190 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar 1 



ey at about 140 to 150° Fa., and a large honey- 

 gate, we attain the maximum of rapidity in 

 filling. Besides, I found, at least in my ex- 

 perience, that, in filling with cold honey, a 

 large number of air-bubbles formed, thus pre- 

 venting our getting the desired amount in the 

 bottles. It would also run over the sides when 

 heated to the right degree. 



Of course, no one would attempt to seal un- 

 til the bubbles had risen to the surface, which 

 they will do in a few minutes with hot honey. 

 If the honey is then sealed, and either dipped 

 or corks sunk, and any kind of good sealing- 

 wax poured on, thus effecting a hermetical 

 sealing, the honey contracts when it gets cold, 

 thus causing the much-talked-of vacuum, es- 

 pecially if a tinfoil cap is properly applied, 

 making it absolutely air-tight. 



I found, only the other day, 2-lb. Muth jars 

 which had been waxed, that candied, while 

 others on the same shelf, sold to the grocer 

 the same day (Oct. 5, 1900), were nice and 

 clear on account of the tinfoil cap. I find 

 that if, after sealing, the jars are left in a warm 

 room, thus preventing the too sudden cooling 

 of the wax on the corks, we shall have no 

 cracks. If one-half pqraffine is added to the 

 wax it will not crack nearly as easily, besides 

 being much cheaper. 



WASHING THE BOTTI.ES WITH SHOT. 



In regard to the washing of bottles, I had a 

 good laugh over Mr. Deadman's picture of 

 the little boy punching the little pieces of 

 glass out of the bottles, especially new ones. 

 I used to do the same thing. But how much 

 nicer, and far more easy, and quicker, to take 

 about 3 or 4 oz. of No. 6 shot, and the bottle 

 half full of warm soft water ! A few shakes, 

 turn the bottle, then pass to helper, who rinses 

 in clean cold water, and we have a clear spark- 

 ling jar which is then set upside down in a 

 large tray to drain. 



I think Mr. Deadman's label is not in pro- 

 portion to the size of his jar. It is too small 

 and insignificant. If using jars like the No. 

 25 and the No. 100, where it is impossible to 

 cover the top with wax, I now pour into each 

 a large tablespoon! ul of beeswax and paraffine, 

 right on top of the heated honey, which, when 

 cooled, effects the air-tight sealing. This is 

 an additional inducement to my patrons, as 

 they thus secure a nice piece of wax to slick 

 up their irons for laundry work ; while, if put 

 on the cork, it prevents the cork from break- 

 ing to pieces while being drawn out the first 

 time. 



If I am compelled to reliquefy any bottles 

 of honey (which is very rare) I always set the 

 jars in vats of water deep enough to come up 

 to the necks, as I have seen honey scorch in 

 the lower half of a jar while the upper half 

 was yet candied. 



I would say in conclusion to those readers 

 of GivEANiNGS who have no honey to bottle, 

 better order a few cans of extracted, and a 

 barrel of the No. 100 or No. 25 jars of The A. 

 I. Root Co , and canvass your nearest town. 

 You will be surprised how easy it is to sell a 

 barrel put up in this neat, useful, and attrac- 

 tive package. It pays to work up a trade in a 

 bad season, for, if you sell no honey in a bad 



season, how can you expect to sell three or 

 four tons when you have not previously work- 

 ed up a foundation for the disposal of your 

 coming crop ? I believe this bottled-honey 

 symposium will be the means of showing bee- 

 keepers how a large part of our crop can be 

 disposed of, thereby increasing the demand 

 for our product. 

 Evansville, Ind. 



[I would say to our readers that J. C. Wal- 

 lenmeyer was first known to the bee-keeping 

 world as the author of the song " Queen Jean- 

 nette. " I think it was dedicated to his " best 

 girl," who spbsequently went into partnership 

 with him ; and, if I may judge by the picture, 

 she is his best helper in a business which he 

 has been developing for years. 



One can readily see by the way Mr. W. 

 writes that he has had a large experience in 

 bottling honey, and is familiar with all its va- 

 rious little details. 



It is interesting to note that both he and 

 Mr. Chalon Fowls prefer gasoline-stoves for 

 liquefying honey, for the simple reason that 

 the heat can be more easily controlled. The 

 ordinary cook-stove, using coal or wood, is li- 

 able to overheat the honey, and that means 

 either a loss in profits or loss in subsequent 

 trade. 



While Mr. Wallenmeyer has covered nearly 

 every detail of the work, yet his familiarity 

 with some features of it is such that he has 

 left us groping a little in the dark. In Fig. 3, 

 for instance, we see what appears to be a 

 method of tinfoiling by means of a leather 

 strap. One end of this strap is fastened to 

 the wall, the other end being held in the left 

 hand. From the description, I judge that 

 the strap goes clear around the neck of the 

 bottle, and that the bottle is slid back and 

 forth, the friction of the strap around the 

 neck causing the edge of the tinfoil to be 

 smoothed out neat and workmanlike. There, 

 I fear I am guessing ; at all events, I hope 

 Mr. W. will, in his next article, go into details 

 in the matter of tinfoiling. 



Referring to Fig. 1, I assume that the rub- 

 ber tubing reaching from the wash-boilers to 

 the extractor is a siphon by which the honey 

 is delivered from the square cans to the filling- 

 tank. If I am not right, Mr. W. will please 

 correct. — Ed.] 



SECURING HONEY FROM APPI,E-BI.OOM. 



"Good morning, Bro. Doolittle. I came 

 over from Massachusetts (by letter) to have a 

 little chat with you about securing honey from 

 apple-bloom ; because, for the last few years, 

 apple-bloom has furnished an abundance of 

 nectar in this locality." 



" So it does with us some years; but the 

 rule is that the bees do not secure much from 

 this source on account of high winds, or cold, 



