264 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



heating, but did you know that when thin honey is warmed for 

 a long time the flavor is improved? I have had the flavor im- 

 l^roved and could attribute it to nothing but remaining a couple 

 of weeks on the reservoir. I do not mean by this that if fine- 

 flavored honey in good condition is placed on the stove reser- 

 voir it will be improved. Most people, however, who have had 

 much to do with honey, must have noticed that when extracted 

 honey becomes thin from attracting moisture from the atmos- 

 phere, it seems to acquire a difl'erent flavoi' — perhaps I might 

 say it has a sharp taste — and the slow heating seems to restore 

 it partly if not wholly to its former condition. 



RIPENING HONEY. 



The same thing is true of honey which is taken thin from 

 the hive, not yet having been brought to proper density by the 

 bees. 



There is a difference of opinion as to whether honey, or 

 perhaps nectar, evaporated outside of the hive, is equal to that 

 which remains in the hive till thick. Of course, no large amount 

 could be evaporated on a stove reservoir. Some beekeepers 

 have large tanks in which to evaporate honey by the sun or 

 other heat. The general opinion, however, is that the best place 

 for ripening honey is on the hives. 



It must not be understood that when honey has really 

 soured it can be made good by the process mentioned. The only 

 thing is to use it for vinegar ; and fine vinegar it will make. 



DRAINING EXTRACTED HONEY. 



There is another plan which I have used to secure some ex- 

 tra-fine extracted honey for our private use. Whether it could 

 be used profitably on a large scale, I cannot say. There are, 

 however, always people who are ready to pay a high price for 

 an extra article. After a crock of clover honey has granulated, 

 I turn it on its side or upside down, and let it remain days 

 enough to drain off all the liquid part. If drained long enough, 

 the residue — and this will be nearly all the erockful — will be as 

 dry as sugar, and when this is liquefied by slow heating it makes 

 a delicious article. It will, however, granulate very easily a 



