HOW TO KEEP BEES. 39 



whose hive becomes infested with the hxrvEe of these moths will be 

 found to be depleted in numbers through loss of the queen, disease, 

 or some unfavorable circumstance. The strong colonics will quickly 

 dislodge any they can reach. Weak colonies, howe\'er, seem dis- 

 couraged and give up the struggle against them' until ere long the 

 combs are reduced to a mass of webs and dirt. AYhen discovered in 

 this condition, scraping the hive clean and burning all the refuse is 

 all that can be done. The chief preventive to their inroads is to keep 

 the colonies strong, by having a vigorous queen in each one. 



Combs not in use should be stored in some dry room and inspected 

 occasionally. If the "wax worms" appear, the combs should be 

 fumigated with burning sulphur and returned to the room. 



DISEASES. 



There are two contagious diseases of bees now recognized, both 

 of which attack the brood or bees in the larval stage, and are known 

 respectively as American Foul Brood and European Foul Brood, the 

 latter being sometimes called Black Brood. The so-called Pickled 

 Brood is seldom met with and does not seem to be infectious. The 

 term "foul" as applied to brood disease was given on account of the 

 odor emanating from the dead brood. The larvas die in the cells and 

 turn brown or black. The colony becomes depicted in numbers 

 and unless treatment is prompt and thorough the disease will spread 

 through and destroy the whole apiary. 



In case of trouble or suspected disease, beekeepers are requested 

 to write to the Entomological Department, State Board of Agricul- 

 ture, State House, Providence, R. I., and the Apiary Inspector will 

 render such aid as may be necessary. 



