8 
COLORADO EXPERIMB^NT STATION 
very secure. The results show that on an average the efficiency of the 
Ferris extractor is about one per cent, below the Root extractor for num¬ 
ber two comb and about twelve per cent, below for comb number three. 
The Swiss Steam Wax Extractor. This extractor is made in two 
sections. The lower one is an ordinary can and contains water. The 
upper section has a bottom in the shape of an inverted funnel and rests 
on the lower one. Inside the upper section is placed a basket made of 
galvanized wire-cloth. The wax is placed in the basket and the machine 
placed on the stove. Steam is generated in the bottom, passes up 
through the hole in the center of the funnel shaped bottom of the upper 
section and comes in contact with the comb in the basket. The wax in 
the comb melts and runs down and out of a spout into a pan containing 
water. The Swiss extractor was used without pressure and the result 
shows an increase in efficiency caused by the use of pressure in wax ex¬ 
traction. The Swiss extractor can be used in connection with a press 
by putting the comb in a sack and transferring it to the press, but this 
method gives the wax a chance to cool and is not as efficient as some of 
the others. 
Remelting Test. The results given above are for the wax as it 
comes out of the extractor. It was thought that it might be well to de¬ 
termine the amount of dirt in the different samples of wax. The wax 
used was that obtained in some of the preceding experiments with the 
Ferris, Swiss and solar extractors. 
The wax obtained from each extractor was broken into small pieces, 
the sample thoroughly mixed, and a separate portion weighed and re- 
melted in each of the four extractors. The wax from the steam ex¬ 
tractor was allowed to drop from the spout into a dish of water on a 
water bath. The heat of the water in the water bath kept the wax 
incited and the dirt settled to the bottom. Owing to the lateness of the 
season the wax in the pans of the solar extractors did not remain melted. 
To have the conditions as near as possible the same as in the steam ex¬ 
traction, the wax from the solar extractors was put in a, dish on the water 
bath, heated and the dirt allowed to settle. In both cases the dirt which 
had settled to the bottom of the cake was trimmed off and remelted over a 
water bath. This process was continued until all of the dirt was re¬ 
moved. The percentage of clean wax obtained was, for the solar ex¬ 
tractor number one, 94.66, the solar number two, 96.19; the Ferris, • 
96.31, and the Swiss, 94.38. 
Pressing Under Water. The comb, with some water, was put in a 
tub on the stove and the wax allowed to melt, but not to boil. A cau 
was placed under a press and a slatted follower placed in the bottom of 
the can. Above this was placed a burlap bag and the hot water, melted 
wax and comb were poured into the bag, the top of the bag folded over, 
a slatted follower placed on top and pressure applied by means of a 
screw. After some of the wax had been forced out, the water and wax 
were drawn off, the pressure relieved, the slumgum stirred, hot water 
added and pressure applied again. The can, which fits under the press, 
has two holes which are stopped by corks. One is at the bottom and the 
