86 MANUAL OF APICULTURE. 
These may, however, contain considerable wax which they have 
absorbed as it melted. This waste may 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 rem el ted in order to purify them. 
This must be done with care or the wax will 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. It is best to melt the wax 
slowly, for if heated too rapidly the particles become disaggregated 
and take up a certain quantity of water, the mass loses its luster, and 
becomes pale and granular. In this condition its market value is low. 
Kemelting 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. 
