and its Economic Management. 135 
brood as well, while the original hive of combs was 
removed to some distance. The young bees in the 
latter were without a fertile queen for some three 
weeks, by which time they had one laying, from a 
queen cell given them. In the interval, honey coming in 
rapidly, the whole of the diseased matter was cleaned out 
by the young bees; and after the young queen started 
laying, everything continued so satisfactory, and perfectly 
clean, that another division of the stock was made in July. 
The first swarm continued to build up nicely, and no sign 
of disease was at any time evident. Turning a diseased 
stock into three strong and healthy colonies was certainly 
better than destruction. 
This is only one example of others that were treated in 
precisely the same way—making healthy increase instead 
of destroying the original ; but it must be borne in mind 
‘ that no bees were shaken from the combs, the whole hive 
was removed with as little disturbance as possible, the 
operations were carried out with stocks before they were 
allowed to become seriously depopulated; the time was 
favorable for swarming and rapid honey-gathering, and 
lastly, but almost more important than all, there remains 
the fact that the diseased combs were covered with none 
but young bees, and these being queenless for a period, 
cleaned out every vestige of the disease before the young 
queen again made up a brood nest. 
The reader should make a note of this last fact in big 
capital letters, for I have never known Italian or Carniolan 
bees (with a virgin queen) when fairly numerous, to refuse 
to clear out all evidence of disease during the active season 
of honey gathering. Nevertheless, our scientists are 
puzzled right here. Even though they be witnesses of 
the above facts, they will ‘still adhere to a theory of the 
indestructible nature of the foul brood spores. 
