170 ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 



then handle the two remaining sides in the same manner. Next 

 remove the form, and put another rack on the top, the same as was 

 used underneath. Now put on the follower and add the screw- 

 pressure. When the wax stops running, loosen up the screw, give 

 the cheese a half turn, and add more pressure. If you have done a 

 good job there will not be a particle of wax left in the slum gum. 

 One pressure is all that is necessary for a boiler full of cappings; but 

 with old combs four or five times maj' be required. Always keep in 

 mind that the less slum gum put into the press the more perfecth' 

 can it be freed from wax. 



It will be noticed that the honey and wax have never been 

 brought to the boiling point, hence the honey has not been injured 

 for the making of vinegar; and after the wax has cooled and been 

 taken off in a cake, the^ honey and water may be emptied into an 

 open-end barrel. After it has stood over night, or until the sediment 

 has settled, skim, and dip off the top, and the sweetened water thus 

 secured is as good material for making vinegar as it is possible to 

 secure; while every ounce of wax has been removed from the cap- 

 pings. The sweetened water thus secured is too sweet for tlie mak- 

 ing of vinegar, but more soft water may be added and the vinegar 

 made in the usual way. This is why we do not render old, black, 

 brood combs at the same time that we melt up the cappings. 



The same boiler is used for clarifying the wax. After a little 

 cleaning around the upper edge, put in a pail of water, then fill with 

 the wax as it comes from the press, only be particular to chop it up 

 fine. Any chunks larger than two inches in diameter should be 

 chopped up with the axe, as we wish to melt it with the least fossilile 

 heat. As in the first melting, the chunks are kept broken apart with 

 a paddle. Give a little more time for the wax to melt rather than 

 have it boil; and just the moment that it is all melted, slide it off the 

 stove the same as before, cover up with two or three thicknesses of 

 blankets, andlet it stand until there are signs of its caking around the 

 edges. Usually, four or five hours are enough time for the impuri- 

 ties to settle to the bottom, After skimming the wax, it is ready to 

 dip off and cake. Clean your long handled dipper, and with it dip 

 off the wax into flaring-top, tin pails. Don't make the mistake of 

 putting any water into the pails. There is a little knack about dip- 

 ping out the wax in such a way as not to disturb the sediment any 

 more than is possible. Don't think of dipping right in, just as 

 though you were dipping water, but drop the side of the dipper into 

 the wax, say, three-fourths of an inch, then carefully sink the bottom 

 of the dipper down into the wax, always keeping the top edge near 

 the surface of the wax. By dipping in this manner, it is surprising 



