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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Apr. i. 



examination being made. Of course such neglect breeds dan- 

 ger. Foul brood may run riot, as it frequently does, and so 

 the entire bee-industry of the regions become imperiled. Is 

 this right or just? Is not any bee-keeper rightly denom- 

 inated a nuisance who gives his bees no care or attention 

 except for a few days each season ? I know of apiaries rotten 

 with foul brood that were left with no care or examination all 

 last season— just the season for robbing and the spread of the 

 malady. One owner sent a person of no bee-knowledge or 

 experience to equalize stores in the autumn. Combs nearly 

 empty of honey were removed and set down outside the hive. 

 I examined some of these combs, and found them reeking with 

 foul brood. A most desirable reformation, then, in our Cali- 

 fornia apiculture, as I believe, is that those unqualified and 

 indifferent bee-keepers be weeded out of the brotherhood, and 

 that every apiary shall have a bee-master, as they call them 

 in Europe, who shall be constantly in communication with his 

 myriad of servants. Doubtless this is beyond the pale of 

 legislation, but I sincerely wish that we had some law, moral 

 or civil, that would require every apiarist to live at or near his 

 bee-yard, and that he should give to his bees such frequent 

 attention that freedom from disease would be insured, and the 

 apiary prevented from becoming a seed-bed for developing and 

 distributing fungoid maladies. Is it possible under the present 

 "Foul Brood Act" to effect something in this direction ? 



The "New Bee-Disease."— The malady which appeared 

 among us last season, which affects the brood certainly, and 

 the mature bees possibly, surely succumbs at once to feeding. 

 From my observation I was led to ascribe this disease to lack 

 of food. I thought it starvation. I found it only in colonies 

 with almost no honey. It disappeared at once, upon feeding. 

 I fed honey medicated in several ways, but found that honey 

 alone or sugar syrup were just as effective to banish the 

 malady. That bees with very little honey should neglect, 

 perforce, to properly feed the brood, so that the latter should 

 die from starvation, seems not improbable. That the imago 

 bees might die prematurely because they were insulBciently 

 fed, while in the inchoate state, is likewise a reasonable sup- 

 position. Enough food might be given them to develop 

 maturity, though not enough to insure health and strength. 

 We know that bees, when there is no nectar afield, work with 

 less of vigor. And so might it not be barely possible, in rare 

 cases, even though the bees had honey, they would feed so 

 sparingly and with such lack of courage and ambition, that 

 the same result would occur ? I saw no such case, but think 

 such an event might possibly occur, as the result of long- 

 enforced idleness in the hive. 



Unfortunately the editor of one of the bee-papers referred 

 to my article on the "new bee-disease" as pertaining to "bee- 

 paralysis." And so, many writers have attempted to set me 

 right. Of course, any intelligent reading of my first article 

 would have set these writers riqht. " Bee-paralysis " shows 

 its terrors in the mortality of the old bees. This new bee- 

 disease is most apparent, if not exclusively manifest, in the 

 larvas or brood. In some few hives which I observed, there 

 were also numerous dead bees in front of the entrance, such 

 as are observed in "bee-paralysis." I wondered then — I won- 

 der still — if these bees did not die of the effects of stinted 

 nourishment, while developing in the brood-cells. I feel very 

 certain that this " new bee-disease " is no menace to our future 

 prosperity as bee-keepers. Henceforth we will leave enough 

 honey in each hive, every Autumn, to bridge over seasons of 

 drought and no nectar secretion. If we are thus wise I have 

 no fear of a reappearance of the " new bee-disease." 



Honey Eucalyptus. — I was pleased in November and 

 December to find that the bees were collecting considerable 

 honey. This has gone on even to date. Upon examination, I 

 find that the source of this honey is Eucalyptus lontjifoVia. 

 This tree is much clearer than the common blue gum. Euca- 

 lyptus globulus ; is beautiful in foliage and form, and has a 

 smooth bark, and from its showy blossoms which last all 

 winter, is an exceedingly desirable tree for roadside planting. 

 Hut it is also a very fine honey-plant. I am sure that we may 

 all wisely urge the planting of this eucalyptus. It may well 

 become the "California linden." Aside from its quality as a 

 honey-tree, it is also one of the most desirable of the gum- 

 trees, because of its grace and beauty. 



I have also heard that another species of gum, which 

 blossoms in June and July, is a serious apecide. If any 

 present know ought of this species, I shall be glad to hear 

 from them. 



Poi>i,iNATioN. — As I have given already three addresses 

 on this important topic, all of which have been published, I 

 will give you only a brief summary of the results of the inves- 

 tigations. I proved by covering the blossoms with paper bags, 

 that Bartlett pears, Kelsey and another variety of plum, and 

 unknown variety of cherry are all entirely sterile to their own 



pollen, or pollen from the same variety although from another 

 tree ; that olives and lemons are only partially fruitful unless 

 cross-pollinated ; while to my surprise, navel oranges and royal 

 apricots were entirely responsive to self-pollination. Thus we 

 see that successful pomology must have the honey-bees. 

 Failure must attend the cultivation of many of our most 

 valued fruits, unless cross-pollination is secured. While other 

 insects than bees may aid in such cross-pollination, yet the 

 honey-bee is absolutely essential to the highest success, as it 

 alone can be counted on in every season and alway. If bees 

 are close at hand they are a sure dependence. The highest 

 success in pomology demands the mixing of varieties, and the 

 near presence of bees. How well is the eternal fitness of 

 things exemplified in the fact that this region is like the para- 

 dise of the bee-keeper and the pomologist. It is to be a great 

 center of honey-production, and will show one of the greatest 

 orchards of the world. And the beneficent work of reci- 

 procity will be demonstrated in that each of these important 

 industries is to confer a gracious blessing on the other. 



Bees and Fruit-Drying. — In my talks at the meetings 

 of fruit-growers, I always receive respectful attention, and no 

 one calls the conclusions in question. In most cases, however, 

 I am asked if there is no remedy for the evil of the attack of 

 bees upon drying fruit. I answer that if such bees were 

 exclusively from colonies owned by bee-keepers, the owners 

 could be requested to move them away, during the compara- 

 tively brief season of fruit-drying. For one, I should not 

 hesitate to do this without being asked. Peace and good-will 

 among neighbors is worth too much to be jeopardized, when so 

 little effort would remove the annoyance. But so many 

 unowned bees find homes in the walls of buildings, that very 

 lil<ely such action would not greatly mitigate the disturbance. 

 Can we then suggest covers for the fruit-trays, that will secure 

 against attack and all annoyance? If, as some assert, cheap 

 covers of cheese-cloth will more than pay in hastening the 

 evaporation, then surely such covers should be provided. 



Legislation. — A year ago a committeeon Legislation was 

 appointed, but, like Othello, such committee was occupation- 

 less, as there has been no legislature in session, and congress 

 has been utterly oblivious to such needs of the people. The 

 legislature is now in session, and action is opportune. The 

 spirit of reform which seems alive in the legislature, and 

 which we may all devoutly hope is not all talk, casts doubt 

 on our ability to secure any appropriation. Indeed, I am not 

 sure that we are wise in requesting any such action. 



Every bee-keeper should take the American Bee Journal^ 

 our only weekly publication. And all that is valuable in our 

 proceedings should appear in its columns. This adds to the 

 value of the Bee Journal, saves expense, and gives us a large 

 audience. What other need have we for public money ? Are 

 not taxes already quite too high? Should we do ought to 

 increase burdens of the great public? 



Act To Prevent Adulteration. — But we do need a 

 good, strong adulteration law. This will cost no money, is 

 needed by other industries, and is loudly called for by the 

 public health. This law should be of easy enforcement, and 

 should make it a very grievous offense to sell any article for 

 what it is not correctly labeled. Butter should mean butter, 

 maple syrup nothing else, and honey should be the product of 

 the bees. It is not only right for us to ask for such an act, 

 but all the people should unite in demanding it, and then see 

 that it is enforced. What action shall we take to secure legis- 

 lation that will banish this horrid work of fraud and deception 

 that is robbing us of both money and health ? 



The excellent prospect of a great honey harvest the com- 

 ing season, must bring to all of us joy and cheer. I hope that 

 this spirit may not only give tone to our meeting, but will 

 follow us all to our homes, and bless us exceedingly throughout 

 the entire year. 



Claremont, Calif, Jan. 20. A. J. Cook. 



The various points alluded to by Pres. Cook were then 

 discussed. The new bee-disease, so-called, Mr. Levering 

 thought was not due to starvation— it was something in the 

 nature of la grippe, not local, but general in its effects. 



Upon the subject of bees and fruit-drying, Mr. Mendleson 

 said that he had paid $125 damages in one case, and $10 in 

 another, where his bees destroyed drying fruit. 



The question as to who should move, the bee-keeper or the 

 fruit man, Mr. Touchton thought, inasmuch as the fruit- 

 producer was indebted to the bee for his fruit crop that he 

 ought to move. 



In relation to city ordinances referred to, Mr. Woodbury 

 said that ordinances against producers selling their own fruits, 

 honey, etc., are unconstitutional, and cannot be enforced. 



