FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 135 



" I next tried scrubbing them with a broom in the boiling 

 water, but it would not work. I meditated awhile, then con- 

 cluded I would try concentrated lye, provided Dr. Miller did 

 not object. I did not know what effect the lye would have on 

 the tins. He said I might try it. I put the boiler back on the 

 stove to try once more. I did not feel quite so sanguine as I 

 j/oured in part of a can of concentrated lye. 



" I did not leave it this time, but anxiously watched to see 

 what effect it would have. It brought it off pretty well, but was 

 not quite strong enough. I put in the rest of the can of lye, 

 and. Eureka ! the propolis disappeared as if by magic. I stirrod 

 the tins with the poker to insure the lye reaching all parts of 

 them; then with the tongs I lifted them into a tub and rinsed 

 them off with cold water and set them up in the sun to drain, 

 as bright and clean as when they came from the tinner's. 



" I filled up the boiler with T tins again, and so on, until 

 the strength of the lye was all used up, when I turned it out, 

 filled up the boiler afresh, and began all over again, continuing 

 until they were all done. I used a can of lye to a boiler of 

 water. 



" Every time I fill up a super with the nice clean T tins I 

 feel more than paid for the work it took to make them so. I 

 am pretty sure that washing-fluid would clean them almost if 

 not quite as well as the concentrated lye, providing it were used 

 strong enough, although T have never tried it. However, I 

 think I should prefer the lye, as it does the work most thor- 

 oughly and does not hurt the T tins in the least, that 1 can see. 



" If you have a lot of dirty T tins I advise you to clean 

 them in this way, and see if you are not as delighted as I was 

 to see them come out so bright and clean. Be sure to use plenty 

 of water in rinsing them off." 



WETTING SECTIONS. 



The well-known Hubbard section-press is used for putting 

 the sections together. If the sections are fresh from the manu- 

 facturer and as good as they ought to be, they can be put to- 

 gether at once without any preparation. If they have been held 

 over from the previous year they may be so dry that too many 



