116 
THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
As a preventive, apply on top of the 
frames, or in any vray by which the bees may 
get it. Also burn old dry bones to an ash, and 
pulverise. Mix up a gallon to each fifty 
colonies in the apiary, of the above mixture, ) 
adding enough sugar or honey to make it 
very sweet (say two or three times as much 
honey or sugar as would be a proper quantity 
for use in the atomiser.) Stir in a full half- 
pint of the powered bone ash. Place this 
gallon of mixture in, say, four shallow vessels 
— perhaps bread-pan feeders with floats on 
top — and stand these four in different parts 
of the apiary. You will be surprised at the 
rapidity with which the depleted colonies 
will recuperate and grow strong again. 
If you fear that the exposure of sweets in 
the apiary will induce robbing, the mixture 
can safely be fed the customary way on 
top of the frames in the hive. 
I would recommend that you give the entire 
apiary one application of the mixture pre- 
scribed for cure, as this treatment frequently 
prevents the presence of the disease where it 
was not before possible to detect it. 
The quantity prescribed for use by means 
of the large atomiser is sufficient to treat 
150 colonies. Not reckoning the sugar or 
honey used, the cost will not be more than 
fifteen cents. I have prescribed this treat- 
ment with entire satisfaction and uniform 
success for the past two years. 
I will mention the facts in two or three of 
the apiaries for which I have prescribed this 
treatment. 
1. Number of colonies in the apiary, 48; 
number apparently diseased, 13; number 
actually diseased, 28 ; disease so far progressed 
that the stench was very offensive in the 
yard ; bees crawling out of hives to die by 
tens of t housands ; effect of treatment apparent 
in one day ; a permanent cure in each case. 
2. Number of colonies, 60 ; serious cases, 
38 ; combs black and putrid ; a few had 
already been burned ; effect of treatment ap- 
parent at once ; a permanent cure in each case. 
3. Number of colonies, over 150; number 
of colonies diseased, 60 ; bees swarming out ; 
stench from hives nauseating ; combs black 
and rotten ; brood putrid ; whole apiary 
treated ; disease immediately arrested ; effect 
of treatment on affected colonies instan- 
taneous, even on apparently hopeless cases; 
every colony cured; disease eradicated, leaving 
no trace behind. Colonies soon all strong, 
healthy, and prosperous. For the purpose of 
further experiment, the combs of healthy and 
diseased colonies were exchanged ; combs 
from diseased colonies being given the healthy 
colonies, and the combs of healthy colonies 
placed in the diseased colonies. The treat- 
ment was applied to both alike. In every 
case the disease would immediately disappear, 
and in many cases the diseased colonies were 
soon more populous and prosperous than 
those which had had no disease and had been 
undisturbed. 
This treatment, which is simple, cheap, and 
easily and rapidly applied, seems to be effi- 
cacious in the most virulent forms of foul brood, 
and seemingly furnishes immunity from the 
dreaded scourge. 
N. W. McLain. 
Aurora, 111., 6th August, 1886. 
P.S. — The remedy for foul brood — the 
formula for making and applying, which I 
sent you, effectually eradicates the worst 
cases in about twelve days, without, the clean- 
ing of a hive or melting of a comb. I am 
glad to hear that you have no need for it in 
your apiary. The disease described in Glean- 
ings, as being in your apiary, is, I think, not 
foul brood. If you have any more trouble 
with it I can tell you what to do. 
N. \V. M. 
U.S. Apicultural Station, Aurora, 111., 
17th Aug. — Root’s Gleanings, Sept , U86 
Robbing. 
As the honey flow ceases, the danger of robbing 
comes on. The same cautions must be given 
as have been repeated year after year, to avoid 
giving bees any taste of food except in their 
own hives. If once they get it they will 
search about for further supplies. On no 
account put down broken combs, cuttings, &c , 
for the bees to clear out ; this is a fruitful 
source of robbing. Always give them behind 
the divider, or in some way so that the bees to 
which they are given alone have access to 
them. If feeding with syrup, be careful not 
to spill it about. Use a feeder which cannot 
be robbed. Reduce the entrances of weak 
hives with strips of perforated zinc. This is 
better than wood at this season when free 
ventilation is still required. Robbing is often 
started by late extracting. If an attack upon 
any hive has commenced, the plan of placing 
glass before the entrance will generally put a 
stop to the inroads of the raiders. A piece of 
glass of sufficient length and width to cover 
the entrance is provided, the lower edge of 
which rests upon the alighting board, one inch 
from the hive, and the upper edge on the front 
of the hive. This will enable the bees of the 
hive to go in and out at the sides of the glass, 
but the robbers, attacking, fly straight for the 
entrance and are suddenly checked anddaunted 
by coming into contact with the glass, and if 
the attacked colony be fairly strong, they will 
not allow them to enter at the sides. — 
British Bee Journal, Sept , 1886. 
