308 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



Now please remember that I do not give this as a treat- 

 ment well tried and thoroughly reliable. My theory is only 

 a theory, and the plan of treatment needs confirmation, as the 

 newspapers say. I only say that I think the treatment worth 

 trying because it has worked with success so far; and if it 

 proves successful with others it will be no small gain. 



Remember, too, that it is European foul brood I am talk- 

 ing about. For American foul brood the plan would be worth- 

 less. 



DRIPPING-PAN WAX-EXTRACTOR. 



Before the introduction of the solar wax-extractor, the 

 rendering of wax was generally reserved as winter's work, 

 and indeed after the introduction of the solar it was often 

 convenient to work up in winter some of the material saved 

 up. A very simple arrangement on a small scale did excellent 

 work on much the same principle as the solar extractor, only 

 the heat of the stove was used in place of solar heat. 



An old dripping-pan (of course a new one would do) 

 had one comer split open, and that made the extractor. The 

 dripping-pan is put into the oven of a cookstove with the split 

 corner projecting out (Fig. 107). The opposite corner, the 

 one farthest in the oven, is slightly raised by having a pebble 

 or something of the kind under it, so that the melted wax will 

 run outward. A dish set under catches the dripping wax, 

 making the outfit complete. Of course the material to be 

 melted is put in the pan the same as in the solar extractor. 



SOLAR WAX-EXTRACTOR. 



I do not know that the solar extractor has any advantage 

 over the dripping-pan arrangement, except that the sun furn- 

 ishes free heat. In either case, when old combs are melted a 

 good deal of wax remains in the refuse or slumgum, because 

 the cocoons act much like sponges. Especially is this the case 

 if more than a single thickness of comb is placed for melting, 



STEAM WAX-PRESS. 



So when the German steam wax-press came, leaving the 

 slumgum mostly free from wax, the solar extractor had to 

 take a back seat, leaving wa,x-rendering again a proper thing 

 jf or winter work, 



