422 



Jonnial of Agriculture , Victoria. [lo June, 191 i. 



Pollen grains, which are always present in honey, have no doulit some 

 influence in the granulation of honey in acting as nuclei of crystallization. 

 At any rate, it is certain that the honey from those Eucalypts from which 

 bees gather an abundance of pollen, such as Red Gum and Grey Box,^ 

 granulates very quickly, while that from Yellow Box and Red Box, 

 producing little or no pollen for bees, remains liquid considerably longer. 



When the modern method of removing the honey from the combs — by 

 centrifugal force in the honey-extractor — was first adopted, it was soon-- 

 found that extracted honey candied sooner than strained honey, that is, 

 honey obtained by bruising the combs and straining through bags. This 

 greater liability to granulation in extracted honey is due to the minute air 

 bubbles incorporated during the process of extraction. 



Clear honey always realizes a better price than cloudy or congealed ; 

 the latter is the trade term for candied. Producers should therefore aim 

 at their honey remaining clear and liquid as long as possible. This can' 

 be accomplished by the removal of the factors which hasten granulation, 

 namely, excess of moisture, pollen grains, and air bubbles. 



In a moist district, or in any district late in the season, honey should 

 not be extracted until the combs are well sealed over. When extracting 

 the honey, it should be heated to 160 degrees before being poured into a 

 .settling tank. This can be done by drawing the honev into open 60 lb. 

 tins, and standing these in hot watei until the required temperature is 

 reached. Honev. when hot, is almost as thin as water. Thus, in the 

 settling tank, air bubbles, pollen grains, and fine particles of wax rise to- 

 the surface, while a percentage of water is evaporated at the same time. 



In some of the larger apiaries an apparatus for heating the honey is 

 inserted between the honey gate of the extractor and the settling tank, to 

 which the honey finds its way by gravitation. It mav be drawn off. while 

 still slightly warm, into tins ready for market. Honev thus treated remains 

 liquid for manv months, presenting a smooth, clean surface when sampled. 



If, when kept for a long time, it does candy, it may be re-liquified, 

 and will not throw up a layer, of froth as will honey not previously heated. 

 In liquifying candied honey, great care should be exercised not to spoil 

 it by over-heating. The temperature of the water in which the tms are 

 placed should not exceed 170 degrees. The melting cannot be forced 

 without spoiling the honey. A 60-lb. tin candied solid will take four hours 

 to liquify. By over-heating, the flavour and colour of the honey may 

 be spoiled, and yet a little solid piece remain in the tin, from which 

 granulation again commences almost at once. When many tins have to be dealt 

 with, speed should not be attained by increasing the temperature and reduc- 

 ing the length of time, but by setting a greater number of tins going at the- 

 same time. 







