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had slowly dropped out. We hear the farmers say that fifty years 

 ago "nearly every farm had some bees." People wonder why it is that 

 there are not more bees kept in certain sections. Why these obser- 

 vations? 



We believe that in a large measure disease is the answer. Uncon- 

 sciously to the bee keepers of the State, this great natural force has been 

 at work weeding out the bees of the country. It is high time that 

 every one who has bees should become thoroughly acquainted with the 

 now recognized diseases. Of these there are two which attack the 

 brood, and upon which the National Department of Agriculture is at 

 work. They are as follows : — 



American foul brood, which is most widespread in the United States, 

 and which is due to a micro-organism (plant) known as Bacillus larvce. 

 We quote the symptoms as given by Dr. E. F. Phillips (Circular No. 79, 

 United States Department of Agriculture) : — 



The adult bees of an infected colony are usually rather inactive, and do little 

 toward cleaning out infected material. When the larvse are first affected they 

 turn to a light chocolate color, and in the advanced stages of decay thej'^ become 

 darker, resembling roasted coffee in color. Usually the larvte are attacked at 

 about the time of capping, and most of the cells containing infected larvae are 

 capped. As decay proceeds these cappings become sunken and perforated, 

 and, as the healthy brood emerges, the comb shows the scattered cells containing 

 larvae which have died of disease, still capped. The most noticeable character- 

 istic of this infection is the fact that when a small stick is inserted in a larvae 

 which has died of the disease, and slowly removed, the broken-down tissues 

 adhere to it, and will often stretch out for several inches before breaking. When 

 the larvae dries it forms a tightly adhering scale of very dark brown color, which 

 can best be observed when the comb is held so that a bright light strikes the 

 lower side wall. Decaying larvse which have died of this disease have a very 

 characteristic odor wlaich resembles a poor quality of glue. This disease seldom 

 attacks drone or queen larvae. It appears to be much more Adrulent in the 

 western part of the United States than in the east. 



European foul brood, due to Bacillus alvei, .causes the most rapid loss 

 abroad, and is the type of disease heretofore generally described. 

 Again we would quote Dr. Phillips, from the same paper; — 



European foul brood (often called "black brood") is not nearly as widespread 

 in the United States as is American foul brood, but in certain parts of the 

 country it has caused enormous losses. It is steadily on the increase, and is 

 constantly being reported from new localities. It is therefore desirable that bee 

 keepers be on the watch for it. 



Adult bees in infected colonies are not very active, but do succeed in cleaning 

 out some of the dried scales. This disease attacks larvae earlier than does 

 American foul brood, and a comparatively small percentage of the diseased 

 brood is ever capped. The diseased larvae which are capped over have sunken 

 and perforated cappings. The larvae when first attacked show a small yellow 

 spot on the body near the head, and move uneasily in the cell. When death 

 occurs they turn yellow, then brown, and finally almost black. Decaying larvae 

 which have died of this disease do not usually stretch out in a long thread when 

 a small stick is inserted and slowly removed. Occasionally there is a very 

 slight "ropiness," but this is never very marked. The thoroughly dried larvae 

 form irregular scales, which are not stronglj"^ adherent to the lower side wall of 

 the cell. There is very little odor from decaj-ing larvae wliich have died from 

 this disease, and when an odor is noticeable it is not the "glue-pot" odor of the 

 American foul brood, but more nearly resembles that of soured dead brood. 

 This disease attacks drone and queen larv» very soon after the colony is infected. 

 It is as a rule much more infectious than American foul brood, and spreads more 

 rapidly. On the other hand, it sometimes happens that the disease will dis- 

 appear of its own accord, — a thing which the author never knew to occur in a 

 genuine case of American foul brood. European foul brood is most destructive 

 during the spring and early summer, often almost disappearing in late summer 

 and autumn. 



