34 BEE CULTURE, 
It may not be out of place, in this connection, to advise 
that the stronger colonies be selected to do all the drudge- 
work of the apiary, such as cleansing befoul ed combs, re- 
moving mold from combs, and pulling out such dead bees 
from the cells as will not shake out when dried and shrunken. 
If your strong colonies have their hives already filled with 
frames of brood, then remove sufficient to accomplish the 
purpose ; but where a colony is already feeble, and it is desir- 
able to build it up rapidly, no disagreeable work should be 
imposed upon the bees to perform, for it will task their ener- 
gies sufficiently to provide pollen, water, and do the feeding 
and nursing necessary for successful brood-rearing. A strong 
colony will accomplish in a few hours that which would em- 
barrass a weak colony for nearly a whole season. 
ANTS IN THE APIARY, 
These are sometimes troublesome in the apiary. The fol- 
lowing remedy is practiced an recommended by Mr. A. B 
McLavy: ‘“ With a weeding hoe, clear the ground in and 
around the yard of weeds and tufts of grass ; in a day or two, 
the ants will have established a trail from their beds to the 
hives. By this means you can readily trace them home. 
To a five-gallon can of water, add, say, ten ounces of cyanide 
of potassium, and let it dissolve ; with a trowel dig gently in 
the ant-bed until you find the nest, which will be known by 
the white eggs. Then pour on the water, and make the dirt 
into a thin mud right in the nest, pour the water on plenti- 
fully, so as to effectually poison the very carth. By this 
means you dispose of ants and queen ant, and unfit the larvee 
for reproduction. You may miss destroying it at the first 
trial, but will eventually clean them out. Keep the cyanide 
of potash out of reach of children, as it is a violent poison. 
It retails at the drug stores for about one dollar per pound.” 
REMOVING PROPOLIS FROM THE HANDS. 
We are often asked what will remove bee glue from the 
hands. Alcohol or spirits of turpentine will do it; or a little 
slacked lime kept in the bee house will be found convenient, 
during the summer, to remove propolis from the hands. 
Moisten the parts desired to be cleansed, then rub with wet 
lime until the propolis is removed. 
