EXHIBITING AND JUDGING BEE PRODUCTS. 217 



it may then be broken up, re-melted, and poured through 

 muslin into a suitable mould, or moulds, previously wet with 

 clean water, and should be allowed to cool as slowly as possible. 

 The processes of melting, straining, and scraping may be 

 repeated so long as there remain any impurities to be removed, 

 but they should not be carried to the point of injuring the 

 texture of the wax and making it brittle. As elsewhere stated 

 (280), dark wax may have its colour improved by the addition 

 of sulphuric acid (vitriol) to the water in which it is to be 

 melted. When old combs are being dealt with for exhibition 

 purposes, the following method may be adopted with advan- 

 tage : — Set two vessels of hot water side by side on the range ; 

 into one crush as many combs as it will hold, leaving some 

 inches to spare for the swelling of the wax when it boils. As 

 the wax melts, skim it off, as free as possible from dirt, into 

 the second vessel, and discontinue this process when the wax 

 becomes too dirty for the purpose; the first vessel is then to 

 be emptied and cleaned, its wax contents being reserved for 

 further treatment. Now put some boiling water into the empty 

 vessel, and also a large, clean jam crock containing some boil- 

 ing water; strain the wax from the second vessel, through 

 fine muslin, into the crock ; then stir it with a thin piece of 

 wood, and, as you stir, drop a little sulphuric acid, drop by 

 drop, on to the wax ; this will improve the colour and will 

 help to remove any impurities that may have escaped the 

 strainer. Now remove the vessel containing the crock and 

 wax to the side of the range, cover it with a lid, and let the 

 cooling be very gradual. When the cake of wax is cool scrape, 

 or cut, from it all impurities. From a number of cakes so 

 prepared select the best specimens, weighing in all a little 

 more than is required, and re-melt these in the crock after 

 having thoroughly cleaned the latter. Damp the inside of 

 your mould with clean water, pour in the melted wax, and set 

 the mould in a pot of hot water where the wax may cool as 

 slowly as possible to avoid cracks. This method, even when 

 applied to combs black with age, has resulted in first prizes 

 at leading shows, where competition was exceptionally keen, 

 the careful skimming of the wax before it had time to become 

 discoloured, and the subsequent processes, having produced 

 cakes of wax of exceptional merit. As an alternative to the 

 former methods — although not one which can be as strongly 

 recommended — the boiling process (280) previously described 

 may be adopted, the wax being ladelled off as it rises, to be 

 treated as advised above. 



405. Mead for Exhibition — Mead for the show bench should 

 be well flavoured, full bodied, clear, and, if possible, sparkling. 

 The honey used in its manufacture should be light and well 



