CANDIED HONEY. 



75 



CANDIED HONEY. 



liquid for a year. After that time, especial- 

 ly if it has been subjected to cold during the 

 previous winter, there are likely to be a few 

 scattering granules in each cell. These 

 gradually increase in number until the comb, 

 honey, and wax become almost one solid 

 mass. In such condition it is fit neither for 

 the market, the table, nor for feeding back, 

 and should be treated by the plan we will 

 describe presently. 



IS GRANULATION A TEST OF PURITY? 



In the eyes of the general public, granu- 

 lated honey is not pure, many thinking it 

 has been "sugared," either with brown or 

 white sugar. But the very fact that it gran- 

 ulates solid is one of the best proofs of its 

 purity. If honey granulates only partially, 

 in streaks, it may be evidence of the fact 

 that it has been adulterated with glucose. 

 But even pure honey will assume this condi- 

 tion, while honey that is nearly two-thirds 

 or three-quarters glucose granulates very lit- 

 tle. Here, again, it must not be taken as posi- 

 tive evidence that, because honey refuses to 

 granulate, or does so only slightly, therefore 

 it is adulterated. The purity of any honey 

 can usually be determined through the taste 

 by an expert bee-keeper who has tested vari- 

 ous grades of honey, and knows their gener- 

 al flavor. But here, <igain, even taste must 

 not be considered an infallible test. Doubts 

 can be removed only by referring a sample 

 or samples to an expert chemist. See Hon- 

 ey Adulteration. 



to prevent candying of honey. 



There is no plan that will act as an abso- 

 lute preventive ; but by a method which we 

 will describe, granulation can be deferred 

 for one and possibly two years. Even after 

 treatment, if the honey is subjected to a 

 freezing and thawing temperature for a 

 series of days it will be almost sure to start 

 candying again. Continuous cold weather 

 with the mercury slightly above zero is 

 not as favorable as alternate cold and warm 

 weather. 



After the first few days the honey will ap- 

 pear slightly cloudy. Ttiis murky appear- 

 ance grows more pronounced, and granula- 

 tion proceeds more rapidly, until the point 

 of solidification is reached. But there is no 

 excuse for having honey at any time, either 

 comb or extracted, kept in a zero or freezing 

 temperature ; for all practical purposes we 

 can prevent honey candying for a year on 

 the average. 



There are two methods commonly in vogue 

 to prevent honey from candying again. One 



is, to put it ill a double boiler or vat, and 

 gradually raise the temperature to 150 or 160 

 degrees Fahr., holding it at that point till 

 all the honey is melted. It should then be 

 put into bottles or tin cans, and sealed while 

 hot. While this plan is very good, a much 

 better one, in cur opinion, is to melt the 

 candied honey very slightly and keep it at a 

 temperature of 140° Eahr., for three days. 

 Do not let it go above 145=^. The process of 

 melting will be very slow, and a continuous 

 slow heat so acts on. the honey that it will 

 remain liquid much longer than when the 

 heat is applied more rapidly and raised to a 

 higher point. It is then sealed hot, as in the 

 other case. 



For full particulars on bottling honey to 

 keep it in a liquid condition, see Extract- 

 ed Honey. 



To liquefy honey in the candied state, or 

 heat it to prevent its getting into that con- 

 dition, the honey should be placed in a dou- 

 ble boiler — that is to say, a tank with double 

 walls, having the space between the walls 

 filled with water. This may be placed on 

 the stove and filled with honey. The double 

 boiler used by the Rauchfuss broihers, of 

 Denver, Col., is shown in the engraving on 

 page 76, and its manner of construction will 

 be apparent. 



Where one doesn't have such a boiler, and 

 can not afford one, he could make a very 

 good substitute by taking a common wash- 

 boiler. Into this put some blocks about an 

 inch square. On these blocks place three or 

 four tin pails, or as many as will go into the 

 boiler. Should he have something larger 

 than awash-boiler it would be all the better. 

 The honey is then filled into the tin pails. If 

 candied solid it may be handled with a 

 spade. Water is poured into the wash-boiler 

 until it comes within two inches of the top 

 of the pails. The whole is then placed on 

 the stove, and subjected to a slow heat. 

 When the w'ater reaches a temperature of 

 160, or nearly that, let the fire be checked ; 

 the honey should not become any hotter, be- 

 cause it may otherwise injure the flavor as 

 well as the color. Honey should never be 

 brought to a boiling temperature except to 

 kill the germs of foul brood, when all such 

 honey should be fed back provided it has 

 boiled at least two hours. 



Mr. C.W. Dayton, of Chatsworth, Cal., has 

 another and very simple outfit to liquefy 

 honey. As it can be made out of materials 

 found in any bee-keepers yard, at v-ery small 

 cost, many will, perhaps, prefer it to the 

 Kauchi'uss double boiler above described. 



