58 



All that is needed is to leave the honey in the hive until all the 

 cells are sealed or capped over before removing the comb for extracting. 

 The capping of the honey-cells denotes that the contents are ripe. 

 There are some beekeepers, however, who think this is not so in all 

 cases, and that the honey is better when allowed to remain in the hive 

 for some time after it is capped. The time elapsing between the storage 

 and the capping of the hone}' depends in a great measure on the state 

 of the weather and the condition of the honey when stored ; it may 

 be several days before the honey is capped, or in dry warm weather 

 only a few hours after the cells are filled. When the honey is allowed to 

 ripen within the hive it is necessary to have tanks to clarifj' it, for, no 

 matter how small in the mesh the strainer may be or how carefully the 

 honey is strained, it is impossible to prevent very fine particles of wax 

 and pollen-grains running from the extractor into the tank with the honey. 



It is by no means uncommon to find an unpleasant-looking film 

 or layer, anywhere between | in. and J in. deep, on the top of honey 

 in tins sent into the market. This is the result of tinning it before it 

 has been matured and skimmed, probably in most cases through not 

 having a suitable tank for the purpose. Honey, like other com- 

 modities, must be put upon the market in its most attractive form 

 if we wish to encourage the demand for it. 



Testing Strength of Liquid for making Honey-vinegar. 



The washings of cappings (when there are any), the skimmings 

 and washings of the tanks, honey - extractors, &c., broken honey- 

 combs, and other odds and ends of honey need not be wasted ; all 

 can be utilized in the making of vinegar or mead, or both. A hydro- 

 meter comes in very useful here again to test the strength of the liquid. 

 For vinegar there should not be more than ijlb. of honey to each 

 gallon of water, the specific gravity of which is 1-040, so that when 

 the honey cannot be weighed the hydrometer will at once show \\-hether 

 the strength is right, instead of depending on guesswork. 



Liquefying Granulated Honey. 



Great care is necessary in liquefj'ing granulated honey. Do not 

 allow it to rise above 140° F. Overheated honey loses much of its 

 fine flavour and aroma. The best method is to set the vessel containing 

 the honey inside another holding hot water, and stand it on the stove. 

 The bottom of one vessel must not come in contact with the other. 

 On no account allow the water to boil. It may take considerable time 

 to reUquefy the honey, but the process should not be hurried. Care 

 should be taken to see that the vessel holding the honey is free from 

 holes. 



DEALING WITH THICK HONEY. 



One of the few serious drawbacks beekeepers in certain districts 

 have to contend with occasionally is thick honey — that is, honey 

 that is too dense to extract from the combs in the ordinary wav. 

 Fortunately it is not met with every season, except, it may be, in 

 apiaries situated near heavy bush, or where little else than flax or 

 manuka abounds, in which case it would be folly to attempt to raise 

 extracted honey. It is, however, becoming less each year as the land 

 is cleared and sown down in grasses and clovers. 



The storing of thick honey commences early in the season, but 

 ceases as soon as the weather is favourable for gathering clover-honey. 

 Should this latter condition not come about, the first continues and 



