34 DISEASES OF BEES 



mixtures were satisfactory, pure formaldehyde in vapour form 

 would be better. Large metal-lined fiunigating rooms holding 

 thousands of combs were constructed. To do a thorough job some 

 beekeepers shook not only diseased but healthy colonies and 

 subjected all combs to the gas ; they thus started again the following 

 year with all their equipment thoroughly sterilized. Package bees 

 from the South were placed on this clean equipment. However, 

 these beekeepers failed to take into account the poisonous nature 

 of formaldehyde, and the fact that, when combs containing films 

 of honey are exposed to formaldehyde gas the honey absorbs it in 

 lethal amounts. Even though well-aired combs may give no odour 

 of formaldehyde, the honey continues to hold the bitter chemical. 

 Naturally, bees placed on such combs died, and many losses were 

 incurred through the use of formaldehyde vapour. In using the 

 water-formalin solution this trouble was not encountered, since the 

 water in the solution usually dissolved any remaining honey. 



The next solution to be advocated was chlorine. This chemical 

 was allowed to bubble through tanks of water in which combs were 

 immersed. Although chlorine can be had only in metal cylinders 

 and is an extremely dangerous gas to handle, nevertheless beekeepers 

 tried it and successes were reported with this, as with all other 

 solutions and methods that have been mentioned. 



The use of disinfectants, however, met with indifferent success 

 in the hands of beekeepers, for it failed to check the disease to the 

 satisfaction of State officials from the standpoint of using public 

 funds in the most efficient manner. It merely gave them an added 

 reason for resorting to the burning of infected colonies. 



When burning was first advocated, the bee journals were full of 

 articles pro and con, mostly con. It was pictured as a wanton, 

 unethical method of dealing with the disease ; the shaking treat- 

 ment had been used for years and was as good as when first ad- 

 vocated. Nevertheless, some of the braver State apiary officials 

 felt that nothing less than burning should be employed. To enter 

 a person's premises and destroy his property by fire, however, 

 was another matter, and in many cases, instead of the kindly 

 welcome of a beekeeper, the inspectors found themselves face to 

 face with an armed antagonist. 



The State of California finally won support of enough beekeepers 

 to amend its statute in such a manner as to specify that all diseased 

 colonies should be burned. The matter was carried to the courts, 

 and after a bitter struggle the practice was upheld as being constitu- 

 tional. 



The burning treatment usually consists in killing the bees with 

 cyanide and burning all bees, combs, frames and honey in a pit at 

 least 18 inches deep. This pit is afterwards filled in, and the hive, 

 including the bottom board, brood chambers, supers and inner and 

 outer covers, is sterilized by thoroughly scraping and washing with 

 lye or strong soap or by scorching with a gasoline torch. 



