THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



181 



Some Seasonable Suggestions from a State Inspector 



of Apiaries 



By FRANK ERIC MILLEN B. Sc.A. East Lansing, Mi(;higan 



There is probably more foul-brood 

 spread in the spring than all 

 through the rest of the year. 



In most instances bee-keepers 

 themselves are to blame for this 

 state of affaiis and the remedy is 

 in their own hands. 



Few bee-keepers, if questioned 

 would admit that they wanted foul- 

 brood, yet once it occurs they do 

 not take effective steps to rid 

 themselves of it. 



Why not make a little effoit this 

 spring to prevent foul-brood, either 

 American or European, makirg any 

 further inroads on the profits ef 

 your apiary? 



Have you a bulletin on the dis- 

 eases of bees, so that you are able 

 to recognize any brood that is not 

 healthy? You can procure one from 

 the department cf agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C. or from your 

 state agricultural college. E/ery 

 bee-keeper should net only havr 

 one of these bulletins, but should 

 be able to diagnose unhealthy con- 

 ditions in the apiary. In this way 

 you may prevent the disease from 

 becoming epidemic. 



It is not fair to your neighbors 

 to keep bees unless you are willing 

 to do all in your power to keep 

 those bees free from disease. If 

 they are worth keeping at all they 

 are v/orth keeping well. 



How many books, relating to bee 

 culture, are there in your library, 

 and how many bee journals are 

 you subscribing to? One article in 

 one journal may, and in nearly 

 every case there are many such 

 articles, pay the subscriptlcn many 

 times. Get some of the other man's 

 ideas, it will be a good investment. 



In my inspection work I have 

 often seen similar conditions in 

 different yards where foul-brocd has 

 done serious damage. 



One thing noticeable is that th^ 

 hives are so close together that it 

 'is next to impossible to keep the 

 bees from mixing very considerably 

 and when these come from a dis- 

 eased colony they are very liai 



to spread the infection. Robbing 

 will also be more apt to break out 

 and once commenced may spread 

 foul-brocd throughout the yard. 



Tiien I also find a nmuber of 

 hives containing combs but no bees. 

 The bees died during the winter 

 or early spring and the bee-keeper 

 was TOO BUSY? or too negligent 

 to remove those hives to a safe 

 place; consequently ether bees had 

 robbed out all the honey and seri- 

 ously spread any disease that may 

 have been present. 



It is cases like these that nullify 

 the work of the bee inspector and 

 while such apiarists exist, the in- 

 spector may work day and night, 

 but fcul-brccd will still prevail 

 and be a source of trouble to tiie 

 more careful bee-keeper 



If every apiarist would make a 

 special eifcit this season to see 

 that he, at least, would not be the 

 cause cf spreading more disease 

 among the bees, the outlook would 

 be more promising. If you will be 

 observant and avoid the dangers I 

 have referred to you will be help- 

 ing us and yourself as well. 



Remove all those dead colonies 

 NOW and reduce the entrances of 

 the weak ones so that they can 

 guard their homes better. Then 

 give each colony a little more space, 

 don't attempt to place a dozen 

 colonies where there is only room 

 for three or four. You will find 

 your bees nicer to work with and 

 there is less risk of disease when 

 you keep your colonies some dis- 

 tance apart. 



There is no disgrace in finding 

 foul-brocd in your yard, but the 

 same cannot be said if you make 

 no attempt to rid yourself of it. 



All Michigan bee-keepers should 

 remember v/here to write for in- 

 formation concerning bee diseases. 

 Wft are now preparing our work for 

 thf -summer and if you suspect foul- 

 brood in your locality write to the 

 State Inspector cf Apiaries, Depart- 

 ment of Entomology. East Lansing, 

 Mich . 



