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^-^Ilf^.^ C ,^i^ AMER»C/X->^ 



37th Year. 



CHICAGO, ILL., JANUARY 7, 1897." 



No. 1. 



Making Honey-Vltiegar — How It is Done. 



BY C. P. DADABT. 



[Having received several Inquiries regarding the making of honey- 

 vinegar, W8 requested the Dadant'B to write an article on tne subjet^t, 

 ae we knew they were experts at this business. The following Is what 

 we received, and will bo read with much profit.— Editor.] 



Vinegar, originally, was only sour wine, (»ln algre), but it 

 is now made from all sorts of beverages, and ttie common vin- 

 egar of commerce Is made by the distillation of wood (pyrolig- 



or become somewhat sour, and these remnants can only be 

 utilized for this purpose. 



In malting honey-vinegar, we use only Inferior grades of 

 honey, such as honey-dew, or thin honey that has already fer- 

 mented. We also use all the washings of our cappings. We 

 have often noticed that many bee-keepers render up their cap- 

 pings into wax without having previously washt them, and 

 when we receive the beeswax from them. It is still stlclcy with 

 honey. This does no damage to the wax, but it Is a waste for 

 the apiarist, and this waste is unnecessary. 



When the honey is all extracted and the cappings well 

 drained of their honey, so that they seem entirely dry, we 

 put them into a largs boiler with just water enough to soak 

 them. This water is heated a little helow the melting point 

 of beeswax — say to 120^, or a little above this — to a point 

 where you can ]ust endure the fingers In it. 



The cappings are stirred in this water, then the water is 

 prest out. For this purpose, we use a very small elder-press, 

 but the same work may be done almost as well with the hands 

 while the wax is soft. The press goes faster and does 

 the work more thoroughly. The water thus obtained looks 

 dark and dirty, but if your cappings have been well cared for 



Apiary of Mr. J. E. Enyart, of Oentry County, Mo. — See page 5. 



neous acid). Unprincipled dealers have been known to add, 

 to the vinegar, water and sulphuric acid, a very injurious prep- 

 aration. Qur farmers, here, make all their vinegar from 

 elder. In England It Is made from malt, and even from beer. 

 But the best vinegar Is made from grape-wine or from honey. 

 In making our honoy-vlnegar, we always use a little 

 wine, for two reasons. In the first place, It helps to make 

 ft. Id the second place, as we are grape-growers, and make 

 considerable wine, we often have remnants that lose In quality 



the only thing In them, to cause any residue. Is the propolis, 

 and we all know that there is nothing disgusting about It. 

 After the vinegar Is made, all this will disappear, without 

 leaving any trace, as It settles In the dregs. The honey-water 

 is now tested. We use a must-scale, but as our readers do not 

 have such au Instrument, we will give them an easy test, viz : 

 Take a fresh egg, and drop it In the liquid. If it floats, 

 showing a portion of Its shell, of the size of a dime, the liquid 

 Is of proper strength. If it sinks, you must add more honey, 



