The Production of Comb-Honey 305 



work little or not at all in sections, for bees are induced 

 to build comb and store honey in small sections with diffi- 

 culty and there is often a loss before they begin work properly. 

 A serious drawback is that if honey in the comb granulates it 

 is almost a total loss, and usually the only way to save any- 

 thing is to melt the wax and honey and market them sepa- 

 rately. The section of honey is a difficult package for the 

 retail merchant to handle and the careless clerk may often 

 spoil a section by running his thumb into it. For this 

 reason and also for the sake of cleanliness, comb-honey 

 sections in sealed cartons appeal strongly to retailers and 

 consumers. 



Restrictions in comb-honey production. 



In view of the demands of the market and the tendency 

 toward the production of only the best grades of comb-honey, 

 there are certain restrictions which should apply in its pro- 

 duction. Where the honey is dark or where honeys from 

 various sources are mixed in the combs by honey-flows 

 intermingUng, extracted-honey should be produced. Honeys 

 which granulate quickly, although they may be of fine color, 

 are undesirable for comb-honey production. The recent 

 increase in the sale of alfalfa comb-honey has caused many 

 grocers to hesitate to buy any comb-honey, for fear previous 

 unpleasant experiences may be repeated and leave them 

 with unsalable granulated comb-honey on hand. Where 

 the honey-flows are slow or intermittent, extracted-honey 

 production will be found more profitable. These general 

 restrictions will of course not apply in certain local market 

 conditions. For example, there is demand for buckwheat 

 comb-honey in some hmited regions, whereas on the general 

 market it has no sale. It is evident from a survey of the 

 whole field that many beekeepers who now produce comb- 

 honey are doing it to their own detriment while an increase 

 in the production of comb-honey in the more northern clover 

 sections would be beneficial to the honey markets. The 

 limitations in comb-honey production will possibly increase 



