their brood combs every three to five years. This eliminates the 

 amount of drone brood and also pollen-clogged combs from the 

 brood chamber. Therefore any brood combs which are old are apt 

 to be so imperfect that it is not advisable to spend much time and 

 money in fitting them for re-use in the beehive. Consequently, only 

 combs which are really worth usins again in the brood chamber 

 should be treated. These combs must be free from honey and all 

 of the cells must be uncapped for perfect results. 



The process of treating combs consists of immersing them in a 

 tank containing the disinfecting material for a period of 48 hours. 

 After this time the combs are extracted in order to free them from 

 the disinfecting material. Then these combs are aired for a short 

 period after which they may be used again in the hives. The real 

 service of the disinfecting materials comes in treating super or ex- 

 tracting combs. These combs are usually very good and are well 

 worth saving. Extracting combs may be treated and after short 

 airing used again for the storage of surplus honey. 



Having disposed of the frames and their contents, attention should 

 be given next to disinfecting the bottom board, hive body, inner 

 cover and outer cover. A highly satisfactory method is to immerse 

 this equipment in a tank of boiling lye water. This not only kills 

 the disease spores but it cleans the equipment of wax and propalis. 

 The process requires but a relatively short time. After the ma- 

 terial is taken out of the lye solution, it should be rinsed quickly witn 

 cold water and then stacked so as to air slowly. The lye solutio.T 

 is made at the rate of one can of lye to ten gallons of water. The 

 hives can be painted again and are practically as good as new 

 equipment in the yard. Other methods of disinfecting this equip- 

 menet are not advised. 



EUROPEAN FOULBROOD 



Origin and History: European foulbrood has been known to bee- 

 keepers for a long time. In the early development of beekeeping 

 there was apparently only one foulbrood d:sease and consequently 

 when the disease was introduced in this country it was known as 

 European foulbrood. Only in the last 20 years has European foul- 

 brood been differentiated from American foulbrood. There ha.T been 

 considerable confusion in regard to European foulbrood for under 

 certain conditions it may slightly resemble American foulbrood. 



Distribution: European foulbrood was very serious in the east at 

 the time American foulbrood was determined to be a distinct disease. 

 Since that time European foulbrood has been very devastating in 

 California apiaries. There probably is no definite territory in tho 

 United States which is free from disease. In Iowa, it occurs In 

 practically every section, but is decidedly more pronounced in some 

 areas than in others. It is worst where the black bee prevails and 

 it frequently occurs in those areas where there is usually a deficiency 

 of spring honeyflow. There may be out-breaks in unusual territory 

 in times of extremely adverse spring weather. 



Common Name: This disease is usually referred to as foulbrood 

 and the designating term "European" is not often used. It is some- 

 times called "melting" brood. These common names are not entirely 

 sufficient to distinguish it from American foulbrood. 



Transmission: European foulbrood is an infectious disease of the 

 bee larvae, caused by a germ called Bacillus pluton, and is vrans- 

 rnissable from one colony to another. The chief mode of trans- 

 mission seems to be thru robbing out a diseased colony. There is 



