will re- 

 commence to clean up and cast out the 

 dead larvae and nymphs. It occurs 

 that a colony becomes affected with 

 the harmless foul brood and is again 

 cured without the owner noticing it. 



On longer duration of the disease it 

 becomes more and more contagious, 

 the number of dead larvae and nymphs 

 grow together with the depression of 

 the colony. The bees no longer un- 

 cap the cells, but leave the most un- 

 touched, they bite a small hole in 

 the capping and then the dead nymphs 

 begin to putrefy and transform into 

 the well known bad-smelling brood 

 mass. This is the dangerous stage of 

 foul brood. It now declines from step 

 to step. But even this dangerous stage 

 is not always so bad, but that the 

 colony may become re-encouraged if 

 fed for some time or treated with the 

 above mentioned remedy. There are 

 several cases known, that affected colo- 

 nies were cured by a honey flow. In 

 such cases in which the colony was 

 treated with stimulating food and 

 etheric oil. without the desired effects 

 having been obtained a better queen 

 mnst be substituted for the old one. 

 Disinfecting and changing the hives 

 is only necessary, when the malady 

 has developed to a high degree. 



Whosoever treats his colony careful- 

 ly and takes care that his colonies are 

 supplied with good and plentiful food, 

 fresh blood, good ventilation, and good 

 queens, will be safe from the bad or 

 dangerous stage of foul brood. If foul 



