34 AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 



it appears to be the one most favoured at present. It 

 differs from the German Steam Press, in that the comb 

 is first heated in a boiler with water which is kept over 

 a good fire. Paperhanger's scrim is laid in the press 

 basket, about one gallon at the time of the melted 

 combs and hot water is dipped from the boiler and put 

 into the scrim, the follower is placed on top, and the 

 whole screwed down. The wax and water runs from 

 the spout shown, into a tin or bucket placed to receive 

 them ; the cake of wax floats on top when cool. 



Iron boilers should never be used for melting or 

 cleaning wax with hot water, as the iron and water 

 combined turns the wax a dull dark colour ; copper is 

 best. 



THE SOLAR WAX EXTRACTOR. 



My first experience with the Solar Wax Extractor, 

 some twenty-three years ago, and after, gave me a 

 very poor impression of them, and in the last edition 

 of this Manual I condemned them. Further experience, 

 however, with an improved pattern to those I first used 

 has entirely altered my opinion, and I can now speak of 

 them in the highest terms. My first extractors were 

 too deep as I afterwards discovered, the heat, or a good 

 part of it, was no doubt wasted instead of being con- 

 centrated on the combs. 



In 1906 I had one constructed on the " Boardman " 

 pattern, Fig. 14, which worked splendidly. It was at 

 work at the International Exhibition Apiary at Christ- 

 church, New Zealand. It stood in the open without 

 any special shelter, and the inside temperature, as 

 tested frequently, went over 220° Fahr., and on one 

 occasion I found it reached 231!° Fahr., or 19^° above 

 boiling point. The refuse from old combs came out of 

 the extractor quite dry without a particle of wax in it, 

 while the wax was of a nice bright colour. I had two 

 others made for the Government Apiaries, and they 

 have given every satisfaction. 



The following are the particulars of their construc- 

 tion : — The dimensions outside are — length, 5 ft. 3 in. ; 



