GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



December, 1920 



COMB-HONEY PRODUCTION 



The Passing of a Great Era in Bee- 

 keeping. Is Comb-Honey Produc- 

 tion -to Become a Lost Art? 



By Geo. S. Demuth 



IN the early 

 days of the 

 movable- 

 frame hive, hon- 

 ey was produced 

 for market in 

 boxes which, 

 when filled, held 

 about 10 pounds 

 of honey. These 

 boxes, containing combs of honey just as 

 the bees had built them, were sold in the 

 markets, box and all, this being the comb 

 honey of the period. 



The announcement of the invention of the 

 honey-extractor in 1867 soon brought about a 

 change in the type of honey produced to that 

 of extracted honey. This, the first era of 

 extracted-honey production, however, proved 

 to be of short duration because another 

 great invention, that of comb foundation, 

 together with the section box, in 1876, ush- 

 ered in the great comb-honey era which has 

 had its rise and decline within the memory 

 of some of the older beekeepers of the pres- 

 ent day, and which now threatens to become 

 a matter of history, unless something hap- 

 pens to check the present tendency toward 

 extracted-honey production. 



It has not been many years since our bee 

 journals were largely filled with articles on 

 apparatus, kinks, and methods for comb- 

 honey production, while but little was said 

 about extracted-honey production. Beekeep- 

 ers then thought and wrote in terms of 

 comb-honey production as they now think 

 and write in terms of extracted-honey produc- 

 tion. Many extensive producers of extracted 

 honey of today were producing comb honey 

 exclusively 15 years ago; and those who 

 have engaged in commercial honey produc- 

 tion during recent years have, almost with- 

 out exception, taken up the production of 

 extracted honey, leaving beginners, ama- 

 teurs, and only a few professionals in the 

 ranks of comb-honey producers. 



This change in the type of honey which 

 is produced for market is not being brought 

 about this time by a great invention, as in 

 the two previous changes, but is being 

 brought about by the enactment and enforce- 

 ment of a great law. The Federal Food and 

 Drugs Act became a law on June 30, 1906, 

 since which time adulterated honey has prac- 

 tically been driven out of the markets, and 

 the way has thus been opened for the de- 

 velopment of a market for large quantities 

 of extracted honey. 



This, the second era of extracted-honey 

 production, therefore, may be said to have 

 had its beginning in 1906. The change to 

 extracted-honey production was greatly has- 

 tened by the relatively higher price for ex- 

 tracted honey during the past few years; 

 but the movement was well under way long 

 before the disturbance of war-time prices 

 brought the price of extracted honey for a 

 short time practically up to that of comb 



honey. The tre- 

 mendous in- 

 crease in extract- 

 ed-honey produc- 

 tion during re- 

 cent years, to- 

 gether with the 

 decrease in 

 comb-honey pro- 

 duction, has 

 finally resulted in a scarcity of comb honey 

 and a return of something like the former 

 ratio of prices for the two types of honey. 



Will Beekeepers Return to Comb-honey? 



It is well to note that when beekeepers 

 turned their attention from comb-honey pro- 

 duction to extracted-honey production they 

 also rapidly expanded their business far be- 

 yond that which they thought possible when 

 producing comb honey. Comb honey did not 

 at that time lend itself so well to extensive 

 production as extracted honey. The bee- 

 keeper who formerly operated one or two 

 apiaries for comb honey, and is now oper- 

 ating half a dozen or more apiaries fgr ex- 

 tracted honey, does not find himself in the 

 mental attitude to change back to comb 

 honey as long as he can sell extracted honey 

 at one-half the price of comb honey, or even 

 less, because he would expect not only 

 greatly reduced production per colony, but 

 would also expect to be compelled to reduce 

 the number of his colonies if comb honey 

 were being produced. The change to ex- 

 tracted-honey production came just at a time 

 when swarm-control measures for comb- 

 honey production on a large scale were being 

 perfected by a few extensive comb-honey 

 producers, but before these methods were 

 successfully applied on an extensive scale 

 by beekeepers generally. Having solved 

 the problem of swarm control in extracted- 

 honey production, the extensive producer 

 sees in the swarming problem a formidable 

 barrier to comb-honey production. In addi- 

 tion to this, the relief from the more ex- 

 acting requirements of comb-honey produc- 

 tion is sufficient to cause many to continue 

 producing extracted honey regardless of a 

 relatively higher price for comb honey. 

 Comb-honey producers, therefore, need not 

 fear much competition from the well-estab- 

 lished producers of extracted honey. 



Locations and Comb Honey. 



Many locations are not suitable for comb- 

 honey production. To produce comb honey 

 advantageously for the general market the 

 honey must be white, and must not be in- 

 clined to granulate quickly while in the 

 comb. The honey flow must be fairly rapid 

 and continuous in order that the combs shall 

 be well finished. To attempt to produce 

 comb honey in large quantities for the gen- 

 eral market where the honey is mixed or 

 dark, or where the honey flow is slow or in- 

 termittent, is not at all advisable. There 

 may be exceptional cases where limited 



