HOW TO KEEP BEES FOR PROFIT 



of bringing the wax to a yellow color that 

 is, to its original state of purity, except by 

 treating it with acid. 



The method, in brief, is as follows: Fill a 

 wooden tank or barrel a quarter full of water, 

 and add cakes of wax until nearly full. The 

 water is then boiled until all the wax is melted, 

 when a quantity of commercial sulphuric acid 

 is poured in, and the boiling continued until all 

 is thoroughly mixed. The heat is then removed 

 and the impurities are allowed to settle. 



For a detailed account, it may be well to 

 describe our own system of refining wax. 

 Our tank is a little over three and one-half feet 

 in diameter, and about five feet high. Water 

 is run into it to a depth of twelve inches, 

 and then fifteen hundred pounds of wax are 

 thrown in, making it about full. The mass 

 is then heated by means of a jet of steam from 

 a pipe projecting down into the water from 

 the top. When all the wax is melted, the acid 

 is poured in. If the wax is dark, seven pints 

 of arid are used ; but if light enough to make 



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