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152 



THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



and they will draw out the foundation and store jjie^iseased 

 honey which they took with them from the old combs; on 

 the fourth evening remove the new combs made out of the 

 starters and give the bees full sheets of comb foundation and 

 feed plenty of sugar syrup each evening until every colony 

 is in first-class order. Make the syrup out of granulated 

 sugar, putting one pound of water to every pound of sugar, 

 and bring it to a boil. As previously stated, all the old comb 

 must be burned or made into wax and so must all new 

 combs made during the four days. No colony is cured of foul 

 brood by the use of any drug." 



A. I. Root, of Medina, Ohio, says : "The starvation plan 

 in connection with burning the combs and frames and boiling 

 the hives has worked the best in treating foul brood. It 

 never appeared after such treatment, though it did in some 

 cases where hives were honey-stained and not boiled, thus 

 confirming the theory or fact of spores." 



All the difference from the McEvoy treatment that I 

 practice is this : I dig a deep pit on level ground near the 

 diseased apiary, and after getting a fire in the pit such dis- 

 eased combs, frames, etc., as are to be burned are burned in 

 this pit in evening, and then the fresh earth from the pit 

 returned to cover all from sight. Often I use some kerosene 

 oil, a little at a time being poured on old brood-combs or those 

 having much honey in, as they are hard to burn. If diseased 

 combs with honey in are burned on the surface of the soil 

 there is great danger; the honey when heated a little will 

 run like water on the soil, and in the morning the robber- 

 bees will be busy taking home the diseased honey that was 

 not heated enough to kill germs of foul brood. 



I also cage the queen while the bees are on the five or 

 six strips of foundation. It helps to keep the colony from 

 desertiner the hive and going to other colonies. 



R. L. Taylor, IVIichigan University experimental apiary, 

 ■'reports : "The plaiwhat the colony be shaken out into another , 

 ■ hive after being allowed to build comb for four days, I have 

 proven in 100 cases to be unnecessary." 



In Wisconsin, I, too, have cured several cases by the one 

 transferring, when honey was not coming in very freely, but it is 

 better, and a great saving of time to both bees and owner, 

 to exchange in three or four days those foundation starters, 

 for full sheets of foundation. Diseased brood-combs, and 

 those with honey in, if melted in a sun or solar extractor, 

 the wax, honey or residue is not hot enough to kill germs of 

 foul brood. This I have proven by several experiments. 

 It must be boiled and well stirred while boiling to be safe. 



I do not believe in, or practice, burning any property, such 

 as hives, bees, beeswax or honey that can be safely treated 

 and saved. Many times it is poor economy to save all, and 

 as so many bee-keepers are not so situated as to keep all 

 diseased material from robber-bees while taking care of jt, 

 the best and only safe way is to burn the diseased combs and 

 frames. 





