324 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



the sun furnishes free heat. In either case, when old 

 combs are melted, a good deal of wax remains in the ref- 

 use or slumgum, because the cocoons act much like 

 sponges. Especially is this the case if more than a single 

 thickness of comb is placed for melting. 



STEAM WAX-PRESS. 



So when the German steam wax-press came, leaving 

 the slumgum mostly free from wax, the solar ex- 

 tractor had to take a back-seat, leaving wax-rendering 

 again a proper thing for winter work. 



The wax-press is placed upon the cook-stove ( Fig. 

 108) and the work is done according to the instructions 

 sent out with the machine. I find that time is an im- 

 portant element in the work, and that there is nothing to 

 be gained by trying to hurry up matters by screwing down 

 very hard. If the screw be turned down as tight as can 

 be done without sliding the can around on the stove, that 

 is all that is necessary. Then when the wax ceases to run 

 it can be turned down again. Continuing in this way till 

 no more wax runs, when the slum gum is turned out 

 (Fig. 109) it is so free from wax that it is not worth 

 working over again. The wax saved by using the steam 

 wax-press will pay immense interest on the money in- 

 vested in its purchase. 



OTHER WINTER WORK. 



The work of getting sections ready for the hoped-for 

 harvest of the coming summer has already been men- 

 tioned, and the winter affords opportunitv for making 

 up hives, supers, or any fixtures that may be needed. As 

 these things are bought mostly in the flat, the chief part 

 of the work is nailing, and it is a great convenience to 

 have the different kinds of nails in their proper places 

 ready for immediate use. A set of nail-boxes, part of 

 which are seen in Fig. 110, serves the purpose excel- 

 lently. The boxes are patterned somewhat after a tin 



