Dee Journal 



I Entered at the PoBt-Offlce at Cbicago as Second-Class Mail-Matter) 

 PiibUshed W^eekly at Sl.OO a Year by George W^. York A. Co., 334 Dearborn St. 



aBOROB W. YORK, Bdltor 



CHICAGO, ILL,, SEPTEMBER 7, 1905 



VoL XLV— No. 36 



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(Sbitorial Ticks '2it (Eommcnts 



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Forcing; Honey to Granulate 



Mr. S. T. Pettit, one of Canada's oldest and 

 foremost bee-keepers, sends us the following 

 on forcing extracted honey to candy or 

 granulate : 



Dear Editor Tork : — The time to force 

 the candying of honey will soon be upon us 

 again. 



Allow me to say that the two most puissant 

 factors in the process are cliimge of tempn-n- 

 ture and agilalion. I am not sure but I would 

 be safe in saying that the former is the 

 stronger factor of the two. 



A good Miany years ago I had an excellent 

 opportunity of taking lessons on this subject. 

 When delivering honey to the trade, it went 

 in groceries, some of which were poor, thin- 

 walled, wooden structures. Others were of 

 substantial, thick brick walls. And in- 

 variably the honey in the thin, open, wooden 

 buildings candied first. Observations all 

 along down the years confirm that statement. 



In those days most of our honey was mar- 

 keted in glass, and so the observations were 

 easily made. 



I would generally take the start of the 

 grocer, who, in most cases, would be inclined 

 to question the purity of the honey when it 

 began to candy, by saying something like 

 this: " O, your honey is candying beauti- 

 fully, is it not?" Then a little friendly talk 

 and explanation would follow, and in that way 

 I would win confidence, educate, and do busi- 

 ness, always striving to popularize candied 

 honey. 



It has been an uphill job, but all who have 

 worked in that line are going to win. 



S. T. Pettit. 



Where it is possible to develop a demand 

 for granulated extracted honey we think it is 

 an excellent thing to do. And to be able to 

 compel the granulation of extracted honey is 

 also a fine thing. 



Personally, we may say that we have never 

 taken very willingly to the granulated-paper- 

 bag honey, but we may have been wrong 

 about it. If so, it is not the first time we 

 have been mistaken. We believe that some 

 bee-keepers are doing better by working up 

 a demand for granulated or candied honey- 

 Surely it has many advantages. It doesn't 

 leak, nor spill out if the package is tipped 

 over when uncovered. Then there are many 

 people who prefer to eat honey granulated. 

 And those who prefer it liquid can have it so 

 in a few minutes by applying a little heat. 



By changing the temperature and shaking 



J 



up the honey, Mr. Pettit says its granulation 

 will be hastened. Hood thing to know that. 



Food Offered to Queen or Demanded ? 



The orthodox belief is that the worker-bees 

 are eager to offer food ; that iconoclast, 

 Arthur C. Miller, says the queen makes 

 demands. Confirmatory of his view is an 

 article in the Irish Bee-Keeper containing the 

 following passage : 



" In 1903 we had some experiments which 

 showed that a queen introduced into a glass- 

 covered box with one strange bee, proceeded 

 to demand refreshment. If obtained, all was 

 serene, but if refused the delinquent worker 

 was immediately killed. This suggested that 

 the battling of queens begins by a general 

 refusal to supply food, and a consequent 

 running amuck by the strange queen." 



Further on mention is made of a queen 

 which applied to a worker for food, "and, 

 upon being refused, made a threatening move- 

 ment which was answered by protrusion of 

 the tongue." 



Rules for Grading tloney 



The following letter is from the manager of 

 the St. Croix Valley Honey- Producers' Asso- 

 ciation : 



St. Croix Co., Wis., Aug. 4, 1905. 

 George W. York eV: Co. 



Dear I'iirs : — The last American Bee Journal 

 reminded me that it might interest you to see 

 our rules for honey grading, etc. Out in 

 Colorado the bee-keepers have adopted a set 

 of rules which wo believe suits the white 

 clover and basswo "l localities first rate, and 

 is better than any other grading rules that 

 have come under our observation. All our 

 members (now abcut 300) arefoUowing them. 

 They are simple ami easy to follow. Our ex- 

 perience is that tht more grades the poorer 

 each grade will be. 



Your last issue ( Aug. 3) is worth its weight 

 in gold. Honey -production isn't the only 

 thing tor the bee-!; ''per to look upon. Mar- 

 keting, with us IS the paramount question. 

 If bee-keepers wouM grade alike, and hon- 

 estly, how easy it would be to move honey. 

 Yours truly, 



Leo F. Haneoan, Manager. 



The Colorado grading rules referred to are 



as follows : 



COMB DONBT rules. 



No. 1. — Sections t ; be well filled and capped, 

 honey white or ; tly amber, comb white 



and not pro/niing beyond the wood, wood to be 

 well cleaned ; cases of separatored honey to 

 average 31 pounds net per case of 34 sections, 

 with a minimum weight of not less than 20 

 pounds for any single case; cases of halt- 

 eeparatored honey to average not less than 

 31'| pounds net per case of 24 sections, with 

 a minimum weight of 2054 pounds for any 

 single case ; cases of unseparatored honey to 

 average not less than 22'., pounds net per 

 case of 24 sections, with a minimum weight of 

 21} i' pounds for any single case. 



No. 2.— Includes all amber honey of a pro- 

 nounced tinge, and all white and amber 

 honey not included in No. 1; to be fairly well 

 settled, luirnppetl fells not to exceed 50 in. num- 

 ber exclns\ve ot the outside row, wood to be 

 well cleaned ; cases of separatored honey to 

 average not less than 18 pounds net per case 

 of 24 sections ; cases of unseparatored honey 

 to average not less than 19 pounds net per 

 case of 24 sections, cases of unseparatored 

 honey to average not less than 20 pounds net 

 per case of 24 sections. Cases weighing over 

 35 pounds go in No. 2 grade. 



extracted honey rules. 



Extracted honey shall be classified as white 

 and amber, shall weigh 12 pounds per gallon, 

 shall be perfectly free from particles of wax, 

 and shall always be marketed in new cans. 

 All rendered honey, whether obtained by 

 solar heat or otherwise, shall be classed as 

 strained honey, and not as extracted. 



KEC0MMENDATI0N3. 



It is recommended to sell all cull honey 

 around home as much as possible; to grade 

 only in daylight, near a window. 



Pack all sections in stout basswood no-drip 

 shipping-ease.' : to put paper above and below 

 sections ; to store honey in a warm, dry room 

 well protected from Hies and dust; if the heat 

 of the room causes the wax-moth to become 

 troublesome, treat the honey to the fumes of 

 bisulphide of carbon ; to haul carefully, well- 

 protected from dust and rain; do not nail 

 eoi'ers on tight, as it often becomes necessary 

 to remove them in order to inspect honey or 

 remove a broken section ; do not put any 

 names or nutr/^s on cases except grade marks. 



We prefer to pack eight 34-pound cases in a 

 large crate, fust putting about 4 inches of 

 straw in it. This will act as a cushion, and 

 prevents breaking down of the combs from 

 jarring or jolting. The glass fronts of the 

 cases should show through the crate so that 

 freight handlers can easily see what it is and 

 handle accurdingly. Then there should be 

 two long strips nailed near the top of the 

 sides of the crate (one on each side), and ex- 

 tending out I', or 8 inches, forming handles by 

 which to carry it. Another good thing is to 

 tack on top a large card having on it in plain 

 letters! •' I'omb Honey, Handle with Care." 

 When so prepared, comb honey should go 

 almost arvw hereby freight in good condition. 



The most popular packages for extracted 

 honey aro ih'; 2-pound friction-top can, 5 and 

 10-pound frir ion-top pail,60-pound square can 

 boxed, one or two cans in a box. and the 60- 

 pound, r. t,d, flat-top can with a veneer 



