822 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi^. 



Valley, with Its poison springs, nor hun- 

 dreds of miles of arid waste and worth- 

 less alkali desert. 



I have no interest in Florida, neither 

 in California, consequently I believe I 

 am in a position to view the subject 

 from an impartial standpoint, and while, 

 in my opinion, California will not sufifer 

 from a general reckoning of advantages 

 and disadvantages, with Florida, I like 

 to see a "fair deal," and a more re- 

 liable knowledge of Florida will be ob- 

 tained by visiting that State than visit- 

 ing Chicago. 



The Florida "sunsets " at the World's 

 Fair, for instance, were a failure. As 

 for the inference as to Florida oranges, 

 it reflects seriously upon the judgment 

 and intelligence of the Eastern con- 

 sumer, who buys them in preference; 

 and I have no doubt that if Bro. Pryal 

 can make it convenient to call upon Mr. 

 Hart, at his beautiful groves on the 

 banks of the Hillsborough river in 

 Florida, the latter gentleman can soon 

 convince Mr. P., as he has the writer, 

 that California nor any other country 

 can surpass Florida when it comes to 

 beautiful, delicious oranges. No more 

 beautiful groves could exist than Florida 

 possesses in her rural orange counties. 



Florida has plenty of " sand," as ac- 

 cused, but nothing to that of the man 

 with a conscience sufficiently elastic to 

 mention it when comparing it with Cali- 

 fornia. 



Early in February I visited several 

 apiaries in Florida, in all of which honey 

 was being stored from jessamine, peach 

 and plum, quite rapidly ; brood-rearing 

 was well advanced ; and since that time 

 one producer reported ten tons of orange- 

 bloom honey. On the Indian river, api- 

 arists were then extracting from penny- 

 royal, and the main flow is yet to come 

 from mangrove, in July, while the pal- 

 metto often yields abundantly in May. 

 Messrs. Alderman & Roberts, of West 

 Florida, last year harvested 45 tons of 

 honey. 



As for the " insects," Florida has an 

 abundance — gnats, mosquitoes, fleas, 

 also rattlesnakes, tarantulas, scorpions, 

 and centipedes — to the possession of 

 which the "Golden State" must also 

 confess. 



With her numerous crystal lakes and 

 beautiful rivers, abounding in fish, oys- 

 sters and game, rich hammock lands, 

 frequent spring-like showprs, mild sea- 

 breezes, and healthful climate, Florida 

 is deserving of a degree of respect far 

 above that accorded by Mr. Pryal, and 

 if " all the claims in favor of Florida" 

 are to be " disproved," I venture the as- 



sertion that it will be done by some one 

 that has at least visited the State, and 

 not by mere ridicule emanating from one 

 wholly without knowledge. 

 Titusville, Pa., April 16. 



"ArtillciallyEvaBoratefl Honey." 



Written for the American Bee Journal 



BY CLARK A. MONTAGUE. 



I am compelled to take issue with Mr. 

 G. W. Demaree, on his remarks in re- 

 gard to "artificially evaporated honey," 

 on page 36T. In making his experi- 

 ment he evidently encountered the very 

 conditions he endeavored to avoid. 



A /air comparison on this point can 

 be made 07ily during a heavy honey- 

 flow; when combs nearly or quite filled 

 before the capping process commences, 

 can be procured. Tlie7i a comparison of 

 this honey properly evaporated, with 

 honey from combs entirely capped over, 

 will be fair, and under no other condi- 

 tions. Mr. Demaree's comparison was 

 anything but fair. 



When a comb contains both capped 

 and uncapped honey, it is evident that 

 the uncapped honey was gathered later, 

 or that its composition is different — a 

 condition frequently met with. 



Fourteen years ago I commenced the 

 care of bees, working mostly for ex- 

 tracted honey. I have tried to extract 

 just as soon as the bees commence cap- 

 ping. I did this for the reason that my 

 principal honey-flow came in so fast that 

 to wait for the bees to complete the cap- 

 ping cost me hundreds of pounds of 

 honey. I know this from careful com- 

 parison. I put the honey in tin buckets, 

 placed so they were exposed to the sun ; 

 and covered with cheese-cloth to keep 

 out dirt. When "ripe" it is put into 

 tanks. Honey extracted at this stage, 

 and carefully ripened, cannot be told 

 with certainty from honey capped over 

 by the bees. 



Mark that it is best to put it in small 

 dishes, and it must be in a warm, dry at- 

 mosphere. Most decidedly this honey is 

 not of a " syrupy " consistency. Neither 

 does it have a flavor of malt. It candies 

 at the usual time, and has the usual 

 appearance and consistency. 



I have had to extract a good deal of 

 honey entirely capped over, and with 

 neio comb it is about as disagreeable a 

 job as one has to do. 



As I cannot detect any difference in 

 "texture "or "flavor,"! of course do 



