DISEASES ATSB EI^EMIES OF BEES. 31t 



they may discharge their faeces. The wise bee-keeper 

 will observe suitable precautions, and prevent the appear- 

 ance of this evil. 



EOUL BEOOD. 



During a large portion of Mr. Quinby's bee-keeping ex- 

 perience, the evil of foul brood held so decided a foothold 

 among the apiaries of American bee-keepers, that his time 

 and attention were, for many years, greatly engrossed by 

 its investigation. He was among the very first to become 

 familiar with its appearance, his first observations being 

 made as early as 1835. In the first editions of this work, 

 he gave a minute account of his investigations into the 

 cause or causes of the malady, and search for a prevent- 

 ive ; and, although he never satisfied himself as to the 

 cause, his persevering efforts in seeking remedies were re- 

 warded with admirable success. In later years, and par- 

 ticularly since the introduction of Italian stock into this 

 country, the disease has abated so materially as to be of 

 minor importance. Our last experience with it was in 

 1870, and its final disappearance was somewhat remark- 

 able, inasmuch as it seemed to vanish without any special 

 effort on our part for its extinction. Several stocks that 

 were somewhat infected, were marked to identify them, 

 and placed in winter quarters, with the design of breaking 

 them up in the spring ; but when removed from the cel- 

 lar all traces of the disease had vanished, and the stocks 

 remained healthy thereafter. I have seen but one case 

 of foul brood since, and that a mild one. 



INDICATIONS OF FOUL BEOOD. 



The cappings of the infected cells are somewhat sunken, 



with a small hole in the center. The disease only affects 



the immature brood before it reaches the chrysalis state. 



By an examination of the brood-cells it is easy to ascer- 



10 



