18 



process of making, is snVjected to a temperature sufficiently high to kill any 

 spores that may be present. 



I may add that I fooad spores of B. alvei in two samples of wax sent 

 me by E. F. Holtermann of the Canadian Bee Journal, but both samples 

 were from hives which were very badly infected with the disease. 



In 1897, about ten pounds of wax was infected -with large numbers of 

 spores grown upon agar. The wax was cut up into small pieces, and heated 

 at a low temperature, only just sufficient to melt it; and as McKenzie (28) 

 had shown that the spores settled to the bottom, the wax was vigorously 

 stirred from the time the spores were added until it had set again. The wax, 

 thus infected, was sent to Holtermann for foundation-making. He manu- 

 factured it by the usual process of melting and gave the foundation made 

 from it to bees, and no foul briod developed in the colony supplied with it 

 during the years 1897 and 1898. The probability is that the spores are fixed 

 in the wax, and are thus unable to infect the bees. 



Healthy bees may pick up spores of B. alvei from flowers previously 

 visited by diseased bees; wasps, which are noted robbers, may also carry the 

 disease, and thus infect a locality. 



The very large traffic in bees and bee-keeping supplies where agriculture 

 is carried on, probably favors the spread of the disease. In fact, many 

 instances are cited in bee journals of infection carried from one locality to 

 another by the importation of bees and bee supplies. 



Persors manipalating diseased hives and then examining healthy ones may 

 be the means of spreading the disease. The practice of using a knife for 

 cutting out diseased comb and then using the same knife for work amongst 

 healthy comb (which I have seen done) is by no means wise, as the spores 

 may thus be transferred from diseased to healthy hives. Cowan (4) observes 

 that beekeepers who have not succeeded with their bees in consequence of 

 foul brood have been known to sell by auction hives in which the bees have 

 died. In such cases the purchasers are usually beginners who have no idea of 

 the danger they are incurring. 



Conditions favoring the spread of the Disease, Besides the weak or 

 badly nourished condition in which bees may be, and lack of other hygenic 

 conditions which favour the spread of this disease, great humidity in winter 

 is said to be favourable and probably great heat is also conducive. (45.) 



Predisposition of Varieties. No definite statements can be made as to 

 the predi^po8ition of various races to this disease. Qainby (49) says that 

 black bees are more subject to foul brood than Italians. Aspinall (51) also 

 affirms that common bees are more liable to the disease than Italians, but de 

 Layens (47) states that Italians are more easily infected than black bees. 

 (See also page 17.) 



Remedies. 



Three remedies have been tried : 



1. Stamping out. 



2. Starvation. 



3. Treatment by chemicals : (a) by feeding chemicals in food ; 



(b) by putting certain chemical substances into the hive 

 and allowing them to evaporate at the temperature of the 

 hive. This latter method may be regarded as rather preven- 

 titive than curative. 



