Vol. IX No. 212 



T^^ AGKlCULTaRAL Ni<;\V: 



181 



THE PURIFICATION OF BEESWAX. 



The melting of beeswax can be i-(rt'<t(_i| either by using 

 sun heat, direct fire heat, l)oiling water, ors'teani. In a raelterl 

 state, beeswa.x readily separates from such foreigtv substances 

 as may be contained in it, and owing to its lower specific 

 gravity, will Hoat on the surface of the wateF. 



A simple method of rendering beeswa.Y, and one formerly 

 adopted by bee-keepers in this country [Englandjand elsewhere, 

 is to extract as much honey as possible froiff the comb, first 

 by draining and then by pressure in a press of the ordinary 

 copying-press type, and finally by melting it in presence of 

 water, which dissolves out any residual honey which may 

 iling to the pressed wax. While melted, the wax is strained 

 through calico to remove .solid impurities, and i.s finally re- 

 melted over a fire to remove water, after which it is poure<l 

 into moulds to set. Care is required in carrying out the final 

 melting, as buining may occur, and when this happens a dark- 

 coloured wax of low market value is produced. 



Another method, followed by bee-keepers who have not 

 adopted modern appliances, is to place the comb, after the 

 honey has been extracted, in a canvas bag, which is kept 

 below the surface of water, contained in a copper or other 

 large vessel, by being weighted with stones. If the comb 

 contains ' brood ', it is allowed to soak in water for twenty- 

 four hours before being placed in the copper, the object being 

 to fill the dry cocoons with water, which will prevent them from 

 absorbing the melted wax. The water in the copper is next 

 heated, and as the wax melts, it passes through the canvas 

 bag and rises to the surface of the water, leaving behind in 

 the bag all solid impurities. The bag is taken out of the 

 copper and squeezed between two pieces of wood to extract 

 as much wax as possible, and the surface of the melted wax 

 in the copper is freijuently skimmed to remove scum and 

 other impurities. .\ cloth is then thrown over the vessel, and 

 the wax and water are allowed to cool as .slowly as possible. 

 The wax solidifies into a cake, which can be ea-sily removed from 

 the water. On the under side of the cake there is usually 

 a discoloured layer containing imjjuritics, and this is scraped 

 off and worked up with the next batch of crude wax. The 

 remainder is broken up into small pieces, re-melted and poured 

 into moulds to .set. Provided that care is taken ( 1 ) not to 

 boil the water too fast or for too long a time, and (2) to prevent 

 burning during the final melting, this niethod produces clean 

 wax of good colour : but if either of these precautions be 

 neglected it becomes dry and brittle, and of a brownish hue. 

 The outfit required for the foregoing operations is simple, and 

 obtainable almost everywhere. 



Of the modern appliances for rendering wax, one of the 

 simplest is the ' solar wax extractor', which is in common 

 u.se in the United States, Australia and elsewhere. This 

 consists of a wooden box with a sloping, double-glazed lid. 

 Inside the box, and raised some distance from its floor, an 

 inclined tin tray is fixed. The comb is [>laced on the tray, 

 the lid tightly closed, and the box exposed to the sun. The 

 temperature in.side the box rapidly rises, and when it reaches 

 about 117° F., the wax melts and ruri~ otf the sloping tray 

 into a vessel beneath, leaving im|iurities behind, caught by 

 a wire gauze strainer. This appliance is admirably .suited to 

 warm countries, and wax obtained by its use is ot good 

 quality, and requires no further refiniiii;. It is, however, not 

 suitable for rendering comb containing brood or other 

 gross impurities. In treating comb of this description, it is 

 best to extract the wax by one of the methods menti(»ned 

 above, and then to clarify it by means of the solar extractor. 



Most of the other appliances are p'ovided with a screw press, 

 by means of which the wax is forced through strainers, after 

 being melted by means of hot water or steam. {Bulletin of 

 thi; Imperial Institute, Vol. VIII, p. 24.) 



A QUICK WAY OF MAKING BOR- 

 DEAUX MIXTURE. 



The following extract, from the Agricultural 

 Balh'tin of the Straits and Federated Malay States, 

 for April 1910, shows how assistance in the quick iriak- 

 ing of Bordeaux mixture in large quantities may be 

 obtained in a simple way : — 



The making of Bordeaux mixture on a large scale from 

 stock solutions is greatly facilitated if some simple plant be 

 erected. The erection consists of two elevated platforms. 

 The higher platform is carried on four 9-feet 6-inches posts, 

 5 inches by 4 inches, sunk 2 feet 6 inches in the ground and 

 well rammed. Joists, -5 inches by 4 inches, connect the heads of 

 the posts, into which they are halved. An intermediate 

 joist is halved into the middle of two oppo.site joists. The 

 upper platform is 5 feet square, and consists of 6 inches by 

 1 inch boarding in the rough, laid to the edges. The 

 lower platform, which is 6 feet G inches square, is similarly 

 constructed, and is carried on sleepers, 6 feet long and 10 

 inches by 5 inches, set vertically and sunk 2 feet 6 inches 

 iu the ground and well ranmied. The two structures are 

 bolted together at the two back posts, and where the front 

 post of the higher platform touches the joist of the lower 

 platform. 



On the higher platform are two 50-gallon dilution 

 barrels, marked inside at the -oO-gallon level, and fitted with 

 taps. If possible, water should be laid on this higher plat- 

 form. On the lower platform stands a vat {fitted with a tap) 

 capable of containing 100 gallons. A short length of hose 

 (canvas hose is convenient to u.se) is fitted to the taps of the 

 dilution barrels and of the 100-gallon vat. The process of 

 making 100 gallons of Bordeaux mixture is as follows: 8 

 gallons of the stock solution of milk of lime, and the same 

 amount of copper sulphate stock solution (or 4 gallons 

 only, if this has been made of the strength of 2 B). of 

 copper suli)hate to the gallon of water) are carried up to 

 the upper platform, and poured separately into the 

 two dilution barrels, which are then filled with water 

 up to the -DO-gallon mark. The -jO gallons of milk of lime 

 thus obtained in one of the barrels are stirred vigorously 

 for a couple of minutes. A strainer is now placed over 

 the vat, in such a position as to allow the hose from the 

 taps of the dilution barrels to project into it. The taps of 

 the dilution barrels are now turned on, and the contents of 

 the barrel containing the lime being stirred continuously, the 

 two 50-gallon barrels empty themselves through the strainer 

 into the vat, filling it with 100 gallons of Bordeaux mixture. 

 The whole process can be easily controlled by one man stand- 

 ing on the higher platform, as with his stirring-pole he can 

 reach the taps and so regulate the How if necessary, and also 

 stir and clear the strainer, should this become clogged. The 

 Bordeaux mixture is immediately ready for use, and can be 

 run oft' from the top of the vat into the spraying machine. 

 Thus all the labour and waste of time in handling the mixture 

 are saved; and given some such plant, and stock solutions, 

 100 gallons of Bordeaux mixture can be prepared in a few 

 minutes at any time. 



