mSEASES AND ENEMIES, W 



rninnte fnngns), bnt whether as a cause or result was not determinecl. 

 If a cause, how were the spores transmitted from hive to hive ? Dr. 

 Sohonfeld thus describes his experiment intended to set this matter at 

 rest ; " On a smooth-planed board I placed a beU glass, in the top of 

 which was a round hole, in this I fixed a glass tube two feet long, there 

 was also fixed a similar glass tube in the board. In the top of the upper- 

 most tube, was forced a plug of cotton wool, as also in the under end of 

 the bottom tube ; and the wool was not pressed tight, but so that the air 

 could circulate freely through both tubes. The foul brood substance 

 that I had received from Herr Locher, was now placed under the bell 

 glass on the 21st of June, and left to dry slowly. If then, tho assertion 

 that the spores escaped in the air when the substance was dry was 

 correct, it was only necessary for me now and then to place the apparatus 

 by the window in my study, and expose it to the full influence of the 

 sxmbeams, as, if the air ia the bell glass, by the power of the sun- 

 beams was warmed up to 40°, it must, by a well known physical law, 

 escape through the uppermost tube, while the cooler air from the floor of 

 the study must enter the bell glass through the bottom tube, and at the 

 same time it was quite as certain that therewithal the spores of the 

 fungus that were carried by the upward current of air, would be caught 

 in the wool above. " 



Our limits will not allow us to follow the doctor in extenso. Suffice 

 it to say that the microscope revealed abundance of Fungus micrococcus 

 in the top cotton plug, proving that the spores escape into tho 

 atmosphere from dry, foul-broody matter ; and since bees ventilate 

 their hives strongly, it became apparent that multitudes of spores must 

 leave in the out-blast of an infected hive. It now remained but to 

 show that the eoUeoted micrococcus spores were capable of diseasing and 

 kflling healthy larvje. In healthy stocks larvae, to which any portion of 

 this cotton saturated with spores was applied, became foul-broody, and 

 were found to contain the Fwngus micrccocci in immense numbers. To 

 make the case more conclusive, blowfly larvffi, whose changes, are 

 analogous to those of the bee (see page 5), were touched with the cotton, 

 and all died diseased similarly to foul-broody grubs, micrococci in 

 multitudes being found within them. We thus gather that it is the dried 

 matter which carries danger, and not the wet putrescent bodies. If a 

 remedy is to be found it must be capable of preventing the fungus growth. 

 Salyeylie acid seems such a substance, having the power of preventing 

 mildew, which is itself a minute fungus. Salycylio acid ia neither 

 poisonous nor corrosive, and may in solution (twenty-five grains to eight 

 ounces water), be distributed over combs, and even bees also, without 

 any damaging effect. Any portion of comb in which the disease has 

 shown itself should be out out and the combs throughout disinfected 

 with a spray producer, taking care that every cell receives some of the 



