ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 



171 



to see how close one can dip to the sediment without disturbing it. 

 Stop dipping as soon as signs of sediment appear in the dipper, and 

 what is left in the boiler can go into the next melting. Let me re- 

 peat: If you wish for nice, soft, pliable wax, that is so much in 

 demand in the markets, donH ever allow your wax to hail in any pro- 

 cess of rendering." 



For cleaning any utensils that are daubed up with wax, use a 

 cloth saturated with benzine. Benzine will dissolve wax much as 

 water will dissolve sugar. 



For some mysterious reason, sulphuric acid will cleanse or 

 clarify beeswax that is brown, or black, or almost any color, bring- 

 ing it back to a nice, bright yellow. The bee-keeper who renders 

 his wax according to the methods here described, will probably have 

 no need for using acids, but those who buy wax for making into 

 foundation find the use of the acid almost indispensible. A kettle or 

 some other vessel, is filled perhaps one-third full of water, and then 

 filled up with cakes of wax. By the use of steam, or by setting the 

 vessel on a stove, the wax is melted, when acid is added at the rate 

 of about one pint of acid to 12 gallons of water. Soon after the acid 

 is poured in, the wax will be seen to change to a lighter hue, when 

 the heat may be stopped, and the sediment allowed to settle, after 

 which the pure wax can be dipped of the top. If a metal vessel is 

 used, it must be thoroughly washed after use, and it would be well 

 to rub it over with grease to prevent any further action of the acid. 



