§ 7. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether experiments have been made tending to test the greater power of bees of the Italian strain to resist the Isle of Wight disease; and whether, either by encouraging hardier strains or otherwise, the Board is taking practical steps to lessen the ravages of bee disease?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Runciman)Isle of Wight disease has been scientifically investigated on behalf of the Board for some years past, with the result that it appears that all races of bees are equally liable to be affected. A Bill will be introduced in this House very shortly for the purpose of conferring on the Board powers enabling them to carry their investigations further and, I hope, to check the ravages caused by the disease in question.
§ Mr. DOUGLAS HALLWhy is it called the Isle of Wight disease? It has nothing to do with the Isle of Wight.