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The Solar Wax Extractor is the most efficient and 

 economical method. The cost of the extractor is the only 

 expense incurred, as the sun provides the necessary heat. 

 The appliance is really a miniature garden franae, with a 

 double glazed and hinged light (Fig. 2). Inside, the frame 

 is fitted with a metal tray which slopes down to a tin 

 trough covered with wire gauze. The extractor is placed 

 in a sunny position and the material to be treated is spread 

 thinly over the bottom of the metal tray. The wax melts 

 and runs into the trough, being strained of impurities by 

 the wire gauze covering. When the melted wax ceases to 

 flow, the dross remaining in the tray is removed and a 

 fresh supply of material given. Another advantage of this 

 extractor is that no storage of old combs or refuse is 

 necessary; these can be put in for treatment as collected. 



If a garden frame is available, it can be used for extracting 

 wax by placing the material to be treated in a perforated 

 zinc tray over a metal box (such, for instance, as a biscuit 

 tin), placed close up to the glass light. Wax extracted by 

 solar beat improves in colour instead of deteriorating, as it 

 may do when st-eam or boiling water is used. 



Steam. — The material to be extracted by methods (2) and 

 (3) must be stored until required in an air-tight tin, for 

 protection against the ravages of the wax moth. In the 

 winter it can be melted over the kitchen fire by means of a 

 Gerster wax extractor (Fig. 3). 



Thi8 is an arrangement similar to a domestic steamer, as illustrated 

 in Pig. 3. It consists of a cylindrical, perforated, tin basket (A), 

 having a cone-shaped tube running up the centre (c), which is also 

 perforated, and open at the top to allow the steam to percolate right 

 through the combs or wax that are placed in it for melting. The upper 

 part of the appliance (B) consists of a circular shaped pan, having a false 

 bottom or tray (tr.) about IJ in. deep. This is fixed so that there is a, 

 space between it and the wall of the pan, in order that the steam can 

 pass up the sides and into the perforated basket, as indicated by the 

 arrows. 



From this tray the melted wax passes through a tube (indicated in the 

 drawing by the word " wax "). There is also a cone-shaped tube (st.) 

 running up from the tray, which fits very loosely into a similar 

 perforated tube (c) in the basket. When placed in position, as shown 

 in section at B, this is open at the top to allow the steam to pass 

 through as indicated by the arrows, and thus permeate the wax or combs 

 in the basket. The basket does not fit close down on the tray, but is 

 raised about 1 in. on three legs. The bottom pan is for water only 



The method of working is as follows : — The perforated basket is 

 filled with comb which has first been broken into small pieces; these 

 should not be pressed down, but put in as loosely as possible The 

 basket is placed in position in pan B, and covered with the lid (]). 

 Pan B is now fitted on pan (c), which has previously been filled with rain 

 water. The appliance is then put on the fire, and when the water 

 boils the steam will pass in the directions indicated and will melt the 

 wax from the combs in the perforated basket. The molten wax will 

 ooze out through the perforations, run down the sides of the basket 

 into the tray, and thence out of the tube, where it drops into cold 

 rain water, contained in a vessel CD) placed for the purpose of 

 receiving it. As soon as it is cold, the wax will be found to have 



