8 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the time of capping, and most of the cells containing infected larva 

 are capped. As decay proceeds, these cappings become sunken 

 and perfora;ted, and, as the healthy brood emerges, the comb shows 

 the scattered cells containing larvffi which have died of disease, still 

 capped. The most noticeable characteristic of this infection is the 

 fact that when a small stick is inserted in a larva which has died of 

 the disease, and then slowly removed, the broken-down tissues adhere 

 to it and will often stretch out for several inches before breaking. 

 When the larva dries, it forms a dark brown color, which can best 

 be observed when the comb is held so that a bright light strikes the 

 lower side wall of the cell. Deca}-ing larvse which have died of 

 this disease have a very characteristic odor, which resemliles a poor 

 quality of glue. The disease seldom attacks drone or queen larva." 



European Foul Brood. 

 Dr. PhiUips describes this disease as follows ; — 



"This disease attacks larvse earlier than does American foul brood, 

 and a comparatively small percentage of the diseased brood is ever 

 capped. The diseased larvse which are capped over have sunken 

 and perforated cappings. The larvae when first attacked show a 

 small yellow spot on the body near the head and move uneasily in 

 the cell. When death occurs they turn yellow, then brown, and 

 finally almost black. Decaying larva which have died of this dis- 

 ease do not usually stretch out in a long thread when a small stick 

 is inserted and slowly removed. Occasionally there is a very slight 

 "ropiness," but this is never very marked. The thoroughly dried 

 larvffi form irregular scales, which are not strongly adherent to the 

 lower side wall of the cell. There is very little odor from decaying 

 larvae which have died from this disease, and when an odor is no- 

 ticeable it is not the "glue-pot" odor of the American foul brood, 

 but more nearly resembles that of soured dead brood. This disease 

 attacks drone and queen larvse very soon after the colony is infected. 

 It is as a rule much more infectious than American foul brood and 

 spreads more rapidly. On the other hand, it sometimes happens 



