1HE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



75 



press the wax out of them in a small 

 press while hot. But a cheaper way, 

 on a small scale, is to preserve them, 

 or rather the best of them in a box, 

 exposed to the weather, until more 

 comb has to be melted, when they can 

 be melted again with it. The expos- 

 ure to the weather dissolves the for- 

 eign substances, but not the wax, 

 which to all appearances is indestruc- 

 tible. 



Cappings of honey are melted in 

 the same manner as old coral). It is 

 well, however, to work them first in 

 warm water to separate the honey that 

 is left. This sweetened water can be 

 used to advantage in cider or wine 

 making, and for vinegar. Honey- 

 vinegar is the very best that is made. 



We have many times heard it said 

 that it did not pay to melt old combs, 

 but this is a mistake. It is not advis- 

 able to melt them with nice new comb, 

 but any apiarist who will try rational 

 methods, can find a profit in melting 

 the very oldest and dirtiest combs that 

 can be found. 



The heat of the son, in rendering 

 eorab, makes the finest beeswax, as it 

 not only melts it, but partly bleaches 

 it, and we have to thank our Italian 

 brothers for the first idea of this, as 

 well as for the invention of the extract- 

 or. Thus far, however, little use has 

 been made of this discovery, but the 

 time is not far distant when the solar 

 extractors will be as plentifully found 

 as steam or stove extractors. This 

 method will have the advantage of 

 giving clean wax at the first melting, 

 without any danger of spoiling it. — 

 Dadant. 



BEE-KREl'IXc; FOE WOMEN. 



Bee keeping, although a laborious 

 mployment, demands no. great outlay 



of strength at one time. It embraces 

 the performance of many little items 

 which require skill and gentleness 

 more than muscle. The hand of 

 woman, from nature, habit and edu- 

 cation, has acquired an ease of motion 

 which is agreeable to the sensibilities- 

 of bees, and her breath is seldom ob- 

 noxious to their olfactories, by reason 

 of tobacco or beer. 



Women have proved that the mak- 

 ing of hives and surplus boxes is no 

 objection, as they have purchased 

 them in the flat, nailed and painted 

 them. The hiving of swarms is- 

 neither more difficult nor dangerous 

 than the washing of windows or milk- 

 ing. The right, time to extract honey, 

 or to put on or take off surplus boxes, 

 requires no more tact or skill to de- 

 termine, than the proper fermentation 

 of bread, or the right temperature of 

 the oven required for baking. She is 

 in her allotted sphere while raising 

 queens and nursing weak colonies or 

 caring for the honey when off the 

 hive. 



The most powerful argument, in 

 view of the suitableness of bee-keep- 

 ing for women, is this: That it is 

 something she can do at home, and 

 not interfere with her domestic duties. 

 Many women of small means have 

 young children depending upon their 

 exertions for support, and remunera- 

 tive work performed at home brings 

 very little in the market of to-day. 

 For instance, the making of overalls 

 at five cents a pair and shirts at fifty 

 cents per dozen. She is compelled to 

 accept less pay than men, for the 

 same 'service performed. We had a 

 friend chosen as principal of a school 

 on account of her efficiency, but she 



