Remedies for Foul Brood, 407 



starvation method: The bees are drummed into an empty 

 hive, and given no food for three or four days, till they have 

 digested ail honey in their stomachs. They are then given 

 foundation and food, and the combs, honey and hive treated 

 as described above. It would seem that the spores are in the 

 honey — we know surely that they are in the chyle, though 

 Schonfeld finds that they are not in the blood of the bee — 

 and by taking that the contagion is administered to the 

 young bees. The honey may be purified from these noxious 

 germs by subjecting it to the boiling temperature, which 

 is generally, if not always, fatal to the spores of fungoid 

 life. By immersing the combs in a salicylic acid solution, 

 or sprinkling them with the same, they would be rendered 

 sterile, and could be used without much fear of spreading 

 contagion. It is better however, to melt them at once. 

 The disease is probably spread by robber bees visiting 

 affected hives, and carrying with them in the honey the 

 fatal germs. Mr. Doolittle, after some experience, agrees 

 with the lamented Quinby, that it is not necessary to cause 

 the bees to fast as described by Mr. Jones. They can at 

 once be hived safely on foundation. 



From this remedy it would seem that the germs are in 

 the honey, and not as Hilbert proved in the bees themselves. 



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. L. 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 salicylic 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 gen- 

 eral 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.) 



