Texas Beekeeping. 75 



the same amount of preserves, jellies, or the many syrups on the 

 market, most of which are adulterated and hardly fit for consump- 

 tion. Yet these are used the country over instead of good honey. It 

 is to be hoped that the time is not far removed when the true value 

 of honey as a healthful, nutritious food, will be better understood. 

 ■ For baking, especially by commercial bakeries and the large biscuit 

 factories, immense quantities of honey are used, and cakes and 

 cookies, in which it is employed, are not only more delicious, but keep 

 soft and fresh longer, instead of drying out and becoming stale like 

 those baked only with sugar. In confectioneries honey is used ex- 

 tensively, also in numerous ways in cooking, and in various summer 

 drinks. Many persons use it entirely in place of sugar in drinks of 

 hot water, coffee and tea. It is well, however, to be careful about 

 substituting honey wholly for sugar, as this can not be done satis- 

 factorily in all cases. By carefully trying the addition of a little at 

 a time, the right proportion may be easily ascertained, and honey 

 used to advantage, especially as regards health. 



From the beekeeper's standpoint, it is a good idea to preach these 

 truths at all times, especially through the home newspapers, thereby 

 not only doing a great work for the health of his fellowmen but also 

 advertising his products. Presenting the editor of a newspaper with 

 a nice sample of honey, and furnishing him with the facts of its health- 

 fulness and usefulness as a food, preferably in a written article on 

 the subject, so he can print it as news, is of a mutual benefit to both. 

 It will mean a greater demand for honey of the beekeeper, and his 

 advertisement in the paper, so it may be known where such good 

 honey may be obtained, profits the editor. To increase the demand is 

 to create a better price for the product, and is to be encouraged. 



HONEY VINEGAR. 



The most healthful vinegar can be made from honey, and many 

 beekeepers make this, not only for their own household use, but to 

 •sell as well. It has not been found profitable to make honey vinegar 

 •on an extensive scale, on account of the many cheap grades of vin- 

 egar on the market, some of which ought not to be used at all, but 

 with which the better honey vinegar must necessarily come into com- 

 petition. It is for this reason that it is not manufactured to any 

 ■extent. Every beekeeper ought to save all waste honey that otherwise 

 would be lost in the washings, and turn it into vinegar. With a little 

 ••advertising it is possible to sell, quite easily, several barrels of this 

 vinegar every year. 



Poor grades of honey, the washings from the cappings and combs, 

 when these are washed, drained and dried preparatory to melting 

 Into wax, and all rinsings from honey cans and utensils, may be 

 used for making honey •vinegar. It is understood that only clean 

 "honey washings are to be used, soft rain water being preferable for 

 this purpose. To test the solution for, the proper sweetness, a fresh 

 ■egg must float therein so that only a small part of it, the size of a 

 •silver dime, will be exposed, or a hydrometer may be used to make 

 the test. A pound and a half of honey to a barrel of rain water is 

 about the right proportion. To destroy all undesirable germs that 



