368 
FOUL BROOD 
ease will rarely reappear. If it should, a 
repetition of the treatment will be neces¬ 
sary. 
baring the Healthy Brood .—The old combs 
are now quickly removed. If several colo¬ 
nies are being treated at one time it may 
old combs. After the contaminated frames 
are taken to the honey-house the combs 
should be kept carefully covered, so that no 
bees can reach them until the wax can be 
rendered. This should not be delayed very 
long or the combs may be ruined by wax- 
moths. The slumgum 
or refuse remaining 
after the wax is re¬ 
moved should be 
burned. Contaminat¬ 
ed combs should not 
be put into a solar 
wax- extractor for 
fear of spreading the 
disease. The wax 
from contaminated 
combs may safely be 
used for the manu¬ 
facture of comb 
foundation. 
American foul brood: a, b, /, normal sealed cells; c, j, sunken cappings, showing perforations; g, 
sunken cappings not perforated; h. 1, m, n, q, r, larvae affected by disease; e. i, p, s, scales formed from 
dried-down larvae; d, o, pupae affected by disease. Three times natural size. (Original.) 
pay to stack several hive bodies contain¬ 
ing contaminated combs over a weak dis¬ 
eased colony to allow most of the healthy 
brood to emerge, thereby strengthening the 
weak colony. [Unless there is a heavy flow 
of honey at the time, the entrance to this 
colony should be contracted, for robbers 
would be apt to spread the disease/—Ed.] 
After 10 or 12 days this colony is treated 
in turn and all the combs rendered into wax. 
If only one or two colonies in a large apiary 
are bAng treated it will not pay to do this. 
Melting the Extracting Combs .—Since the 
extracting combs have not contained any of 
the diseased larvae, many beekeepers ask 
whether it is necessary that these be melted 
up, or whether it is safe to use 
them over other colonies. In 
some cases such combs may be 
used, as in colonies where there 
is only a little of the diseased 
material or where no honey has 
been coming to the hive since 
the disease was contracted. The 
saving of such combs, however, 
is extremely dangerous, and 
such a policy is not to be ad¬ 
vised. The beekeeper who takes 
all the precautions which it is 
possible to take is the one who 
most quickly and cheaply eradicates Ameri¬ 
can foul brood from his apiary. 
Saving the Wax .—Any but a very small 
apiary should have included in its equip¬ 
ment a wax-press for removing wax from 
Cleaning the Hive . — The hive which has 
contained the diseased colony should be 
thoroly cleaned of all wax and honey, and 
it is desirable that it be carefully disinfect¬ 
ed by burning out the inside with a com¬ 
mon gasoline blue-flame torch. If this piece 
of apparatus is not available several hive 
bodies may be piled together on a hive bot¬ 
tom and some gasoline or kerosene poured 
on the sides and on some straw or excelsior 
at the bottom. This is then ignited; and 
after burning for a few seconds a close- 
fitting hive cover is placed on top of the 
pile to extinguish the flames. The inside of 
the hive bodies should be charred to a light 
brown. The careful cleaning and disinfec¬ 
tion of frames always cost considerably 
more in labor than new frames would cost, 
but these .may also be carefully cleaned and 
used again. Frames m,ay be cleaned by 
boiling in water for about half an hour, but 
The ropiness of American foul brood. (Original.) 
