A BRIEF SURVEY OF HAWAIIAN BEE KEEPING. 57 
found. In view of the fact that a brood disease would spread rapidly 
in that climate, the bee men may consider themselves extremely fortu- 
nate. 
Some time ago Air. D. L. Van Dine sent to the Bureau of Ento- 
mology a sample of brood which had died, and it was reported that 
there had been considerable loss on this account. There was no indi- 
cation of any infectious disease in the sample, and before another sam- 
ple could be obtained the trouble had disappeared. Of this trouble 
Mr. Van Dine wrote, under date of April 27, 1900 : 
About the 1st of January it began and appeared simultaneously in several of 
the apiaries of the — - Honey Company. In the majority of cases [of hives 
having this trouble] from one-half to three-fourths of the brood died when the 
larvae were nearly full grown or after transforming to the pupae. The sunken 
caps and black color resembled the descriptions of foul brood, but there was no 
odor or other symptoms. Many of the pupae showed signs of life after turning 
nearly black and some adults emerged before dying * * *. As a precaution the 
bees were fed medicated sirup, but I am of the opinion that the trouble is not an 
infectious disease, but due to improper food. When the algarroba, our principal 
honey tree, had ceased to flower the main source of pollen was gone, but the bees 
could still get an abundance of honey from the sugar cane. The bee bread was 
scanty, very dark in color, and rather hard. I have not been able to trace out 
where they got it. Probably from various weeds * * *. The algarroba is 
coming in flower again and it is a fact that the trouble is fast disappearing, 
and I am inclined to believe that it was due to the food conditions I men- 
tioned * * *. 
()n the island of Kauai the same trouble appeared at the same time as on this 
island and the conditions are exactly the same. On the island of Molokai the 
trouble did not occur and there they have no sugar cane and when the honey 
plants failed the queens ceased to lay and no outbreak of the disease occurred. 
Under date of June 5, 1906, he wrote: 
For a time after the bees began to bring in pollen in abundance the trouble 
seemed to disappear, but just now in certain colonies it is as serious as ever. 
This seems to contradict the idea that the trouble is due to food conditions. 
"While the author was on the islands only one case was seen which 
resembled what was described in 1906. This was in an apiary on the 
island of Kauai. The dead larvae in no way resembled those which 
die of American foul brood or European foul brood. There is no in- 
dication that the trouble is contagious, and the dead larvae resembled 
certain phases of what is generally called " pickle brood." 
The bee keepers are anxious that no disease be allowed to enter their 
territory, and at the request of the Hawaiian Bee Keepers' Associa- 
tion the author drew up a letter of recommendation which is here 
given : 
For the information of your association in formulating proposed regulations 
relative to the establishment of an effective quarantine against the various dis- 
eases of the bee, I take pleasure in presenting the following statements as my 
• -pinion concerning the questions involved. 
78013°— Bull. To— 11 5 
