MARKETING HONEY. 517 



In such honey, the liquid parts come to the surface, and 

 absorbing moisture from the air, are very apt to become acid 

 by fermenting. But, even after granulation, it can easily be 

 brought to a fine grain by melting it and exposing it to the 

 cold of our Northern Winters. Basswood honey would even 

 be benefited by this, as it would lose a little of its too strong 

 flavor. 



Basswood and clover honey are more apt to ferment than 

 any other class of honey, even when thoroughly granulated, 

 if they remain exposed to the heat of the following Summer, 

 and it is advisable to keep these two kinds in a cool, dry 

 place during the hot weather. A damp cellar would be ob- 

 jectionable, since honey readily absorbs moisture from the air. 



833. Those bee-keepers who will follow our methods, of 

 extracting (763) after the honey crop, will have but little 

 trouble with honey fermenting, even if they have to keep it 

 through the following Summer. If any honey should fer- 

 ment, however, let them not think that it is spoiled, unless 

 it was really unripe and has turned sour. A slight amount of 

 alcoholic ferment can be evaporated readily by melting the 

 honey over water, when the ferment escapes in the shape of 

 foam. As this fermentation is caused by the presence of un- 

 ripe honey, some of our friends succeed in entirely preventing 

 it by melting all their honey immediately after granulation. 

 The melting evaporates all excess of moisture contained in it. 



Mr. C. F. Muth, whose large experience in handling honey 

 made him a high authority, ripened all his honey by keeping 

 it in open vessels in a dry and ventilated room, for a month 

 or two after extracting. Many noted Apiarists are now fol- 

 lowing that method. 



834. Melting Honey, Honey should never be placed 

 directly over a fire to melt it. The least over-heating will 

 evaporate its essential oils, and give it the burnt taste of dark 

 molasses instead. It should be put in a tin or copper vessel, 

 and this in another large vessel containing water. This heat- 

 ing au hain-marie, as the French call itj is resorted to by 



