192 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



Bees by the pound. — If one has 



some nice combs, a good colony of bees 

 may be reared in a few weeks by pur- 

 chasing a pound of bees and a tine 

 queen. Sugar can now be purchased 

 in most places at the rate of 15 lbs. for 

 ^1. 



"We can fill a few orders for bees, 

 and queens with them, at the rate of 

 ^1.50 for bees and $1.00 for the queen. 

 They will be packed in good shape and 

 safe delivery guaranteed. 



The June number of Api should 

 be read by all who take an interest in 

 apiculture. Our readers will find 



METHOD NUMBER SIX lU thlS iSSUC by 



R. L. Taylor. All the essays will be 

 Stereotyped so that they can be sup- 

 plied to all who desire them, by and 



by. 



FACTS ABOUT HONEY. 



Honey is the only purely natural 

 sweet in a commercial form. It is the 

 nectar of flowers gathered and stored 

 by the bees, and changed by them to 

 the smooth, mellow sweet known as 

 honey. It furnishes the same element 

 of nutrition as sugar and starch — gives 

 warmth and energy. Starch and sugar 

 Avhen eaten undergo a digestive change 

 before they are assimilated. In honey 

 this change has been made to a con- 

 siderable extent by the bees. It is 

 partly digested, easy of assimilation, 

 and concentrated. The longer honey 

 is on the hive the more complete is 

 this change. It derives its flavor from 

 the blossoms from which it was gath- 

 ered. There is as much diflerence in 

 honey as in milk or butter, and the 

 same liability of adulteration. Owing 

 to low prices, caused by improved 

 methods and increased production, it 

 is less adulterated than formerly, prob- 

 ably no more than other food products. 

 Now every producer's name is on each 

 package, and he thinks as much of his 

 reputation for producing a good arti- 

 cle as does the producer of choice fruit 

 or butter. 



Ahnost all pure liquid honey will 

 candy or become hard at the approach 

 of cold weather, uidess sealed while 

 hot. This is one of the best tests of 

 its purity. Candied honey can be lique- 

 fied by placing the jar in water or an 

 oven and heating until melted. Over- 



heating injures the flavor. Adultera- 

 ted honey will not completely candy. 

 Comb honey can be adulterated only 

 by the producer. Its wax furnishes an 

 agreeable non-irritating l)ulk so desir- 

 able with concentrated food, and as 

 chewing is necessary proper digestion 

 is promoted. 



As a table ornament which appeals 

 to both eye and palate a plate of deli- 

 cate comb honey is unexcelled. 

 Extracted honej' is the liquid honey 

 thrown from the combs, pure and 

 bright, Ijy a machine called an ex- 

 tractor. Strained honey is obtained 

 by mashing combs of honey, which of- 

 ten contain immature and dead bees, 

 and bee bread and straining : this is in- 

 ferior in flavor and appearance. Ex- 

 tracted honey can be sold for less than 

 comb honey, as the combs which are 

 more valuable than honey are saved, 

 and used time after time. 



As a medicine, honey has great value 

 and many uses. It is excellent in most 

 throat and lung aflections, and is often 

 used in place of Cod Liver Oil with 

 great benefit. Occasionally there are 

 found people with whom it does not 

 agree, as is the case with other arti- 

 cles of food, but the majority can learn 

 to use it with beneficial results. Chil- 

 dren, who have more natural appetites, 

 generally prefer it to butter with their 

 bread. Honey is laxative and sedative, 

 and in diseases of bladder and kidneys 

 is an excellent remedy. It also par- 

 takes of the medicinal properties of 

 the plant from which it was gathered. 

 It has much the same eflect as wine or 

 stimulants without their injurious ef- 

 fects, and is unequalled in mead and 

 harvest drinks. As an external appli- 

 cation it is irritating when clear, and 

 soothing if diluted. In most country 

 places the qualities of honey are appre- 

 ciated, and it is much used for croup 

 and colds. 



In preserving fruit in a natural state 

 the formic acid it contains makes it a 

 better preservative than sugar syrup. 

 In cooking and confections it is also 

 used. 



fTlie above was talcQii from a circular pub- 

 lished by Mr. Samuel Cushman of Pawtucket, 

 R. I. These circulars are given to each pur- 

 chaser of his honey and is one of the best 

 metliods for increasing tlie sale of honey.] 



Mr. Arthur Todd has been unwell 

 for several weeks. As soon as he re- 

 covers his usual good health he will 

 furnish tlie readers of the Api with 

 some fine articles under the head of 

 Foreign Notes. 



