THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 461 



flow has ceased to produce, no hydrometer test will be necessary to 

 assure one that their honey will stand the test as far as the percent 

 of water is concerned. 



There was a time, however, when the writer used to throw out 

 honey without much thought about quality. At that time there was 

 some little excuse for so doing, for be it known, the production of 

 extracted honey was then in its infancy. At that time but little 

 had been written upon the subject of quality; all, seemingly, were 

 bent upon the one subject, quantity, without a thought of quality. 



At the present enlightened period, when so much has been writ- 

 ten upon the subject of a "better extracted honey," a producer is 

 almost a criminal who will deliberately extract honey in the "green"' 

 stage and offer it to an unsuspecting public for table use. 



We used to have bees in a location where some aster honey was 

 produced. The aster produces hone}^ late in the fall, or until killed 

 by frost. The cold, damp period of early fall we found a very poor 

 time for bees to ripen honey. The lightest bodied honey we have 

 produced in years was this aster, some of it testing as high as 22% 

 water, by hydrometer test. 



This and similar honeys are always sold by sample to the 

 bakers. At the price the baker pays us for our inferior honey, we 

 sell with a clear conscience, knowing that if the honey is rather light 

 in body, the price does not pay for more than the solids it contains. 



If the reader will turn to page -iol, the half-tone will show^ the 

 hydrometer at the right, leaning against the graduate, while the 

 tested thermometer stands inside. The "spindle" is simplicity itself. 

 The extracted honey producer knows how thick and heavy bodied 

 honey gets when cold, also how it thins up when hot. This hydro- 

 meter is made under a formula furnished by the food department at 

 \\'ashington, consequently is official. 



Hozu to Use the Hydrometer — The honey to be tested is heated 

 to 160° F. It is a gravity spindle, being "loaded" with shot at the 

 lower end, the heavier the body the honey being tested the less the 

 spindle will sink. The reading is at the surface of the honey and is 

 the percent of water the sample contains. 



The tank shown, with its two cells, one of which is removed to 

 show the manner of construction, is made of tin. The cells are 

 three inches in diameter, and about eleven inches deep, and are to 

 hold and heat the honey while testing. The tank is large enough 

 so we can heat two cells at a time. The heating is done by pouring 

 hot water from a tea kettle in the tank, around the cells. Care 

 should be taken that the honey be exactly 165° when testing. 



We use the glass thermometer shown in the graduate for a stir- 

 ring rod. With your thermometer as a guide, place your meter in 

 a temperature of 165° for several minutes before using, for, were 



