1I4RKBTINQ HONEY. 169 



CHAPTER XXVl. 

 MARKETING HONEY. 



301. Home Honey. — Home honey, as to its quality, can hold 

 its own with any produced elsewhere ; and we bee-keepers, 

 close as we are to the best market in the world, should find 

 little difficulty in disposing of our produce to advantage. But, 

 while the Eng-lish market is largely supplied by British pro- 

 ducers, the colonies and foreign countries import at prices so 

 moderate that tile Customs Returns certify the imports of 

 honey, into the United Kingdom, at from ;£30,ooo to ;^i87,ooo 

 per annum. To compete successfully in such a market, it is 

 necessary, not only that the quality of the article be excellent, 

 but also that the manner of presenting it for sale should place 

 it on a level with, if not superior to, that of any other honey 

 offered to the public. As to the quality; that may be left to 

 the bees, and to the flowers of our unrivalled hills and valleys. 

 As to the presentation of the article ; that is a matter to which 

 insufficient attention has hitherto been given, and which must 

 be more carefully attended to in the future, if our honey is 

 to attain to that position in the markets to which its quality 

 entitles it. To the bee-keeper it is no less important than the 

 harvesting of a large quantity of honey, that the honey should 

 be so presented to the buyer, in the best possible condition as 

 to quality and " make up," that the customer may desire more, 

 and be willing to pay a fair price for it. 



302. Storing Honey. — Sections, when removed from the hive, 

 should be stored, preferably in close tin boxes, and in a dry, 

 warm place, safe from dust, flies, mice, etc. If left in a cold, 

 damp place, the distinctive flavour and aroma due to the essen- 

 tial oils of the flowers will be sacrificed, and the honey, a super- 

 saturated liquid, will absorb moisture from the atmosphere; 

 will become thin ; will increase in bulk ; and will exude through 

 the tappings in minute drops : from which we have the too 

 familiar " weeping section," with its whiteness and beauty gone, 

 and its value also gone to no small extent. Or, cold may cause 

 the honey to crystallize in the cells, wbich spoils it for the 

 market, and causes many a large buyer to say, " I never pur- 

 chase sections after September." Extracted honey, stored in 



