ADULTERATION OF WAX 



199 



make comb foundation possible, extensive use has been made of 

 it among the bee-men themselves. 



Next to the movable frame hive, comb foundation has per- 

 haps made possible the greatest advance in bee culture. Without 

 the use of foundation it is a very difficult matter to get straight 

 combs or to prevent the bees from building crosswise or otherwise 

 than according to the bee-keeper's wishes. With the use of foun- 

 dation the possibilities of honey production are multiplied and 

 no practical honey producer would think of doing without it. 



Only pure beeswax should be used in foundation as otherwise 

 the sale of honey in conibs built on it would be a violation of 

 the pure food laws. Fortunately little if any adulteration of 

 comb foundation is practised, the manufacturers being very care- 

 ful to test all wax used for the purpose and the bee-keeper can 

 buy from any of the well-known manufacturers with confidence. 

 The wax is melted in the factory and wound in long sheets 

 which are run through mills bearing the impression of the size 

 and shape of the worker cells. As the foundation is printed it 

 is cut in strips of convenient length and these are wrapped in 

 thin paper to prevent sticking together when warm. The papered 

 strips are then packed in paper boxes in such quantities as the 

 needs of the market demand. Use of foundation is considered 

 in the chapters relating to comb and extracted honey. 



Substitutes for Beeswax.— Various mineral and vegetable 

 waxes have taken the place of beeswax in various commercial 

 uses. These waxes can be produced much cheaper and answer 

 fully as well for many purposes. ParafHn, ceresin and several 

 others are well-known commercial products. iSubstitutes for 

 wax made into foundation will not be accepted by the bees. 



Adulteration of Wax.—Dealers who buy beeswax must exer- 

 cise constant vigilance to avoid being imposed upon by an adul- 

 terated product. As the adulterations can be purchased at prices 

 much below that of beeswax, dishonest men see possibilities of 

 great profit if they can sell their dishonest product. Various 

 tests have been discovered for detecting the adulterations until 



