A350, 
agreement is so involved and covers such a wide territory that its 
administration would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. In 
the consideration of the marketing agreement, the question arose as 
to the number of beekeepers and colonies in the State, and in check 
ing on the last census figures for bees and honey it was found that 
out of 85 beekeepers who were present only 14 had been covered by 
the census enumerators. 
New shipping cage not accepted by southern shippers.--The single- 
screen shipping cage for package bees which was submitted by the Bee 
Culture Laboratory to the Post Office De»,artment, referred to in the 
December 1943 Monthly Letter, was not acceptable to the shippers who 
were given an opportunity to examine it at the meeting of the Southern 
Conference in New Orleans, December 1l-l2, fhe principal objection 
being that it was too heavy and too costly to make. Since then, the 
shippers have submitted, through the Bee Culture Laboratory, another 
cage which the Post Office Department now has under consideration. 
Increased interest in honey grades.--Mention was made in a previ- 
ous issue of the Monthly Letter of a baker in Delaware who was using 
the United States Grades on retail packages of honey. Beekeepers 
generally have been slow to adopt the use of the U. S. grades and 
it is interesting to note that the Bee Culture Laboratory has already 
received a reaction from the use of the grades by this large packer. 
Several smaller packers, whose territories overlap that of the Dela— 
ware dealer, have inquired as to the procedure for using the U. S. 
honey grades. 
A nevsfilm strip, No. 171, "The Diagnosis of Bee Diseases in the 
Apiary," by C. E. Burnside, is now available for distribution by the 
Extension Service. It contains 50 illustrations and is accompanicd 
by lecture notes. The film strip is somewhat disappointing, in that 
beekeeping disease material does not lend itself well to photographic 
purposes. 
The response received to Farmers! Bulletin 1713, Treatment of 
American Foulbrood, is very gratifying. Many officials in charge of 
State apiary inspection have written to the office expressing their 
satisfaction with the recommendations this bulletin embodies. To date 
