DADANT SYSTEM OF BEEKEEPING 



109 



Fig. 57. Gas torch for singeing hives that have contained foulbrood 



apiaries. This mysterious disease, caused, according to Dr. White, 

 by a bacterium which he named "Bacillus pluton," attacks the 

 bee larva when it is small and still coiled in the cell. Some bee- 

 keepers say that it has a very disagreeable odor. We have never 

 detected much odor, perhaps because we never allowed it to 

 develop to a dangerous point. We found that the best remedy 

 for it is that given by Alexander years ago and tried with success 

 by Dr. C. C. Miller, removal or caging of the queen for from one 

 to three weeks, during which time the bees clean out the disease, 

 if the colony be strong enough. Weak colonies have to be united. 

 Italian queens have proven safer than black queens in producing 

 a progeny capable of coping with the disease. 



Here we must give extra warning to the beginner concerning 

 the possibility of "robbing" when there is foulbrood in the 



