Beeswax

A Forest Industry for the Islands?

By F. J. Morgan

BEESWAX is one of the few important articles of commerce for which no effective synthetic substitute has been evolved in the laboratory. Not for want of trying, but because the peculiar properties of the wax are of a complex animal origin and reproduction has not been found practicable.

There is a growing world-wide short age of beeswax which will increase as secondary industries expand, due in the first place to its manifold uses for which there is no satisfactory material even in nature with which to replace if and, secondly, because in highly indus trialised countries bees are kept for honey production and cannot be allowed to waste their time and energy produc ing wax.

Australia and New Zealand, both honey exporting countries, are now wax importing countries, as official statistics show. In the Commonwealth, the short age now has reached alarming propor tions because of the rapid growth of industry; and the market price for locally produced wax has soared to an uneconomic level from the point of view of the manufacturer.

Most of the wax imported into Aus tralia during the financial year 1938-39 came from Tanganyika and East Indian sources. Whether beeswax is available in commercial quantities in the forests of New Guinea or other islands in the Pacific Ocean has yet to be proved, but it is worth careful investigation.

In the Malay Archipelago, for in stance, Timor Island had established a large export trade in beeswax to China before the Sino-Japanese war began.

Sarawak has given the subject some attention, and in 1935 (the last year for which figures are available) exported 12,096 lb., valued at 554 Straits dollars per ton. During the same period, British North Borneo exported 11,516 lb., valued at £386 sterling.

New Guinea may, therefore, be re garded as a potential exporter. The method of gathering must depend on the willingness of local labour, as well as profusion of forest colonies of bees.

In the tropical parts of Africa, and in the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, the methods exploited vary between buying from natives, who bring the wax in for trading, or employment of natives in systematic, efficient search patrols.

Should any reader consider this matter worthy of further investigation, it is advisable to remember that wax produced by the East Indian and Asiatic bees is softer and more plastic than wax from other bees, and it would be advisable to send a sample of the wax collected for test and analysis be fore commencing serious search.

THE Trigona (or Dammar) bee ex tends right through New Guinea and, in fact, right through the en tire tropic belt. There are many varie ties of this species of small stingless bee, and the quality of the wax and honey produced by them varies just as greatly. At the same time, it should not be dismissed without local obser vation of its habits, because from some of these bees a good marketable wax has been gathered.

When a nest is located in a tree or crevice in the rocks, the bees can be smoked out and the comb or nest collected in buckets and later trans ferred to a linen bag to be squeezed to drain off the honey. The wax remain

ing will be dirty and mixed with pieces of earth and bark or other debris.

A simply way to refine and bleach the dross is to place it on a sheet of corru gated roofing-iron and incline the iron at a slight angle, facing the sun. Under the solar heat the wax melts and will run down the grooves into receptacles placed in position to catch it. This is quite a practical method which serves the dual purpose of bleaching and re fining. Dirt is left behind on the iron sheet and the wax caught and left to harden in the containers. A kerosene tin cut in halves, into two small troughs, makes excellent containers.

For most purposes a good clean yellow colour is in heavy demand, but best prices are obtained for white or light straw-coloured wax for only these can be coloured with very light and de licate shades of dyes.

In passing, it is advisable to note that wax from India was in very bad repute for many years because of the adultera tion practised extensively by the natives.

This is now a punishable offence in most countries and, as adulteration is easily detected by wax technicians, it is rarely possible to get away with it even once, although it is occasionally at tempted.

Present prices of beeswax in Sydney are from 2/1 to 2/2 per lb., but these prices are exceptional and are a little too high for the average manufacturer.

A fair price to expect for all parties would be about 1/1 to 1/3 per lb. net, in Sydney market.

Imports of beeswax into Australia during the year ended July, 1939, give some indication of the position as it stood two years ago. Much larger quan tities are needed now. The official figures extracted from Federal statistics were as follows: —

Total imports of beeswax into Australia: 70,745 lb., valued at £4,685.

Australian local production is prac tically all used up in the manufacture of beeswax comb-foundation, whereby the wax is purified and rolled out into sheets with embryo cells stamped on them to save the poor bee from doing too much unproductive work.

Ode to a Tourist Ship in an

Islands Port

WHEN does the common mortal cease To be a mortal, and become A raging lambkin in the fleece Of lions, breathing gin and rum?

Why does the ordinary man Cast off his coat of sombre hue, His sober mien become “Can-Can”, And vermouth his stern lips bedew?

Why does the honest working girl Parade her thighs so white and wan?

The banners of her eyes unfurl?

Distract the thoughts of Island man?

O, tourist ship, wherein doth lie Thy magic Circe art to change Thy boarders' ways; art thou a sty That all their decent minds derange?

Fiji- — R.

Mrs. Kit McKerlie, a resident of the Solomon Islands for many years and during the last 12 months, hostess at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Samarai, Papua, was given a farewell party by a large circle of her friends on the eve of her departure in June for Australia where she will reside in future. Her husband is at pre sent a member of the AIF serving in the Middle East.

Importing States. lb.

New South Wales 22.243 Victoria 43,493 Queensland 1 South Australia 2,621 Western Australia 2,275 Tasmania 112