86 THE BOOK OF THE HONEY BEE 



it is perhaps better to provide a vessel specially for the 

 purpose. An ordinary potato strainer answers the 

 purpose admirably. 



At the end of the season all the cappings, together 

 with old combs and all accumulated fragments of wax, 

 are melted down. This is done in a Gerster's wax 

 extractor. The wax to be extracted is placed in a 

 perforated metal cage, which fits into an outer case, and 

 the whole fits tightly over a pan containing water. This 

 is placed on the fire. When boiling, steam circulates 

 around the wax in the upper part of the apparatus, 

 the molten wax being caught in a tray immediately 

 underneath the perforated cage, whence it is conveyed 

 to a dish (which should contain a little hot water) by 

 means of a side delivery tube. 



