THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. XV. No. II. 



FEBRUARY, 1909. 



FURTHER REPORT. ON A DISEASE OF BEES IN 

 THE ISLE OF WIGHT.* 



Walter Malden, M.A., M.D. 



Pathological Laboratory, Cambridge. 



History of the Disease. — The disease was apparently first 

 observed in the South-Eastern part of the Island, somewhere 

 in the neighbourhood of Wroxall, in the summer of 1904. 

 During the year 1906 it spread very rapidly, and in the 

 spring of 1907 was prevalent over nearly the whole of the 

 Island. At this time Mr. Imms visited the Island, and 

 ascertained that the disease had been or was present at 

 Bembridge, Blackwater, Bonchurch, Chillerton, Freshwater, 

 Great Whitcombe, Hampstead, Newport, Porchfield, Ryde, 

 Shanklin, Shalfleet, Sheat, St. Helen's, Thorley, Ventnor, 

 Wellow, Wroxall, Yafford, and Yarmouth. He especially 

 mentions that the disease had not been noticed at Cowes or 

 Norton. In regard to the losses sustained through the disease, 

 he observes that " In almost all the cases I have personally 

 investigated, the disease was found to be so prevalent as to 

 render it practically an impossibility to keep healthy stock 

 for twelve months." 



* A Report giving the result of an investigation by Mr. A. D. Imms, 

 B.A., M.Sc, of Christ's College, Cambridge, into the nature and cause 

 of a serious disease which prevailed among bees in the Isle of Wight 

 was published in this Journal, vol. xiv. No. 3, June, 1907. As Mr.. 

 Imms was unable to continue the investigation, the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries obtained the assistance of Dr. W. Maiden, of the 

 Pathological Laboratory, Cambridge, and Dr. Maiden has now 

 furnished the Board with a report on the further investigations which 

 have been made. 



3 F 



