Be I' -keeping in Victoria. 



103 



of on liot water. The result is that the dirt, wliich will pass even 

 through the finest strainer, is diffused all through the lower part of the 

 wax instead of being in a separate layer, which can be scraped off. 

 Quick cooling results in unsightly cracks and clinging to the moulds. 

 Wax is often sent to market in bags, and the fibre and dust adhering to 

 it still further spoil its appearance. Blocks or cakes should not be larger 

 than 20 lbs. ; 10 or 12 lbs., however, is the best weight. 



Better attention to the saving, proper handling, and marketing of 

 bees-wax would well repay the beo-kecpcr, and add considerably to the 

 total anmuil value oi 

 production. 



When a,u a])ia,ry 

 has been in existence 

 for a number of 

 years it becomes ne- 

 cessary to replace 

 some of the old blacdc 

 brood combs. This 

 should be done every 

 season — whenever 

 an opportunity offers 

 to with(lr;iw them 

 from the bi'ood- 

 cliamber. They 



should then be re- 

 placed with new 

 ones. 



A Langstroth 

 comb, if built on a 

 full sheet of founda- 

 tion, contains about 

 2 ounces of wax 

 when new, but some- 

 what moi'e after it 

 has been in use for 

 some years, as tlie 

 bees add wax after 

 the fouudation is 

 first drawn out. 

 When very old (toml is 

 are boiled down 

 for wax, not mo/e 



Fig. 7. — Metal Wax-press showing parts. 



than eight should be put into each tin with three gallons of water, other- 

 wise the mass becomes too stiff and difficult to press clean of wax. 

 Sometimes, hundreds of combs have to be cut out and boiled down and a 

 great number of vessels would be required to hold the water and liquid 

 wax coming from the press until the wax is set, unless it is skimmed 

 off while hot, which is tedious work. 



By the use of a separating tank, wax and water can be separated 

 automatically, the wax being retained in the tank while the waste water, 



