On Thu, 20 Nov 1997, Garth wrote:
 
<snip>
> So it may in the long term with a bit of research give us a better
> honey product - in the longg term it may even be possible to get bees
> to distribuute viruses to the nectaries of plants infecting the
> fruit with viruses that will kill the bugs that get the fruit. In
> this way one could eliminate the pesticide use, but at present with
> bugs getting more resistant and bees getting scarcer there needs to
> be something done.
 
Garth always seems to come up with some thought-provoking ideas.  I enjoy
reading his posts.
 
I'm reminded that here in the southern USA a disease of pears (fire
blight) is caused by a bacterium that is spread by honeybees and other
insects which visit the flowers.  It's my understanding that fire blight
can be controlled with Streptomycin, the same antibiotic that is used by
some beekeepers for AFB prevention.
 
If you've never seen fire blight, it's interesting.  The disease starts at
the flowers and spreads down the branches.  Leaves and branches turn black
as if they were charred by flame.  My asian pear tree had several branches
affected this last year.
 
I hope your year has gone well.
 
Cordially yours,
 
Jim
 
James D. Satterfield           Canton is about 40 mi/64 km
258 Ridge Pine Drive           north of Atlanta, Georgia USA
Canton GA 30114 USA                  34.24N, 084.47W
(770) 479-4784
TBH Beekeeping: http://www.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/main.htm
Mother Crochets: http://www.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/mom/crochet.htm
Old Jim's Fowl Page: http://www.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/fowl/fowl.htm