EXTRACTED HONEY. 427 
caused for centuries the levy of heavy taxes, payable in 
beeswax, in countries where the inhabitants kept bees. 
Some countries, in Europe, had to pay to the church, every 
year, several hundred thousand pounds of beeswax. Such 
taxes compelled the bee-keepers to separate the honey from 
the wax with as little waste as possible. 
Different grades of honey were harvested by the careful 
Apiarists. The light-colored combs produced a light-colored 
and pure honey; the combs which had contained brood pro- 
duced turbid honey of inferior quality. 
747. These primitive methods were afterwards greatly 
ameliorated, as for instance, in the French province of Ga- 
tinais, where the bee-keepers used the heat of the sun to 
melt the combs, and separate the honey from the melted 
wax. The choice honey obtained in Gatinais, from the 
sainfoin, cannot be excelled by our best extracted clover 
honey, as to color and taste, and it is sold in Paris alto- 
gether. 
Owing to these causes, strained honey, of different grades, 
was a staple in Europe. But the demand being ahead of 
the supply, especially when the season was unfavorable 
for bees, Europe imported strained honey from Chili, and 
Cuba, and lately, extracted honey from California. 
748. These causes did not exist in this country. Bees 
were scarce here at first. The American settlers had too 
much work on hand to care much for bees. The few who 
owned a limited number of colonies, brimstoned one of them 
occasionally, and consumed the honey at home. The more 
extensive bee owners could sell some broken combs to their 
neighbors, or a few pounds of strained honey to the drug- 
gist, who was not very hard to please, being accustomed to 
buy Cuba honey, harvested with the most slovenly careless- 
ness. By and by, however, owing to very favorable condi- 
tions, the wild woods swarmed with bees in the ‘‘ hollow 
trees,’’ and the bee-hunter made his appearance. Thous- 
