NOSEMA-DISEASE. 13 



POOD. 



As'is pointed out under the heading "Climate," Nosema-disease 

 occurs in a wide range of localities. The food and water obtained in 

 these localities naturally differ as to quality and quantity. Infection 

 is found in celonies having an abundance of stores and in others 

 having a scarcity. The disease is produced readily by exiperimental 

 inoculations in colonies with muci and in colonies with little stores. 

 From these observations the conclusion seems to be justified that 

 the r61e played by food in the causation of Nosema-disease is slight, if 

 indeed it contributes at all appreciably to it. 



A THREE-YEAR STUDY OF NOSEMA INFECTION IN AN APIARY. 



The presence of Nosema infection among bees in the apiary of the 

 Bureau of Entomology was discovered in May, 1910 (White, 1914) 

 In April, 1912, a more or less systematic study was begun on the prev- 

 alence and persistence of the infection in the apiary and was con- 

 tinued until June, 1915, As the apiary was being used for other 

 purposes than these studies, it was not possible to follow all of the 

 colonies throughout this entire period. In Table II are summarized 

 observations made during the first year of the study. 



