DISEASES OF BEES. 9I 



This has had the name of Bacillus minor given it. With this 

 disease many of the brood reach the stage of the perfect insect, 

 but die before emerging from their cells ; the larvae also dry up 

 in the cells instead of — as in the virulent form — remaining in 

 a semi-liquid condition. "Foul brood" is exceptionally conta- 

 gious ; it can be carried on the hands or clothes of the apiarist 

 from one hive to another. As soon as one stock in a apiary 

 becomes affected, it quickly travels from colony to colony, and, 

 if not checked, will destroy all. Many have been the methods 

 submitted for curing this disease, but none seem absolutely cer- 

 tain in their effect. By an antiseptic system of treatment the 

 disease has been checked but never cured without the destruction 

 of combs, eggs, larvae, and pupae ; this is almost tantamount to a 

 destruction of three-fourths of the colony. The bacillus in 

 what we may call its energetic stage is easily killed with a 

 minimum of danger to the bees, but unfortunately it has a knack 

 of changing into the spore stage — we will liken this to a hyberna- 

 ting condition — or vice versa. In the spore condition it is im- 

 possible to apply an antiseptic of sufficient strength to destroy it 

 without killing the bees ; therefore, when a colony is affected with 

 this disease, we must adopt drastic measures. The greatest 

 danger arises while the bacillus is in the spore condition, as, 

 according to scientists, the spores will float in the air and so enter 

 other hives, where, if they happen to alight on suitable media, 

 they will change into the energetic condition and commence 

 increasing enormously by division. Both in the energetic and in 

 the spore condition the bacilli can be carried upon the hands or 

 clothes, unless these have been thoroughly disinfected. The idea 

 of administering drugs to a colony, except as a precautionary 

 measure, must be given up. It is disappointing to have to give 

 this advice, yet the therapeutical researches of modern scientists 

 have not yet found a suitable medium which could be used by all 

 classes of operators alike. Although it seems at the present time 

 that the disease, from a bee-keeper's point of view, is incurable, yet 

 an attack need not necessitate the destruction of the hive appliances. 

 We find that neither the bacillus nor the spore can exist in a 

 temperature above 2i2deg. Fahr. ; therefore, if all hives and other 

 infected appliances are thoroughly boiled, so that this degree of 

 heat reaches every chink and cranny, perfect security from con- 

 tagion is insured. We have cured many colonies by what is 

 called the " starvation plan," but although you may cure nineteen 

 cases out of twenty by this method, yet the twentieth may not 

 be cured, and will again infect the other nineteen. We will, 

 however, describe this plan. First remove all the bees from 

 the diseased colony into a clean skep or box and fasten them in 

 with strainer-cloth tied over the mouth of same. This must be done 

 at a time when all other bees have ceased flying, and the 

 entrances to other hives near at hand must be secured, so that 



