51 



as those in New Zealand, for congratulations have been recei\ed from Eng- 

 land, America, and AustraUa — Dr. E. F. Phillips said in one of his letters 

 after reading our Act, " I wish we had such an Act here." 



In carrying out the provisions of the Act every assistance and courtesy 

 has been received from the owners of apiaries, even from those where we 

 have been compelled to take extreme measures and destroy box hives and 

 their contents owing to their being badly diseased. There is a general 

 ]-eadiness to comply with the Act when the particulars are explained. 



Symptoms of Foul-brood. 



As I have already said, we need not at present concern ourselves about 

 the distinction of germs causing disease, so long as we know and can detect 

 the symptoms of the form of foul-brood we are troubled with, and these 

 generally support the statement of Dr. Phillips that we have the so-called 

 " American," or ropv, foul-brood. 



Healthy brood in the larva stage — that is, before it is sealed or capped — 

 presents a clear pearly whiteness, but when attacked, which is usually, as 

 Dr. Phillips remarks, ■ ' about the time of capping," changes to a light buff, 

 then to brow-n. It is, however, when the brood has been capped that the 

 novice is better able to detect the presence of disease. 



In the early stage of an attack a capped cell here and there appears 

 ■ somewhat different from the surrounding healthy brood. Instead of the 

 cappings or seals being bright, full, and of convex form, characteristic of 

 healthy brood, they are of a dull blackish-brown colour, and flat or sunken 

 (see Plate XVII), an indication that the cells contain dead pupse. The disease 

 rapidly spreads to surrounding cells and combs, if allowed to take its course, 

 till finally no brood can hatch, and the colony succumbs. On opening some 

 of the cells a thin glue-like coffee-coloured mass will be noticed, which on 

 the insertion of a splinter of wood adheres to the point, and can be drawn 

 rope-like for some little distance out of the cells. This is one of the most 

 distinctive features of foul-brood prevalent in New Zealand, and where 

 present is considered conclusive evidence of the disease. Later on this 

 glue-like substance dries up into the before-mentioned black scale-like body. 



Other symptoms are " pin-holes " and ragged perforations in the cap- 

 pings of the cells, clearly shown in Plate XVIII, and a very disagree- 

 able smell resembling that of heated glue or tainted meat, which may be 

 sometimes, though rarely, detected at some yards away from a badly infected 

 hive in close weather. The characteristic odour cannot easily be detected 

 in the earliest stages, even when an infected comb is placed close to the nose, 

 but some slight difference can be noticed between that and healthy comb at 

 . all times. 



Symptoms op " European " Foul-brood. 



It will be well to make known here the symptoms of this form of foul- 

 brood, as described by Dr. E. F. Phillips, in Circular No. 79, Bureau of 

 Entomolog}', Washington, D.C. 



Adult bees in infected colonies are not very active, but do succeed in 

 ■ cleaning out some of the dried scales. This disease attacks larvae earlier 



