LIQUEFYING CANDIED HONEY 191 



stained. Occasionally a buyer makes serious complaint if honey 

 is received in such cans. 



Liquefying Candied Honey. — After extracted honey has 

 stood for a time, it will usually candy. If it goes to market in 

 the sixty-pound cans in which it is stored, the producer will have 

 no occasion to liquefy it, as it will stand the journey with less 

 risk in this condition. If through any accident a can should be 

 damaged, there will be no leakage, as would be the case if the 

 honey was shipped in a liquid condition. 



If the honey is to be placed in small packages for the retail 

 trade, it will be necessary to heat the honey sufficiently to restore 

 the liquid form. Great care is necessary not to overheat the 

 honey, as to do so will greatly injure the flavor and consequently 

 the value of the product. 



Various plans of accomplishing this result have been devised. 

 In large establishments a system of hot water pipes is sometimes 

 used. The caps are removed from the cans, and they are set 

 up-side-down on pipes. As fast as the honey melts, it runs out 

 into a container below. 



Large tanks are also used which are filled with hot water 

 around the honey cans. This water is kept at a temperature of 

 about. 150° for a sufficient time to liquefy the honey in all the 

 cans. 



A simple and very satisfactory plan is illustrated by Fig. 99. 

 This plan utilizes an ordinary cheap feed cooker such as can be 

 purchased in the market for about twelve dollars. There is just 

 room for eight sixty-pound cans in the square tank. Instead of 

 using hot water, a crate of wood is made to hold the cans about 

 two inches off the bottom and water is allowed to come just to 

 the bottom of the cans. A lid shuts down, as will be seen in the 

 picture, and a very light fire is started in the fire box underneath. 

 As the water is heated steam is generated, and the cans are 

 warmed by steam instead of having the hot water in contact 

 with them. A small hole in the top of the lid provides a place 

 for a thermometer, which indicates the temperature. One great 



