THE INSPECTOR S PROCEDURE 



When foul-brood is found in an apiary, each colony is to be ex- 

 amined by the inspector and all diseased colonies marked, and the owner 

 or caretaker given instructions for curing the diseased bees and dis- 

 infecting all other beekeeping material that might spread the disease. 

 The Inspector is then authorized by the law to inspect the other apiaries 

 in the vicinity, to ascertain the extent to which the disease may be 

 spread. If the inspection work is thoroughly done, and a second inspec- 

 tion made ten days to two weeks after the first one, to see that all dis- 

 eased colonies have been treated, foul-brood may be reduced in percent- 

 age quite rapidly. Any diseased colonies or apiary appliunves from 

 which Sees may 6e rohMng infected honey should be burned or buried at 

 once by the inspector. The beekeeper u^ho is so careless as to allow the 

 robbing of diseased hives in his yard ipill hardly be careful enough, in 

 rendering diseased material, to prevent further spreading of the disease 

 when doing this work. 



beekeepers' aid to the inspector 



The work of the county inspector can be greatly aided by the bee- 

 keepers themselves through information, suggestions, and advice. If 

 the majority of the beekeepers are not supporters of the inspection work, 

 the results secured will be insignificant. The inspection work can be 

 aided in no better way than through the organization of county bee- 

 keepers' clubs or associations. County beekeepers' clubs are generally 

 organized for some or all of the following things: to secure the support 

 of the inspection work by the county commissioners; to offer advice and 

 suggestions to the inspector as to the prosecution of his work; to main- 

 tain a uniform price on honey; to club orders for bee supplies; to pro- 

 mote the educational and social interests of the members, etc. 



One feature that is especially helpful to the inspector is for each 

 member to furnish the inspector with the number and location of his 

 colonies, and the names and location of all his neighboring beekeepers, 

 in order that the inspector may have as complete a list as possible of all 

 the beekeepers in the county. 



FAIL AND WINTER INSPECTION OF BEES 



Spring and early summer is the season for the inspector to do the 

 bulk of his work. But cases arise when it is important to do some in- 

 spection at other seasons of the year. If, as often happens, the inspector 

 does not have time or opportunity to inspect all the bees in the spring 

 and early summer, a euperficial fall inspection of these apiaries will 

 give him an opportunity to find dead or dying diseased colonies, and to 

 destroy them before robbing has spread the disease farther. 



A colony affected with foul-brood in the fall is very likely to die 

 during the winter, and, if not attended to when found, will spread the 

 disease. 



A bee tent may prove of value to the inspector in doing some of the 

 necessary fall inspection, if the bees are inclined to rob. In small 

 apiaries, of not over a dozen hives, robbing will hardly be induced as 

 the inspection is soon done; but in larger apiaries a tent is a necessity 

 if the inspection has to be done. 



In winter inspection the hives should not be opened unless the day is 

 warm and the bees are flying. It is easy to find the diseased colonies 

 that would spread the disease, if there are any, without opening the 

 hives and disturbing the bees. 



