49 



FOUL-BROOD. 



The most pernicious of bee-diseases is what we know as " foul-brood," 

 B germ disease of a very infectious nature, and only too familiar to the 

 majority of beekeepers. It is, without doubt, the greatest drawback to 

 successful bee-culture known at the present time, and seems to be pre- 

 valent in all countries where bee-culture is followed. 



HiSTOEICAL. 



Without delving deeply into the history of foul-brood, it may be men- 

 tioned that Aristotle mentions some bee-disorders in his works on husbandry, 

 and it is quite likely that he was familiar with this disease. Schirach seems 

 to have known it well, for in his " History of Bees " (1769) he gave it the 

 name of " foul-brood " (" Bacteria of the Apiary "). It has occupied the 

 attention of a number of investigators at difierent times, with the view 

 of discovering its cause and cure, but hitherto with comparatively small 

 results, though some headway has been made of late in checking and curing 

 it by careful treatment. It is quite possible that the disease was not so 

 troublesome in former times as now, as the facilities for its spreading were 

 few compared with what they have been during the last thirty years. The 

 trade in bees and queens that has accompanied the expansion of modern 

 bee-culture, and their consequent transportation from district to district 

 and from country to country, is accountable, no doubt, for the universal 

 extent of its ravages at the present time. 



Current Investigations. 



In addition to the bacteriological researches into bee-diseases that have 

 been going on in America for some time past, and of which a report, entitled 

 " The Bacteria of the Apiary," has been published, others of a like nature 

 have been conducted by Dr. Maassen, of the Imperial Biological Institute, 

 Dahlen, Prussia. An epitome of his report appeared in the British Bee 

 Journal for the 30th April and the 7th May, 1908. 



Both reports are interesting and valuable additions to the literature on 

 the subject, any difEerences of opinion that may exist as the result of these 

 separate investigations appear to be chiefly concerning the special organisms 

 found in foul-brood, and their actions at difierent stages.* 



At present we need not concern ourselves with this matter, it is sufficient 

 to describe the symptoms of the disease met mth throughout the Dominion, 

 and the remedy we have found to be the most efficacious. 



Foul-brood in New Zealand. 

 When or where it first made its appearance in this country is not known 

 ■so far as I am aware, but I do know that foul-brood was very prevalent 

 in some districts — notably in Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, and Poverty Bay — 



* A summary of Dr. Maassen's report will be found on another page. 



