86 MANUAL OF APICULTURE. 



These may, however, contain considerable wax which they have 

 absorbed as it melted. This waste nniy be avoided in a great measure 

 if the combs are broken up and soaked in rain water for twenty-four 

 hours before melting. 



Cakes of wax, if designed for the comb-foundation manufacturer, 

 will be acceptable just as they come from the wax extractor, but if for 

 the general market they should all be remelted in order to purify them. 

 This must be done with care or the wax Avill be seriously injured. Iron 

 vessels will discolor it, and as well or spring water frequently contains 

 iron, the use of rain water, whenever it is to come in contact with the 

 melted wax, will be found more desirable. Under the same circum- 

 stances it is best to melt the wax slowly, for if heated too rapidly the 

 particles become disaggregated and take u]} a certain quantity of water, 

 the mass loses its luster, and becomes pale and granular. In this con- 

 dition its market value is low. Eemelting slowly, especially in a solar 

 wax extractor, will restore it. 



These difficulties in purifying wax may be avoided if it is melted in 

 a tin or copper vessel and in a water bath, that is, the melter is to stand 

 within a larger vessel containing sufficient water to surround the former. 

 As much wax as possible should be melted at one time, and when con- 

 venient the inner can is left standing in the water, so that the wax 

 remains liquid some time, permitting the impurities to settle. These 

 may be shaved from the bottom of the cake and remelted if they con- 

 tain much wax. 



