Page:Bee-Culture Hopkins 2nd ed revised Dec 1907.pdf/40



Not only the combs within the hives, but also any which may happen to be unprotected, are liable to be attacked by the moth. No combs or pieces of combs should be allowed to lie about; when they are of no further service they should be melted into wax at once. Spare combs should always be stored in a place of safety from the moth, and inspected frequently. On the first sign of moths or grubs they should be fumigated, and a few days afterwards they should undergo a second fumigation. When there are not many to do they may be suspended in empty hives about 1 in. apart, and the latter piled one on the other, taking care that the junctions of the boxes are made smoke-tight by pasting a strip of paper round them. The top box of the pile should contain no frames. Into this place an old iron saucepan containing live wood-embers, and on to these throw a couple of handfuls of sulphur, close the cover securely, and keep closed for a couple of days. In a large apiary it is best to have a small room fitted up for the purpose. Two or three pounds of sulphur will be sufficient for a large room.

The following is a digest of the Apiaries Act now in force :-

2. In this Act, if not inconsistent with the context,- “Apiary” means any place where bees are kept: “Beekeeper” means any person who keeps bees or allows the same to be kept upon any land occupied by him: “Disease” means foul-brood (Bacillus alvei and Bacillus larvæ), bee-moths (Galleria mellonella and Achræa grizzella), and any other diseases or pests from time to time declared by the Governor in Council to be diseases within the meaning of this Act: “Frame hive” means a hive containing moveable frames in which the combs are built, and which may be readily removed from the hive for examination: “Inspector” means any person appointed by the Governor as an Inspector under this Act.

3. Every beekeeper in whose apiary any disease appears shall, within seven days after first becoming aware of its presence, send written notice thereof to the Secretary for Agriculture, at Wellington, or to any Inspector of Stock.

5. Any Inspector may enter upon any premises or buildings for the purpose of examining any bees, hives, or bee appliances, and if the same are found to be infected with disease he shall direct the beekeeper to forthwith take such measures as may be necessary to cure the disease; or, if in the opinion of the Inspector the disease is too fully developed to