74 
MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS OX APICULTURE. 
ing 1903 
$4, 741 
1904 
. . .- 2, 220 
1905 
1, 725 
Total 
110.491 
The apathy of bee keepers, as a class, to these scourges is re- 
markable, in view of the fact that information is available which 
should point out the dangers now incurred by inadequate efforts 
toward the control of these pests, or in most cases by no effort at all. 
As an example of the annual loss from this source, the following 
figures, furnished the author by Mr. Charles Stewart, one of the 
State inspectors, from the statistics of the New York department of 
agriculture, are of value. These figures are based on the actual 
number of colonies suffering from European foul brood which were 
destroyed or ordered destroyed by the inspectors of apiaries and do 
not represent the decreased returns from colonies not treated or 
from those affected with disease and treated. This epidemic started 
about 1897. The decrease in annual loss will be discussed later. 
Previous to 1899 S39, 383 
During 1899 25, 420 
1900...... '.. 20,289 
1901 10,853 
1902 5,860 
In the majority of cases it is absolutely impossible to estimate the 
losses, because so little is known of the actual territory covered; but 
if a loss of .825,000 is possible in a few counties in one State and 
there are many areas much larger where disease is equally epidemic, 
the loss may well be estimated at $2,000,000 annually. 
The figures of the epidemic in Xew York offer an excellent example 
of what may be done in eradicating a contagious disease. Unfor- 
tunately that State had no means for taking up an extermination of 
European foul brood as soon as it appeared, but steps were taken to 
begin inspection as soon as such an innovation could be introduced. 
By hard work on the part of four competent inspectors the annual 
loss was rapidly reduced. The same results may be obtained any- 
where by the employment of competent men to do the work, so that 
from a rapidly spreading epidemic, threatening the bee industry, the 
situation is changed until the disease becomes not so much a scourge 
as an inconvenience. In the case in question there can be no doubt 
that the annual loss would soon have reached 850,000 or that the 
industry would have been practically destroyed had no State aid 
been given just when it was. 
Not only is inspection of value in a case of this kind, but it is of 
inestimable value in making possible the stopping of an epidemic 
in its early stages. To continue with Xew Y^ork as an example, the 
same disease, European foid brood, has since broken out in three 
other localities, but the force of inspectors went to work at once and 
there is little danger of serious trouble. It is safe to say that the 
value of inspection in this State is nearly equal to the annual value 
