Nc 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 411 



Jt is well to know that freezing deslioys both worms and eggs. 

 So a liive of combs that has been left outdoors all winter is in no 

 danger of worms until well along in warm weather, when moths 

 have had time to mature and lay eggs in the combs. If such combs 

 are hung up in an airy place with a space of an inch between them, 

 they will almost surely be »afe from worms throughout the summer, 

 and indeed worms niai^ not trouble them all summer if left in the hive 

 in their usual position. 



If for auy reason it is desired to kill worms in combs, sulphur or 

 brimstone is the usual resort. A very little of the fumes of burning 

 sulphur will finish the worms when they are quite small, but when 

 full grown it take® a very heavy dose, so it is well to pick out the 

 larger ones by hand. Take a wire nail and pick oj^eu the comb at one 

 end of the silken gallery for half an inch, then commence at the other 

 end and tear it open the whole length. This will drive the worm 

 along till it comes out of the hole you first made, when you can take 

 comfort in ending its existence by what means may seem best. 



Fill a pan or kettle partly full of ashes and set into it a smaller 

 vessel of iron. In this put the sulphur and throw on it a shovelful 

 of live coals or a red-hot iron. This must be in an empty hive or 

 some way so it can be enclosed, the hive of combs quickly set over it, 

 and the whole closed so the fumes cannot escape. Now look out, 

 or you will burn up the whole business and, perhaps, the house be- 

 sides. To keep the heat from setting fire to the combs placed over, 

 put a piece of old sheet-iron (perhaps a piece of old stove-pipe) di- 

 rectly over the burning sulphur, 



it must be remembered that burning sulphur destroys only the 

 worms, not the eggs. So it may be necessary to treat the combs a 

 week or two later, when any remaining eggs have hatched. But 

 there is a drug that of late has been used that is said to destroy eggs 

 and all. It is bisulphide of carbon. Put a little of the liquid in 

 a eaucer, set it in an empty hive over the combs, then close up tight 

 so as to retain the fumes. But remember that this is a very ex- 

 plosive article, and if the flame of a candle should touch the fumes 

 there might be a terrific explosion. 



Combs of honey for table use are not likely to be troubled with 

 worms, but with black bees, especially if the combs are left too 

 long on the hive, there may be some trouble. The dose of sulphur 

 for these may be lighter than for brood combs, and if too heavy a 

 dose is given the w'hite comb will have a greenish color. That, how- 

 ever, does not hurt it for eating. 



When extracting-combs are extracted for the last time in the 

 season, it is the practice of most bee-keepers to allow the bees to lick 

 them dry. A hive full of such combs may be placed over a colony, 

 but a surer w^ay is to set the hive at some distance from the apiary 

 and let the bees have free play at it. 



