THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 245 



failure of any beeman, wherever he is, to secure a crop for which he 

 has planned, worked and waited ; but, like all other agricultural pur- 

 suits, Apiculture, even if it is "The poetry of agriculture" is still an 

 agricultural calling ; and so long as it is that, it must be dependent, 

 for final results, on weather, locality and local conditions of climate, 

 temperature, all factors beyond man's control. But we always con- 

 sole ourselves for a failure one year by saying, "Never mind ! one 

 more chance for a good year next time.") 



We have occasional inquiries from beemen in Florida, asking 

 about membership in the National, and relative to the State asso- 

 ciation. We will therefore, ask our good and wise Editor in chief, 

 Friend Townsend, to answer right here this question, "How does 

 the regulation that no one can be a member of the National, with- 

 out being at the same time a member of the State Association ap- 

 ply to States, like Florida, for instance, where there is no State or 

 Local association ?" If Friend Townsend will append his reply right 

 under this query, it will be a final word, and permanent locus class- 

 icus to which to refer all inquirers, along this same line. — E. G. B. 



(National Seci-etary Foster would assign Floi'ida members to the nearer association, which in 

 your case would be the Louisiana. When you organize your Florida association, the paying of 

 your local dues will automatically transfer you to your own state association. — Ed.) 



Ants in the Bee Yards 



We have just received the following letter of May 15th, from 

 Blackfoot, Idaho, asking for advice on how to rid an apiary of ants. 

 We append the letter, in full: 

 Dear Sir: — 



In one of our out yards we are bothered with red ants, and as 

 you have had experience with them, we would be pleased to have 

 you give us your experience in poisoning them. Scaffolding or 

 placing hive stands in water is out of the question. 



We had 20 per cent loss in bees last v/inter, but most colonies 

 came through strong, and are now two weeks ahead of other years. 



Thanking you in advance for this favor we remain 



Yours truly, 



WEBER BROS. 



To this letter we replied to the best of our ability. And 

 thinking that others may possibly have need of all the light they 

 can get along this troublesome line, we here give the substance of 

 the advice we gave our friends, Messrs Weber Brothers of Idaho. It 

 is as follows : 



The first thing to do, if possible, is to find and locate all nests 

 that are "get-at-able." These, in Florida, if the large brown (not 



