Care and Marketing of Extracted Honey 



The care and marketing of extracted honey require con- 

 siderable special knowledge. There is a continual demand 

 for this commodity, and apiarists should take advantage 

 of it. Imperfect combs may be used up in this way, 

 provided the quality of the honey is good. An almost 

 unlimited retail trade can be worked up for extracted 

 as well as comb honey. Extracting is strongly recom- 

 mended in working colonies for large returns, for much 

 work is saved the bees and more honey is obtained. 

 Much that would otherwise be used in the production of 

 wax for building the combs is carried up into the super, 

 thus adding considerably to the surplus. Honey, unlike 

 many other commodities, will keep good almost indefi- 

 nitely, if properly taken and stored. Fermentation and 

 the consequent spoiling of honey should be avoided by 

 making sure that all honey, when taken from the hive, is 

 ripe. If it is allowed to remain in the hive until there 

 is no doubt of its ripeness, there need be little fear of 

 fermentation. This is said to be caused in some instances 

 by the presence in the honey of pollen grains, but if the 

 brood nests are properly managed, it is seldom that pollen 

 will be found at all in the supers. 



When the heat in the brood chamber, generated by the 

 bees, has extracted the superfluous water from the honey 

 by evaporation, the sealing of the cells takes place, 

 because the honey is then in a condition which the bee- 

 keeper terms ripeness. 



On removing the super, it should be placed in a warm 

 room, and if the work of extracting can be carried on at 



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