OR, MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 481 



wisest exercise of judgment, is all important. A wee blunder, 

 or little carelessness, may spread the evil rather than effect a 

 cure. 



From this remedy it would seem certain that the germs are 

 in the honey. 



It should be remembered that it is easy to scatter these 

 fatal germs, and whatever cure is adopted, too great care can 

 not be exercised. Mr. R. I/. Taylor tells me that after an 

 experience of two years he does not greatly fear this malady. 

 He finds it easy, by means of the fasting cure, and free use of 

 carbolic acid, to hold it in check or to cure it. Yet he admits 

 that without much care and judgment it might work fearful 

 havoc. 



(I have found that a paste made of gum tragacanth and 

 water is very superior, and I much prefer it for either general 

 or special use to gum arabic. Yet it soon sours — which means 

 that it is nourishing these fungoid plants— and thus becomes 

 disagreeable. I have found that a very little salicylic acid 

 will render it sterile, and thus preserve it indefinitely.) 



BBH-PARALYSIS. 



This is a common malady, more serious, it is claimed, in 



the warmer parts of the country. The bees become black, 



show a curious trembling motion, and are often dragged from 



the hive. Often so many die that the colony is seriously 



depleted. Change of queen is often a cure. Spraying with 



salt water has been thought to be of service. I believe this to 



be a fungoid disease, and, if so, feeding the medicated syrup 



(page 479) will be a wise practice. I have often seen this 



trouble in my apiary, but it always disappeared with no serious 



harm. 



NEW BEE-DISEASE. 



In California and some other sections, the brood dies with- 

 out losing its form. We use the pin-head, and we draw forth 

 a larva much discolored, often black, but not at all like the 

 salvy mass that we see in foul brood. This is doubtless a 

 germ disease, which I have greatly mitigated by simply feed- 

 ing. I believe with this and the similar, if not identical black 

 brood, and all kindred maladies, we should feed freely with 



