ILLINOIS STATE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 



205 



on hand to tuck away in the corners, 

 or on top of the frames, or between 

 them, in the -form of burr combs. 



In the spring, when the bees are 

 using large quantities of sealed honey, 

 they seem to want a place to store 

 the extra wax from the cappings, and, 

 for this reason, pile it on top of the 

 frames, or build burr combs between 

 them, and unless these are kept 

 scraped off they generally cause some 

 trouble in handling the combs and, if 

 left until the honey flow comes on; a 

 large amount of it will probably find 

 its way into the super and cause dark, 

 inferior looking cappings where comb 

 honey is produced. 



The simplest method of rendering 

 is the sun melter, and while this pro- 

 duces the best quality it does not get 

 nearly all the wax, as it obtains just 

 the free wax that will drain out of 

 the scrapings and old combs, yet I be- 

 lieve every bee-keeper should have 

 one of these in his yard ag a catch-all 

 for scraps and bits of comb, and if he 

 is a little careful he can, in a short 

 time, accumulate many times over the 

 cost of the melter in wax saved in this 

 manner. This form of rendering is by 

 far the most practical for the small 

 "bee-keeper, and then by saving his 

 slumgum for a year or so he will ac- 

 cumulate enough of this to either sell 

 or render in some other way. But be 

 sure to keep it dry. 



The most complete and about the 

 only way to render large quantities of 

 old comb and slumgum is by means of 

 hot water or steam. In order to get 

 the wax entirely out of the melted 

 slumgum it is necessary to have a 

 steady, hard pressure, and essential 

 that the press cake or slumgum be 

 thoroughly melted and kept at a high 

 temperature during the entire opera- 

 tion. Where the press is arranged so 

 that the slumgum is submerged below 

 "boiling water while pressing, it is best 

 to apply the pressure as hard as pos- 

 sible and then release and allow the 

 slumgum to boil ■ up again and then 

 press again. 



The only material that will give 

 any satisfaction for press sacks is 

 common burlap, and ir; order to have 

 them stand the necessary pressure 

 they should be very heavy and strong. 

 If too closely woven a material is used 

 the wax cannot be forced out, as the 

 .•slumgum cakes in next to the cloth. 



and even the best burlap clogs very 

 rapidly. 



One of the most rapid ways of ren- 

 dering wax in large quantities is to 

 use a hot water tank heated by a 

 steam pressure, and using a steapx 

 heat under the press cake. The great 

 drawback to this plan is the expense, 

 which would place it beyond the 

 means of a man who did not have a 

 large quantity of wax to render and 

 also other use for his steam power. 



The capping melter, whil6 it pro- 

 duces the best possible quality of wax, 

 is not practical because of the inability 

 to apply sufficiene heat to melt the 

 wax and not darken the honey. 



Be sure that all wax stufC — that is, 

 scraps of old comb, cappings, scrap- 

 ings and solar melter slumgum — are 

 kept dry, as there is nothing that will 

 mould quicker than this material when 

 once it gets damp, and it takes very 

 little mould to make dark wax out of 

 the best material. 



Black iron should always be avoided 

 for melting apparatus as it will also 

 color wax. Copper is considered the 

 best material for a melting tank, al- 

 though tin or galvanized iron are both 

 good and are much cheaper. 



Care should always be taken to see 

 that wax is thoroughly strained and 

 settled, and, to accomplish the latter, 

 it should be cooled very slowly, and 

 there should be some water in the 

 bottom of the container. 



It never pays to prut an inferior or 

 drity grade of goods on the market, as 

 it will riot bring the price, and also 

 leaves a bad impression with the dealer 

 who buys. y^ — --. 



BUT DON'T save wax by scrimping 

 on the use of foundation, because for 

 every cent you save in the cost of 

 foundation you lose ten in the amount 

 of honey secured and frequently twice 

 that in crooked combs and inferior 

 sections. 



Mr. Brown — I was talking with Dr. 

 Phillips and he says that there is an- 

 other plan that will produce nearly 

 four pounds of wax to every ten Lang- 

 stroth frames, but he said that had not 

 been developed in a way that it could 

 be used and it is a new invention. The^ 

 best results I have ever been able to 

 get were about three and a half pounds 

 of wax out of good Langstroth frames. 

 I can get more wax ou_t of heavy old 

 combs where there are comers plugged 





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