DISEASES OF BEES 37 



The next step was to ascertain the spore content of commercial 

 honeys. Samples of bottled honey were procured from shops and 

 groceries in the principal cities of the United States. Filtration and 

 microscopical examination of 212 samples showed the presence of 

 spores in 8 per cent., or 17 samples. These 17 samples were fed to 

 healthy colonies and positive American foul brood developed in 

 only one. Other series of samples have been examined since, with 

 similar results. It was found that the r61e of commercial honey in 

 the spread of American foul brood had been grossly exaggerated. 



During the course of this work Dr. Sturtevant also found that 

 the munber of spores in culture affected the time of germination. 

 With a large inoculum the germination period was normal, but with 

 progressively smaller doses it would be delayed as much as 30 days. 



Laws requiring the certification of honey still remain on the 

 statute books of certain States, but they are for the most part not 

 enforced. The day may come when the United States will be ready 

 to require honey certification as a clean-up measure, but we are 

 yet too far from the goal to use such a measure. 



The possibility that there may be strains of honey bees that show 

 some degree of resistance or immunity to American foul brood has 

 attracted many beekeepers. No doubt this is born of a great desire 

 to have a better weapon than chlorine, formaldehyde, or fire. 

 American foul brood is one of the most costly items with which 

 beekeepers in the United States have to contend. A beekeeper 

 operating an apiary in a locality where American foul brood exists, 

 scarcely dares to perform any colony manipulation without keeping 

 in mind the possiblity of finding the disease. Authentic cases have 

 been found in which colonies have cleaned up the disease, and in 

 the course of experimental work it is not uncommon to find colonies 

 that can be inoculated only with difficulty. There is also the 

 example of Italian bees being superior to black bees in ridding them- 

 selves of European foul brood. Consequently, there is some basis 

 for thinking, or hoping, that a disease-resistant strain may be 

 formd and perpetuated. The United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, in co-operation with several of the State agricultural 

 experiment stations, is outlining a series of experiments to delve 

 into the matter, and a number of outstanding specialists have been 

 enlisted to help with the work. Not the least of these will be geneti- 

 cists, since breeding will be one of the important features of the 

 investigation. Whether or not a resistant strain is found, or a strain 

 possessing physiological immunity or such characteristics as will 

 enable it to maintain itself free or partially free of the disease, 

 makes little difference. Even if such ends are not attained, much 

 good is bound to come from these experiments, as the complete 

 story of American foul brood is yet to be told. 



