282 Care of Hxtracted Honey. 



;ind still have the honey thick and nearly ripe, as it is styled. 

 I have proved over and over that honey may be extracted 

 when quite thin, and artificially ripened or evaporated, and 

 equal the very best. However, as there is danger of imper- 

 fect ripening, it is wisest to leave it in the combs till the 

 bees commence capping it. Many tier up and leave all in 

 the hive till the busy season is over, then extract all, when 

 the honey is of course thick and of the best quality. This 

 is the method advised and practiced by such able authorities 

 as the Dadants. If the honey granulates, it can be reduced 

 to the fluid state with no injury, by heating, though the 

 temperature should never rise above 200° F. This can 

 best be clone by placing the vessel containing the honey in 

 another containing water, though if the second vessel be 

 set on a stove, a tin basin or pieces of wood should prevent 

 the honey vessel from touching the bottom, else the honey 

 will burn. As before stated, the best honey is pretty sure 

 to crystallize, but it may be prevented by keeping it in a 

 temperature which is constantly above 80° F. If canned 

 honey is set on top of a furnace in which a fire is kept burn- 

 ing, it will remain liquid indefinitely. If honey is heated 

 to 180° F. and sealed, it will generally remain ever after 

 liquid. Granulated honey, if reduced will often remain 

 permanently liquid. It is a curious fact that unripe honey 

 is quicker to granulate than is honey that is thoroughly 

 evaporated. 



The fact that honey granulates is the best test of its purity. 

 To be sure, some honey does not crystallize, but if honey 

 does we may pretty safely decide that it is unadulterated. 



To render the honey free from small pieces of comb or 

 other impurities, it should either be passed through a cloth 

 or wire sieve — I purposely refrain from the use of the word 

 strainer, as we should neither use the word strained, nor 

 allow it to be used, in connection with extracted honey — or 

 else draw it off into a barrel, with a faucet or molasses gate 

 near the lower end, and after all particles of solid matter 

 have risen to the top, draw off the clear honey from the 

 bottom. In case of very thick honey, this method is not 

 so satisfactory as the first. I hardly need say that honey 



