DISEASES OF BEES. 271 



Thou the bnsy buzzing bee, 



To thy callow brood a prey ? 

 Warbler, thou a warbler seize? 



Winged, one with lovely wings? 

 Guest thyself, by Summer brought, 



Yellow guest whom Summer brings? 

 Wilt not quickly let it drop ? 



'T is not fair, indeed 't is wrong, 

 That the ceaseless warbler should 



Die by mouth of ceaseless song.'' 



MerivaWs Translation. 



I have not the space to speak at length of the other ene- 

 mies of the honied race : nor indeed is it at all necessary. If 

 the Apiarian only succeeds in keeping his stocks strong, 

 they will be their own best protectors, and if he does not 

 succeed in this, they would be of little value, even if they 

 had no enemies ever vigilant, to watch for their halting, 

 Nations which are both rich and feeble, invite attack, as 

 well as unfit themselves for vigorous resistance. Just so 

 with the commonwealth of bees. Unless amply guarded by 

 thousands ready to die in its defence, it is ever liable 

 to fall a prey to some one of its many enemies, which are 

 all agreed in this one opinion, at least, that stolen honey is 

 much more sweet than the slow accumulations of patient 

 industry. 



In the Chapters on Protection and Ventilation, I have 

 spoken of the fatal effects of dysentery. This disease can 

 always be prevented by proper caution on the part of the 

 bee-keeper. Let him be careful not to feed his bees, late in 

 the season, on liquid honey, (see Chapter on Feeding,) and 

 let him keep them in dry and thoroughly protected hives. If 

 his situation is at all damp, and there is danger that water 

 will -settle under his Protector, let him build it entirely abote 

 ground ; otherwise it may be as bad as a damp cellar, and 

 incomparably worse than nothing at all. 



There is one disease, called by the Germans, " foul 

 brood," of which I know nothing, by my own observation. 



