1907 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



565 



June. My examination revealed a discourag- 

 ing state of affairs. Sixteen out of the eight- 

 een colonies were badly diseased. This rap- 

 id spread of the disease was undoubtedly due 

 to the fact that the bees had, early in the 

 spring, engaged in a general melee and over- 

 powered two diseased colonies. The two col- 

 onies remaining healthy were pure Italians— 

 the only pure stock in the apiary. One of 

 these, a red clover, remained healthy through- 

 out the season. The other, a golden, along 

 toward the-middle of June showed a very few 

 diseased cells, bvit later on entirely rid itself 

 of the disease, without treatment. The hon- 

 ey-flow throughout the summer was very 

 light; in fact, the bees did nothing more than 

 make a living up to the fall flow. 



The sixteen diseased colonies were doi;- 

 bled back to eight fair-sized ones, and all 

 queens were removed and killed except one, 

 as I wished to replace them by Italians, be- 

 ing now thoroughly convinced that the Ital- 

 ians were far more able to resist the disease 

 than the hybrids. The hybrid queen which 

 I kept was caged, to be used later as a test 

 case. 



I then followed the treatment as given in 

 Gleanings, cutting out all queen-cells at the 

 end of nine days, repeating the operation 

 two days later. I had previously made ar- 

 rangements to have a sufficient number of 

 young Italian queens sent to me when need- 

 ed. 



At the end of 25 days most of the colonies 

 had their brood-nests cleaned up as slick as 

 a pin. I say most of them, for such was not 

 the case with all. Right here it may be not- 

 ed that individuality plays an important 

 factor. Some colonies, which pi'eviously had 

 a very large amount of diseased brood, clean- 

 ed up their cells so that they shone like mir- 

 rors, while others, even stronger in numbers, 

 and with less disease, left a scattering of 

 capped-over diseased cells throughout the 

 brood-nest. However, with a little assistance 

 they were all apparently cleaned up at the 

 end of 30 days, young laying queens wei'e in- 

 troduced, and further developements anx- 

 iously awaited. 



Ten days after the queens began laying, the 

 brood was carefully examined. Those colo- 

 nies which had shown the greatest aptitude 

 for housecleaning now had as healthy a lot 

 of brood as one could wish to see. With 

 these the cure was complete. But those which 

 had shown some hesitancy in cleaning up 

 showed here and there a few diseased larvae. 



It was into one of the latter colonies that 

 the before-mentioned hybrid queen had been 

 introduced. But as soon as the young Ital- 

 ians became old enough to take charge of 

 affairs in the brood-nest, things took a differ- 

 ent turn. The third lot of brood was entire- 

 ly healthy, and I have not seen a sign of the 

 disease in any of the treated colonies since. 

 But not so with the hybx'id colony. The dis- 

 ease stayed, and was on the increase until 

 the treatment was repeated and a I'ed-clover 

 Italian queen substituted. The brood will 

 be carefully watched this coming summer to 

 see if the disease reappears, or if the colonies 



(now all pure Italians) will again contract it 

 from some outside source. 



It is a source of great comfort to bee-keep- 

 ers to know that this fell disease, which 

 seems to be advancing throughout the coun- 

 try with such rapid strides, can be dealt with 

 so effectively and economically; and the bee- 

 keeping fraternity surely should feel grate- 

 ful to the originator of this treatment, and 

 to Gleanings for placing it at their disposal. 



Crown Point, Ind. 



[The suggestion 'vade in the foregoing may 

 possibly explain why some have failed with 

 the Alexander plan of treating Europ -an 

 foul brood (black brood) and tnat is, three 

 weeks or even twenty-five days may not be 

 long enough for the colonies to polish up 

 their cells or otherwise disinfect them; and 

 it would seem that, in view of what our cor- 

 respondent says, it might be wise to keep 

 the colony queenless until such time as the 

 cells faii'ly glisten. It may be twenty-one 

 days or it may be a whole month. Then do 

 not forget the other important requisite, to 

 have pure Italian blood. 



We have received some reports favorable 

 and some unfavorable regarding this treat- 

 ment; and it is so simple to apply that pos- 

 sibly some of our subscribers, in sheer des- 

 peration, would be willing to grasp at a 

 straw. But we are frank to confess that, if 

 we had black brood in our yard, we would 

 follow the advice of the York State Inspect- 

 ors, to shake on foundation, a la McEvoy, 

 and then shake again. And we would go 

 further. We would dequeen and keep the 

 bees queenless for three weeks, thus com- 

 bining the McEvoy and the Alexander 

 treatments together. When supplying a new 

 queen we would put in young and vigorous 

 Italians, which we would rear at an out-yard 

 and thus be ready to supply all colonies un- 

 der treatment. — Ed.] 



HIVES. 



What Style is Best for a Farmer Bee-keeper ? 



BY B. W. FISHER. 



Dr. G. C. Miller: — I wish to ask many 

 questions, as I have purchased four very 

 large hives with lots of bees — yes, the largest 

 hives and most bees in them I have ever seen. 

 But I don't like the hives, as they are un- 

 handy, open at the side. I have nine hives 

 with bees in, eight-frame Dovetailed hives; but 

 I think they are too small, and require too 

 much attention. 



What hive would you recommend for a 

 farmer on the let-alone plan, or not that, but 

 one giving the best results with the least 

 manipulation? I see The A. I. Root Co. cat- 

 alogs a divisible-brood-chamber hive, which 

 in ten-frame size I think would suit me, if 

 there is no drawback to it. I don't know 

 any thing about it, so I come to you for your 

 advice and opinion. 



Then the Dad ants advocate a large hive 

 with deep frames. I don't think i should 



