§ XVII.] MELTING COMBS DOWN. 275 



temptation the honey offers to bees, who will be eager 

 to gain a share. Honey, whilst in the combs, keeps 

 remarkably well when left in the supers ; if cut out, the 

 combs should be folded in writing paper, and sealed up, 

 so as to effectually prevent the free entrance of air ; they 

 should then be placed in a warm dry closet. 



§ XVII. MELTING COMBS DOWN. 



Comb for which there is no use as such should be 

 melted down into cake wax. Brood comb which has 

 undergone its five years or so of service will probably not 

 repay the trouble, and should therefore be thrown away. 

 But if in good condition it should be put into a clean 

 saucepan with plenty of soft water, and gently boiled or 

 simmered over a clear fire till it is melted, when, the 

 wax will rise to the top. It must then be ^ run through 

 a strainer (never mind a little water going with it) into a 

 stoneware or earthen pan, the sides of -which have beep 

 greased to prevent adhesion. The re/use is then collected 

 in a coarse bag and boiled again, a flat iron or other 

 heavy weight being placed upon it to hold it down,, and 

 a plate or- other false bottom beneath it to prevent its 

 burning. By working this about with a rod or ladle a 

 quantity more of wax. will be brought out from it, and 

 more still by, applying to 'the bag a wet rolling-pin 

 upon a board also wet ; , the additional wax thus obtained 

 may be added to the other, and the whole boiled again 

 with a very little clean water and over a slow fire. Skim 



