BEESWAX 209 



same thing will occur if the combs contain much 

 honey. In this latter case the honey burns a 

 dark brown colour. Wax boiled in a copper tank 

 usually assumes an "orangy" shade, but if remelted, then 

 suddenly run off into icy cold water, it regains some of 

 its original shade of colour. Iron-rust stains the wax a 

 dark ferreous brown, zinc and galvanised iron impart 

 a dark olive green colour ; brass gives a green, somewhat 

 of a verdigris tint. It is extremely difficult to remove 

 the colour from stained wax. 



In melting beeswax a knowledge of its chemical 

 constituents is useful. Otto Hehner {"The Chemistry 

 of the Hive") has corrected many errors and gives us 

 the following facts. ' ' If wax is boiled in alcohol, cerotic 

 acid forms about 14^/2 per cent, of the body and dissolves 

 out, while the residue, myricine, remains practically 

 unaffected. Cerotic acid crystallises in fine delicate 

 needles, fusing at 172 degrees F. Myricine, without 

 crystalline formation, is of a greyish-white colour, fusing 

 at 127 degrees F. If myricine is boiled with sodium 

 sulphate it is divided into two parts, myricylic alcohol 

 and palmitic acid ; the latter uniting with the alkali forms 

 a soap. ' ' 



It is apparent from the foregoing that the best 

 sample of wax is obtained when treated with moderate 

 heat. Indeed, when overheated, wax may undergo a certain 

 amount of chemical change. One further matter, a careful 

 man is required to supervise the running-off of the acids, 

 as carelessness in this matter may result in a proportion 

 of the acid remaining in the wax. This would of course 

 render it unsuitable for many kinds of delicate work, 

 besides injuring the tools of certain skilled workers.. 

 Over-heating causes the wax to assume a grained consis- 

 tency, and the only way to restore it is to melt again by 

 running over a dry heated surface. It is well to bear in 

 mind that it is better to keep wax just below boiling point 

 at any time. The melting point is about 144 degrees F. 



