294 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 15. 



with them. This sample of my own was, I 

 judge, mostly all basswood honey, and was in 

 comb cut from partly filled sections of 1894. 

 The comb was, of course, clean, and as white as 

 comb made from foundation usually is. If 

 there was any admixture of other honey with 

 that in the comb it was, in all probability, that 

 from white and alsike clovers. This trial was 

 made with the honey in tin vessels, while it 

 will be remembered that, in the former test, an 

 earthen vessel was used for holding the honey. 



The results of the present experiment seem to 

 indicate the three facts; viz., that honeys from 

 different sources are differently affected by 

 heat, owing, probably, to the difference in the 

 character and amount of the acids they contain; 

 that honey heated with the wax of virgin comb 

 containing it is not affected thereby, and that 

 the composition of the vessel holding the honey 

 may have something to do with hastening or 

 retarding injury; for instance, in an earthen 

 vessel the heated particles of honey in contact 

 with the side of the vessel may not move so 

 readily to change places with those of a lower 

 temperature as in a burnished metal vessel, or 

 it may be that the heat is conveyed more in- 

 tensely by earthenware. The evidence on these 

 points will appear from the results of the exper- 

 iment, which I now give. 



Alfalfa honey is peculiar, if the sample you 

 sent is a fair one, in that it does not readily 

 become limpid on being melted. On that ac- 

 count I thought when it reached a temperature 

 of 14.5° that it had not dissolved, in which 

 notion I was probably mistaken, for it was still 

 cloudy at 180°. At 194° it had become tolerably 

 clear, but very much discolored, so that it was 

 of an amber color, almost brown. I could not 

 judge from the present sample, but I suppose 

 its natural color is about like that of honey 

 from the great willow-herb, almost water-white. 

 At 145° the color of the honey from the latter 

 plant was but slightly removed from that of 

 water, while that of the honey from the comb 

 had a golden tinge. Of both these, samples 

 were taken at 168, 180. and 194°. From 145 to 

 168°, and from 168 to 180°, the change in both 

 cases was equal and slight, being barely dis- 

 cernible; but from 180 to 194° the change was 

 very marked in the willow-herb sample, while 

 it was comparatively slight in the other, so at 

 this highest temperature the color of the for- 

 mer was very .-^lightly darker than that of the 

 latter, though it lacked much of being as dark 

 as that of the alfalfa honey, being golden rath- 

 er than brown. 



In the case of the comb sarijple, the wax was 

 retained in the melting-vessel throughout the 

 experiment; nevertheless, the change in color 

 was decidedly less rapid than in that used in 

 my former experiment; and it is upon this fact 

 that I base my opinion that the character of 

 the vessel used has something to do with the 



change in color and flavor. In these two sam- 

 ples at 180°, the change in taste was slight — 

 hardly distinguishable; but at 194° it was quite 

 evident. 



The time used in the process was about six 

 hours. I suspect a more rapid heating after 

 145° is reached might give a more favorable 

 result. Comments are in order. 



I used the word "harrowed" (see your re- 

 mark, page 227) altogether impersonally, and 

 with reference to mistakes, not " flings." Don't 

 mistake me: I have a lively appreciation of 

 your comments and criticisms, favorable or 

 otherwise — only let not the fact that 1 criticise 

 in return be taken as a proof that I am sore or 

 harbor hard feelings. 



In his Straw, page 204, Dr. Miller intimates 

 that there has been a scarcity of fish at our 

 house; but since he therein fails to distinguish 

 between "almost" and "altogether," and be- 

 tween "couldn't be" and isn't, and since he 

 differs so widely from you and me in his count 

 of surplus-preferences, will you please convey 

 to him my commiseration on account of the 

 fact that he does not live up here near the lake, 

 where we always have fish in plenty? Fight 

 fair, brethren. R. L. Taylor. 



Lapeer, Mich., March 26. 



[At Mr. Taylor's request I sent him a couple 

 of samples o/^ honey. The willow-herb is the 

 whitest honey we know of, and it comes as near 

 being literally " water white " as any honey in 

 the world. This honey I thought would be es- 

 pecially favorable for testing the effect of heat 

 on the color. 



The other sample— the alfalfa— is a very deli- 

 cately flavored honey, and the least change, I 

 think, would be detected by thfi taste. 



The results secured are very gratifying. As I 

 understand it, they neither disprove Mr. Tay- 

 lor's former honey heating experiments nor the 

 statement I made, to the effect that clover hon- 

 ey raised to a temperature of 180 degrees, and 

 sealed while hot to prevent candying, is injured 

 in flavor ; but it is evident that the 180 mark is 

 about the limit. If Mr. Taylor is right (and 

 I presume he is), the natural inference is 

 that a thermometer should always be used in 

 connection with ihe heating of honey (to pre- 

 vent candying), so as to be sure not to raise the 

 temperature above 180 degrees; for beyond that 

 point the value of the honey may be affected 

 adversely by a cent or two a pound.— Ed.] 



CULTIVATING SWEET CLOVER. 



WHERE IT WILL AND WILL NOT GROW; A SEA- 

 SONABLE ARTICLE. 



By H. R. Boardman. 



Yes, I am sure I can give a few hints in re- 

 gard to the cultivation of sweet clover, that 

 will be valuable to those who propose to sow it. 

 I have studied its habits for a good many years. 

 Almost every one falls into the fatal mistake of 

 supposing it will catch and grow anywhere, 

 with no further trouble than scattering a few 

 seeds. The requirements for success are, a 

 thoroughly underdrained or deeply drained 



