330 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Beeswax— A Staple Article. 



The annual product of beeswax in 

 the U. S., is said to be 20,000,000 ibs., and 

 it is worth about $5,000,000. 



An exchange remarks that the uses 

 for wax are numerous and important. 

 Its property of protecting tissues and 

 preventing mould and mildew Avas well 

 known to the ancients, who used cere- 

 cloth for embalming and wax for en- 

 caustic painting, as in the wall pictures 

 of Pompeii. Wax candles and tapers 

 play an important part in the proces- 

 sions and ceremonies of the Eoman 

 Catholic Church. 



Wax is used by the manufacturers of 

 glazed, ornamental, and wall papers, 

 and all paper collars and cuffs for pol- 

 ishing the surfaces. It is used in var- 

 nishes and paints and for the " stuff- 

 ing " of wood which is to be polished, 

 as for pianos, coach- work, fine furni- 

 ture, and parquette floors. Electro- 

 typers and plasterers use wax in form- 

 ing their moulds. 



Wax is an important ingredient in 

 preparation for covering the surfaces 

 of polished iron and steel to prevent 

 rust. Combined with tallow, it forms 

 the coating for canvass and cordage to 

 prevent mildew, as in sails, awnings, 

 etc. Artificial flowers consume much 

 wax, and despite the introduction of 

 parafine, seresin, and mineral wax, its 

 use appears to be extending. 



The Scientific American remarks that 

 the adulteration of beeswax with rosin 

 has led to the invention of a new 

 method for its detection. E. Schmidt 

 recommends the following process for 

 the rapid and accurate detection of 

 relatively small quantities of pine resin: 

 He heats 5 grammes (75 grains) of the 

 wax to be tested in a flask with four or 

 five times the quantity of crude nitric 

 acid, specific gravity 1:31 to 1:33, until 

 it boils; and it is kept boiling a minute, 

 then an equal volume of cold water is 

 added, and enough ammonia (which 

 must be added very cautiously) put in 

 and shaken to cause it to smell strongly 

 of ammonia. The alkaline liquid is 

 decanted from the percipitated wax 

 into a cylindrical vessel. If the wax 

 was pm-e the liquid will have a yellow 



color; if the wax was adulterated with 

 resin the liquid will have a more or less 

 intensely reddish-brown color from the 

 formation of nitro-products. This be- 

 ing a colorimetric test, it is well to have 

 some perfectly pure wax for compari- 

 son. The reaction is much more vio- 

 lent during boiling, if resin is present. 

 As little as one per cent, can be de- 

 tected in this way. 



Comb Honey Carriers. 



Apiarists who have had experience in 

 shipping comb honey, know how essen- 

 tial a good honey carrier is in getting it 

 to market in a good merchantable con- 

 dition. We now have three honey car- 

 riers in our museum. 



The best one we have seen so far is the 

 Hoge Carrier. A shipment of comb 

 honey has just been received in it from 

 Thurber «& Co., of New York, with per- 

 fect safety. None of the combs being 

 injured in any way. 



It is 16x25 inches outside and consists 

 of a pine box made of 1 inch lumber 

 with holes for handling on each end. 

 On the top are three strips three inches 

 wide. In this outer case is an inner 

 one resting on hollow rubber balls, with 

 similar balls between it and the sides 

 and ends of the outer box. The inner 

 box is made of half-inch lumber and 

 the balls leave about one inch space all 

 around it. The top being partially 

 open will insure its being kept " right 

 side up." It is evidently a success. 



Edwin Pike, of Boscobel, Wis., has 

 also sent us a sample of nice comb 

 honey in his Carrier. It consists of a 

 boz 13ixl7i inches, with a wire handle 

 running from one end to the other. It 

 has a glass top, held in place by an inch 

 frame, and the whole rests upon rubber 

 balls to prevent jarring. 



The third is Novice's Carrier which 

 we have before described. 



1^ One of the handiest things we 

 know of in the Book line, is " Moore's 

 Artizan's Guide and Everybody's As- 

 sistant." See advertisement of it on 

 page 355. It contains information for 

 everybody on every conceivable sub- 

 ject. "■ There's millions in it !" 



