DISEASES OF BEES 



25 



have criticized the artificial swarm method and have wanted to 

 burn the bees also. In answer to them we can point out that with 

 us the artificial swarm method has proved a complete success in 

 28 years of practice. It is not this method which is to blame for 

 the fact that we still have 3 cases of American foul brood per 

 thousand colonies, but human imperfection, which again and again 

 prevents the clear regulations for complete inspection, and eradica- 

 tion being correctly carried out.* 



The curve which shows the occurrence of European foul brood 

 since 1908 runs in quite another way. This disease was formerly 

 scarcely known in German-speaking Switzerland. But during 

 the last few years it has begun to increase seriously, and is now 

 already more than twice as prevalent as American foul brood. This 

 increase of European foul brood during the period in which we have 

 successfully treated American foul brood was very painful for us, 

 and we had to conclude that our methods of fighting European foul 

 brood were inadequate. What were our control methods and our 

 ideas with respect to European foul brood ? 



g40 



Month. 

 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Jun. Jul. Aus. Sept. Oct. Not. Deo. 



1 1 1 1 



EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD 



FIGXJEE Z. 



* It IS easy to prove that the shaking mtthod, whtn carelully earned out, 

 is reallv effective, but whether it is too complicated for offi'-ia! use in every 

 country is a matter of controversy. We are of the opinion that this is really 

 a question of the education of the beekeepers. 



