1921.] Beeswax: Methods of Extraction. 365 



applied to the bag while boihng, and in the case of old combs, 

 if these are well soaked in water previously to melting. 



If only a small quantity of wax is to be dealt with, it may be 

 placed on a piece of perforated zinc over a bowl of rain water, 

 and put in the oven. The wax will melt and drop through the 

 perforated zinc into the water; the impurities will remain on 

 the zinc and can be thrown away. The bowl is then taken out 

 of the oven and the water and wax allowed to cool, when the 

 latter will have set in a cake and can be Ufted off. 



The melting point of pure beeswax is between 63° and 64° C, 

 which is higher than that of any other wax. The colour, which 

 varies from pale primrose to orange red, depends to a great 

 extent upon the variety of pollen consumed by the bees. It is a 

 curious fact that dark honey produces a light wax, while light 

 honey yields one of a darker hue. 



For commercial purposes the lightest coloured wax commands 

 the best price, and therefore, before extracting, it is advisable 

 to grade the combs. Those which have not been occupied by 

 brood, and also cappings removed from combs previous to 

 extracting the honey, will yield the best wax, and should be sorted 

 out and melted separately from old combs, which will yield a 

 darker and consequently less valuable wax. 



It is unfortunately a fact that adulteration of beeswax some- 

 times occurs. The materials used for this purpose include tallow, 

 stearin, paraffin, vegetable wax, resin, and ozokerit. Owing to 

 their low melting point, the addition of any of these to beeswax 

 used for making comb foundation is disastrous in its effect. The 

 following are simple tests for detecting adulteration : — 



(1) A small piece of wax i)laced in the nioutli and chcued slionld not 

 adhere to the teeth, or become pasty, bnt, i^eneially speaking, should 

 disintegrate into small fragments, and have no unpleasant taste. 



(2) Place a piece of suspected wax (of the size of a small mit) into a 

 test tube, half fill with spirits of turpentine, and carefully warm over the 

 flame of a spiiit lamj). If the solution is cloudy, or a deposit is thrown* 

 down, the solution is not complete, and the v.-ax is adulterated, as spirits 

 of turpentine completely dissolves pure beeswax. 



A large quantity of wax is imported into this country from 

 Germany, Holland, Madagascar, Chili, Brazil, and various other 

 countries. The value of the importations in 1919 of beeswax, 

 ozokerit, and earth wax was .£1,045,415, of which the greater 

 portion was probably beeswax. It is important, therefore, that 

 none of this valuable material should bo wasted, for when 

 recovered and sold it w'^l reduce to a considerable extent the large 



