SUPERHfG, EXTRACTING, AND HAEVESTING, 73 



K tte honey is to be marketed, quality and colour are matters of 

 importance, and by the use of the extractor specialities may be obtained. 

 T'or example, if the white clover, which yields most beautifully trans- 

 parent nectar, is begimiing to be worked, from those combs we intend 

 extracting we remove all the darker coloured and comparatively inferior 

 honey which has been gathered from the fruit trees and earlier blooms. 

 In these combs the clover honey will be stored without deterioration 

 from admixture, and may be thrown out to the end of this important 

 harvest in almost absolute purity. 



Wax clarifying is best delayed until the bees are fuUy at rest, and all 

 the odds and ends of comb of the year which can be put to no better use 

 are gathered together for melting up. If it be done whilst bees are 

 flying, the odour of the warm wax is to them so very enticing that the 

 melting room wiU be most annoyingly besieged. It is economical to sort 

 the collection into virgin comb (that in which breeding has not taken 

 place) and brood comb. The first, being boiled with plenty of water, is 

 poured through a gravy strainer into an earthenware vessel, which has 

 first been slightly rubbed with soap to prevent adhesion of the wax. It 

 is now cooled as slowly as possible. If really fine wax be desired, the 

 vessel containing it will be wrapped up to retard solidification, to give 

 "time for any impurities to settle. The cake is then lifted from the water, 

 the soiled parts beneath out or scraped off, and the remainder remelted 

 and poured into moulds. Such wax will be suitable for exhibition. The 

 brood combs will be boiled similarly, and the whole poured through a 

 strainer as before, and the chrysalis cases and debris removed from time 

 -to time, after squeezing with a ladle, in order to clear the strainer for a 

 fresh charge. The dAbris still contains a good deal of wax, and niay, as 

 it has been pressed into a small space, be easily put] into a coarse calico 

 bag, with a piece of lead to sink it, and again boiled, a plate or fish 

 strainer being put beneath to prevent burning. Ejieading it about with 

 the ladle during the boiling will cause most of the wax to rise to be 

 skimmed off and added to the second quality wax before obtained, a final 

 squeeze with a wet rolling pin on a wet board will leave little behind. 

 The whole now obtained should be boiled with clean water poured into 



they have been drained. Tlie sievea, canvas, &c,, wMch have entered into the 

 process of draining, are ako made to give up their sweets by rinsing. The honeyed 

 water, which should contain not less than 21b, to the gallon, is now exposed to the 

 action of the air and the greatest heat of the sun ; acetous fermentation takes 

 place, and in about six weeks, vinegar is the result. Or waste honey may be con- 

 verted into an alcoholic drink called metheglin, for the making of which Mr. Bag- 

 shaw gives the following recipe : Select combs, free from brood, that have had the 

 honey drained from them ; pla<:e the combs in a vessel and put as much lukewarm 

 water upon them as will enable them to swim, let them stand two days and stir 

 -occaaionaUy, strain the liquor and let it stand another day. Skim carefully and 

 filter ; when clear, boil an hour ; the liquor will be sufficiently strong if an egg will 

 float in it. To 3 gallons, add lib. raisins, loz. ginger, and seven or eight laurel leaves. 

 "When cool, add a little brewer's balm, and after standing a day, baiTel it, but leave 

 it open a few days to work ; then cork it up, leaving it some months before bottling. 



