CHAPTER XIV; 



THE PREPARATION OF HONEY 



When the honey has been removed from the 

 hives, much still remains to be done before it is 

 fit for the table or the market. In the first place, 

 if it be extracted honey that has to be dealt with, 

 it requires grading, extracting, ripening, and finally 

 putting up in jars or other receptacles. 



This work must be carried out in a room which 

 is impervious to the attacks of bees or wasps, 

 as it usually comes at a time when these insects 

 are highly aggressive. Should they be able to 

 effect an entrance the work will soon be brought 

 abruptly to a standstill. 



The honey should first be graded, as it is a 

 mistake of the first order to extract the whole 

 of the combs in one lot. The honey which is 

 collected by the bees is of various colours and 

 qualities, and it must not be mixed if the best 

 is to be made of the product. If the combs be 

 held up to the light it will readily be seen that 

 they contain honey of both light and dark shades, 

 and these shades should be separated and ex- 

 tracted apart. Light honey will fetch threepence 

 or fouroence per pound more than dark honey, 



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