CHAPTER XIII. 



WAX EXTRACTORS. 



WAX extractors, which follow honey extractors in 

 natural sequence, are not so indispensable as those 

 appliances. 



Much wax extracting can be done with a simple 

 milk strainer and a saucepan. The strainer should 

 be about 8 in. in diameter and have a wire netting 

 bottom and sloping sides. The lower part of the 

 strainer should fit into the saucepan, the upper 

 part being supported clear of it. Put water in 

 the saucepan, affix the strainer, put the combs in 

 the latter, and put a cover (that of the saucepan 

 if it fits) over the top of the strainer. The whole 

 is then put on the range, where the water is 

 brought to the boil ; the steam will rise through 

 the strainer, and melt the wax, which passes 

 through to the water underneath, leaving any dirt 

 or refuse in the strainer. When all the wax is 

 extracted, the water is poured into a basin, and 

 the wax, when cool, will be found in a cake on 

 top. 



This is very simple and inexpensive, and is on 

 the same principle as the Gerster extractor, except 

 that the wax does not there come into contact with 

 boiling water. 



The solar extractor produces the best quality 

 of wax. It can be used only in the summer when 

 the sun is hot, but then it works of itself, and 

 costs nothing. It is a well-known physical fact 

 that glass is a trap for heat that is, apparently 

 it lets it in, but will not let it out again. To be 

 more exact, it permits of the passage of luminous 

 rays of heat, but not of opaque. The direct rays 



