Bee Diseases and Enemies 
407 
poured on the sides and on some straw or excelsior placed 
at the bottom of the pile. This is then ignited and after 
burning for a few seconds a close-fitting hive cover is placed 
on top of the pile to extinguish the flames. The inside of 
the hive-bodies should be charred to a light brown. The 
careful cleaning and disinfection of frames always costs con¬ 
siderably more in labor than new frames would cost, but these 
also may be carefully cleaned and used again. Frames may 
be cleaned by boiling in water for about half an hour, but 
this frequently causes them to warp badly. The disinfection 
of hives and frames with chemicals is not recommended. 
If there is a considerable quantity of honey in the con¬ 
taminated combs it may be extracted. This honey is not 
safe to feed to bees without boiling, but it is absolutely safe 
for human consumption. If there is a comparatively small 
quantity it may be consumed in the beekeeper’s family, 
care being taken that none of it is placed so that the bees 
can ever get it. 
To put such honey on the market is contrary to law in 
some states. There is always danger that an emptied re¬ 
ceptacle will be thrown out where bees can have access to it, 
thus causing a new outbreak of disease. It can be safely 
used for feeding to bees in summer, provided it is diluted 
with at least an equal volume of water to prevent burning 
and boiled in a closed vessel for not less than one-half hour, 
counting from the time that the diluted honey first boils 
vigorously. The honey will not be sterilized if it is heated 
in. a vessel set inside of another containing water. Boiled 
honey should not be sold as honey. It is good only as a 
food for bees and even then should never be used for winter 
stores, as it would probably cause dysentery. 
Some beekeepers prefer to shake the bees first on to frames 
containing strips of foundation as above described and in 
four days to shake the colony a second time on to full sheets 
of foundation, destroying all comb built after the first treat¬ 
ment. This insures better combs than the use of strips of 
foundation, but it is a severe drain on the strength of the 
