THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



method of renderiiij; it into wax than by 

 the use of the solar extractor; but, with 

 the conditions reversed, the solar is "no 

 j^ood." In my experience with old black 

 comb, I get little or no wax in this 

 way; it being nearly all left in the 

 residue, which, on getting cold, is as solid 

 and hard as a lump of wax. One writer, 

 I think it is J. 1'. H. Brown, of Geor- 

 gia, says he thinks it is no loss to have 

 this wax left in the refuse, because it 

 makes such good fuel. It seems to me 

 that wax at 25 cents a pound is rather ex- 

 pensive fuel; be- 

 sides, the waste ' 

 will bum just as 

 well without the 

 wax; anil, as that 

 from the solar ex- 

 tractor is nearly 

 lialf wax; I pro- 

 pose to tell the 

 readers of the 

 Review how to 

 save it. 



P'or a press I 

 take two pieces 

 of 2 -inch plank 

 ten inches wide, 

 and three feet or 

 more in length, 

 and cut them in- 

 to the shape 

 shown in the ac- 

 companying en- 

 graving. In the 

 lower plank, near 



the wide end, I make a hole two by 

 three inches in size, and across it string 

 six or eight wires fastening them with 

 nails or staples. Now lay one plank on 

 the other, with some slicks between to 

 hold them about V of an inch apart, and 

 hinge them together with a pair of six- 

 inch, strap hinges; bending the hinges to 

 fit. Tack a 6-inch piece of cloth around 

 the wide end of the upjjer piece, letting 

 it extend up as far as the narrow portion. 

 This is to catch the wax that otherwise 

 might fly out and soil cl(jthing, furniture 

 etc. This cloth is not shown in the pic- 



ture, as it interfered with a clear view of 

 the press. Get a tub — one ten inches 

 deep cut from the end of a barrel will 

 answer — fasten a Ijar across it three inch- 

 es from the top and six inches from one 

 side. Put the lower end of the press on 

 this bar and the other end on some ob- 

 ject that will raise it oiT the edge of the 

 tub. Throw the upper handle back 

 against the wall or some other object. 

 Soak the tub, and have a little water in 

 it. Warm the press just before using 

 by pouring hot water on the inside 

 faces. Make a 

 1 strainer - holder 

 of a piece of No. 

 6 wire fastened 

 to the tul) so 

 that the top ends 

 will be about six 

 inches apart and 

 eight inches 

 above the top of 

 the tub. Make 

 a sack - strainer 

 nine inches wide 

 and sixteen in- 

 ches deep, of 

 some strong stuff 

 — I use a piece of 



?|p\!^^K seamless grain 

 VA^^B sack. 

 fA^^^^ The method of 

 ^^.Ir*** operation is as 

 ;«*!^V»- follows: Put a 

 boiler containing 

 a pail of water on 

 the kitchen stove; and when it boils make 

 the fire as hot as you well can; then stir 

 in comb as fast as it will melt, but not 

 much faster, continuing to do this for 

 about fifteen minutes. Let it stand, stir- 

 ring often, and wlien it boils freel}' set it 

 by the side of the tub next to the strainer 

 holder. Hang the strainer on the hold- 

 er, hold it open with the left hand, 

 and fill }4 to )4 full. The more liquid 

 wax it contains the greater the quantity 

 that can be put in. There is not much 

 gained, however, by putting in a large 

 quantity, while it increases the danger of 



