372 THE bbk-kbjbpbr's guidb • 



badly. It will often pay to use the press on comb that has 

 been melted in the solar wax-extractor — nearly always in case 

 of very old comb. By taking- pains, both in collecting- and 

 melting, the apiarist will be surprised at the close of the sea- 

 son, as he views his numerous and beautiful cakes of wax, and 

 rejoice as he thinks how little trouble it has all cost. 



Beeswax as bought on the market is of all colors, and often 

 full of impurities. If this is melted in water containing sul- 

 phuric acid — one pound to overy 100 gallons of water — it may 

 be entirely cleansed, and made uniform. In very dirty comb 

 the acid should be doubled. If the comb is quite clean, not 

 more than half as much is required. Mr. Doolittle uses vin- 

 egar and water, half and half. One pint of vinegar answers 

 for ten. pounds of wax. This is more expensive than is the 

 sulphuric acid. This is usually melted in a wooden vessel — a 

 barrel serves well. It is melted by steam, and so there is no 

 danger of burning. Care is necessary that it does not boil 

 over, and that all the wax is melted. Thus, after it seems 

 melted it should simmer for a time. When cooled down to 

 near the point of solidification, it is dipped out, down to any 

 foreign matter, then cooled, and any remaining wax scraped 

 off. Wax thus cleansed makes the finest foundation. 



Wax is readily bleached by placing thin sheets or ribbons 

 in the sun. Unbleached wax is better for foundation, and in 

 use is practically as beautiful. 



Wax is adulterated with tallow, parafiBne and ceresin. We 

 can usually detect tallow by the odor and taste. The latter is 

 betrayed by chewing. Wax is brittle, while wax adulterated 

 with these coal-oil products is salvy, and so chews up like 

 gum. As stated on page 176, these petroleum products are 

 lighter than wax, so if .we add alcohol to water until a speci- 

 men of wax of known purity just sinks, we have a sure detec- 

 tion of this latter kind of adulteration. Mr. Root says he can 

 nearly alwa-ys detect adulteration in these ways. 



Hot water and benzine are excellent to clean wax from ves- 

 sels, etc. We must not melt wax in galvanized-iron vessels, 

 as it will injure the wax. 



