Bee-heepirig in Victoria. 



81 



now been proclaimed a disease under the Bees Act 1910,* it is desir- 

 able that every owner of bees should be able to recognise this disease 

 when it appears in one or more of his hives. Ho will then be able 

 to deal with it before it has made any great headway. 



Unfortunately, there are still many bee-keepers who do not discover 

 the presence of this disease amongst their bees till the small number 

 of bees in several of the hives indicates that there is something wrong. 

 When hives have been affected sufficiently long to show marked decline 

 in the number of bees, the disease is likely to spread rapidly; the re- 

 maining bees are usually inactive, and do not defend their hives against 

 robber bees from strong healthy colonies, which in turn fall victims to 

 foul-brood. It is, therefore, important that vigilance should be exer- 

 cised whenever combs are handled, so that the disease may be dis- 

 covered and treated when still in its first stage. 



Fig. 2. — Comb of Diseased Brood, Showing Flat, Sunken, and Perforated 



Cappings. 



When foul-brood is discovered, the affected hive should be at once 

 covered up again to prevent attracting robber bees from other hives; 

 and imless the colony is still strong in bees the entrance should be 

 contracted to from 1 to 3 inches in width, so that the diseased colony 

 may be better able to defend itself against robbers. The brood in the 

 other hives of the apiary should be carefully examined, taking care 

 not to attract robbers by leaving a hive open too long or performing 

 the examination at unsuitable times. If more cases are found, the 

 hives should be marked and treated at the first favorable opportunity. 



• Under the Bees Diseases Aet 1910 it is provitled that tlie Governor iii Council may by nrodamation 

 declare as dLease any pest, &o., for the purposes of the Act. In this respect Foul Brood Baalim alvet, 

 ifoodP J BaH'tmlarvl^ and Sour Brood Streptococcus apis have been so proclaimed. By the Act an 

 inspector is empowerecl to enter and inspect any premises where bees are kept and take such action as is 

 nSan- to "S the spread of disease by cleansing or disinfectinif or destroying such articles or 

 aimSes or bees hives, comb, or honey as are likely to spread disease ; and any owner neglecting to 

 Sri'iSut the rlfreotions of an inspector is liable to a penalty for an offence against the Act On and after 

 Jst January, 1913, any district may be proclaimed a district in which no bees shall be kept except in 

 certain prescribed hives. ' 



