55 



The screens can be made by using narrow laths nailed together to form 

 a frame of the same dimensions as the hive-body, and covering this 

 with wire cloth, such as is used for making queen-cages. The screens 

 must be securely fastened to the top of the hive, and the entrance 

 covered with wire cloth. By this means ample ventilation is provided 

 to ensure the safe carriage of the bees during the winter months. 



In these days of motor transport the work of moving bees over 

 long distances is greatly minimized, and the beekeeper will be well 

 advised to adopt this method if it can be obtained. In any case, the 

 beekeeper who has occasion to move bees should not relax any effort 

 to make the hives secure when moving to a new location. 



When railing bees the frames should run parallel with the truck, 

 but with road transport the reverse should be the case. Follow this 

 practice to prevent the frames from rocking and thus killing the bees. 



Do not move bees without first obtaining a clean certificate or 

 permission from the Inspector of the district from which the bees are 

 moved. 



RIPENING AND MATURING OF HONEY. 



All honey should be thoroughly ripened and matured before being 

 placed upon the market ; otherwise it will rapidly deteriorate, to 

 the injury of the producer and the industry generally. All beekeepers 

 are fully aware of and admit this ; nevertheless, occasionally unripe 

 honey has found its way to the markets, eventually to be condemned 

 through fermentation. 



Amount of Moisture in Honey. 



Nectar or honey when first gather.ed contains a variable quantity of 

 water, usually ranging from i8 to 23 per cent., according to the weather. 



In Thorpe's " Dictionary of AppHed Chemistry," page 286, the 

 maximum, minimum, .and average amount of moisture in twent}?- 

 five samples of honey examined are given as follows : Maximum, 

 23-26 per cent. ; minimum, 12-43 per cent. ; and the average of the 

 twenty-five, 19-3 per cent. 



Recently some important investigations have been made by the 

 United States Department of Agriculture regarding the. " Chemical 

 Analysis and Composition of American Honey." Some hundred samples 

 were procured, and placed in the hands of Dr. C. A. Young, a skilful 

 sugar-chemist, and regarding the moisture in the honey he says in 

 his report, — 



"The average amount was 17-90 [per cent.], with a range of from 

 12-42 to 26-88. This shows that American honey is 3 per cent, drier 

 than German honey, and German honey is drier than British. This is 

 due to our drier climate. . . . Nevada honey is drier than that 

 of Missouri; the former had only 14-61 per cent, of water, and the 

 latter State 19-57 per cent. It is a truism to say the locahty having 

 the highest rainfall has the highest percentage of water in the honey 

 produced." 



This latter assurance is just what one might expect, and worthy 

 of consideration when choosing a location for bee-farming. 



Honey containing an excess of moisture is unripe, and bound 

 sooner or later to ferment ; but when such moisture is reduced below 

 a certain percentage the honey is said to be ripe, and it will in that 

 condition keep good for any length of time. At what point the 

 " excess " of moisture commences we have no definite knowledge. The 

 different works available contain no guidance on the question. 



