534 



BEESWAX AND ITS USES. 



beeswax. A French wax-bleacher, Mr. Kuhn, devised a kettle, 

 described in the American Bee Journal, which permits of 

 stirring the combs while they are held under water. In this 

 way the wax is permitted to escape. To make it still more 

 easy for the wax to come to the surface they use salt water, 

 which is heavier than ordinary rain water and its greater 

 density causes the wax to float more readily. 



But the ultimate method for getting all the wax out of the 

 "slum-gum" or residues is the use of a press. The German 



Pig. 229. 



DOOLITTLE SOLAR WAX EXTRACTOR. 



press 'does good work, if not too great a quantity of residue 

 is rendered at one time. Mr. Hershiser of Buffalo has de- 

 vised a press in which he uses screens between several layers 

 of beeswax. These screens allow the wax to escape from the 

 center of the mass, much on the same plan as the large cider 

 presses of Illinois, in which the apple cheese is separated 

 by cloth in a dozen different layers. The different presses 

 must be used over steam or water, so as to keep the mass hot 

 all the time. 



