CHAPTEE XIII. 



DISEASES. 



Bees, like animals, are subject to disease, but fortu- 

 nately for bee-keepers there is only one, foul brood, of 

 a serious nature and highly contagious. By careful 

 attention to the symptoms characteristic of bee diseases, 

 it is easy to detect their presence, and by applying 

 known remedies, cure the affected stocks. 



Occasionally it is said, " If bees have such a dreadful 

 disease that works such havoc, I will let the hobby 

 alone." Such faint-hearted persons may like to know 

 that in the midst of infected areas there are many 

 apiaries in which foul brood has never shown itself, 

 not because the germs of the disease are absent, for 

 that seems an impossibiUty, but because they have no 

 means of development, in consequence of the care and 

 attention the bee-keeper bestows on his apiary to ward 

 off an attack. Nearly every bee-keeper of note has 

 had his apiary affected with foul brood. The late 

 Eev. G. Eaynor once expressed the opinion that his 

 apiary had remained free from disease, while many 

 bad cases were known to exist around him, simply 



10 J4S 



