'69 



immediately commence to flow from the outlet provided in the press. 

 A kerosene-tin or similar vessel should be placed in position under 

 the outlet. 



Two precautions are necessary in using a wax-press. Pressure 

 should at all times be applied with caution. Until the flow from the 

 press slackens, the screw should not be turned, and when it becomes 

 necessary to apply pressure this should be done without appreciable 

 effort. The screw should always turn easily. It will be found that 

 if this advice is taken the maximum of wax will be obtained with very 

 little risk to the machine. Another point to be borne in mind is that 

 only a comparatively small quantity of water and wax must be put 

 into the bag at each ladling. It is difficult to exactly estimate how 

 much to treat at once, so much depends on the proportions of wax and 

 water, but on no account attempt to fill the scrim bag at one operation. 

 When the wax and water cease to run from the outlet the bag should 

 be removed, and the slumgum emptied out before the press is required 

 to deal with any more wax. 



As the copper wiU, of course, contain a great deal of water, it is 

 an excellent plan to keep a kerosene-pump in the vessel placed to 

 receive the contents of the press. If this is sunk to the bottom of the 

 vessel it will draw off a great deal of the water, leaving the wax, which 

 will, of course, be on top, untouched. This will result in the wax 

 being gathered in far larger cakes than if several vessels are used. 

 The wax should be set aside to cool as gradually as possible, this 

 being best achieved by covering the tin containing it with cornsacks 

 or similar material. The gradual cooling helps to clarify the wax. 

 When it is quite cold the cake should be taken put of the tin and 

 carefully scraped. 



The tin should now be washed out and partly filled with clean hot 

 water, the cake of wax replaced, and the whole gradually heated until 

 the wax is once more melted. After this second process the whole 

 should be slowly cooled as before, and when the wax is once more 

 removed and scraped it will have reached its commercial form. The 

 wax-press and copper should be cleansed while still hot. The water 

 should be emptied out of its compartment in the press at once, and 

 the press placed to drain in order to prevent rust. The slumgum must 

 be gathered up and burnt, and the bag washed and dried for future 



DISEASES OF BEES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 

 The hive-bee (Apis mellifica), like aU other animals, especially those 

 under domestication, is subject to several diseases, some fortunately 

 of minor importance. The most injurious are those which attack and 

 destroy the brood, thus preventing the normal development of young 

 bees, and the inevitable result of which, when allowed to run their 

 course, is the rapid decline and ultimate extermination of the colonies 

 affected. 



Foul-brood.* 



The most pernicious of bee-diseases is what we know as " foul- 

 brood," a germ disease of a very infectious nature, and only too 

 familiar to the majority of beekeepers. It is, without doubt, the 

 greatest drawback to successful bee-culture known at the present time, 

 and seems to be prevalent in all countries where bee-culture is followed. 



* This subject is also dealt with in the Department's Bulletin No. I (New 

 Series), " Foul-brood in Bees and its Treatment." 



