lo March, 1910.] Yinegar from Apples. 151 



Pending the final results of scientific investigation, I would recommend 

 to bee-keepers : — 



1. To avoid the transferring of combs of brood honey or pollen from 

 one colony to another. 



2. To return, as far as possible, extracted combs to the hive from which 

 thev were taken. 



3. To remove all surplus combs before winter, after replacing them 

 in the hive for cleaning up by the bees. 



4. To mark the boxes of spare combs with the number of the hives 

 from which thev came, and to return them to the same hives when wanted 

 in spring. 



5. To treat a certain number of strong, medium, and weak colonies 

 in the wav suggested, if it should be impossible to deal with all. 



VIXEGAR FROM APPLES. 



F de Castclla, Govermneiit Yiticiilturist. 



A correspondent writes for information concerning the making of 

 vinegar from apples. He asks the following questions : — 



1. Would it be likely to pay? 



2. What implements would be required ? 



3. How he should proceed? 



As conversion into vinegar may provide a means of turning to account, 

 apples which would be unsaleable for other purposes, a replv to the above 

 questions at some length may prove of interest to apple-growers. 



Good wholesome vinegar can undoubtedly be made from apples. Large 

 quantities are produced from this source every year, in France. Though 

 not quite equal to wine vinegar, it is, if properly made, superior to much of 

 the malt, and other vinegars which find so readv a sale in Victoria, where 

 the general public is very easy to please in the matter of vinegar. Curiously 

 enough, it seems to have become so accustomed to the inferior article 

 usuallv to be met with, that many persons even prefer it to the best wine 

 vinegar, at least at first. Wine vinegar, in spite of its marked superiority, 

 is, to some extent, an acquired taste with us, though once such taste is 

 acquired it is preferred to all others. The writer had occasion to discuss 

 this question recentlv with the leading wine-vinegar maker of South Aus- 

 tralia. Though admitting that he encountered a good deal of prejudice 

 at first, his business in the article continued to expand since, as he 

 explained, " I never lose a customer." 



The superiority of wine vinegar over that from all other sources is 

 proved by the considerable quantitv which is still imported, in bottle, 

 from France. In spite of its high cost, persons with educated palates 

 refuse to use any other. Excellent vinegar, equal to the best French, 

 is now produced on a commercial scale, in "Victoria, so there is no longer 

 need to have recourse to the imported article. Apple, or perhaps more 

 correctly, cider vinegar, though not equal to the best made from wine, 

 from which it differs by a flight characteristic (but not unpleasant) taste, 

 reminding of the apple, is nevertheless an excellent and wholesome product 

 and one which is appreciated in most apple-growing countries. Indeed, 

 persons accustomed to cider vinegar usuallv prefer it to anv other. 



