MARKETING HONEY. 481 



They will do very well when the honey is to be sold at 

 wholesale, as the barrel is usually lost by the shipper; but 

 we have an objection to them for our own use. We gen- 

 erally have to take the honey out of them after it is granu- 

 lated, to put it up for retail trade ; and the cheap barrels are 

 so easily damaged, by taking the head out, that they cannot 

 be used more than one or two seasons, while good^ iron- 

 bound oak barrels will last for years, and will never leak, if 

 managed properly. To take the head out, it should be 

 marked, with a chisel, so as to replace it afterwards exactly 

 in the same position. A strong gimlet is screwed into the 

 middle of it, for a -handle. After the hoops have been 

 chased off, the head can be pulled out readily, and it is 

 replaced in the same manner, when the barrel is empty. 



If the barrels are damp, when the honey is put in, and 

 are removed to a dry place afterwards, they will soon leak ; 

 for honey does not keep the wood from drying and shrink- 

 ing. Honey barrels, then, should not be treated in the 

 same way as wine or cider barrels ; and swelling them, with 

 steam, or hot water, previous to iilling them with honey, 

 will not be of any benefit, unless they are kept damp after- 

 wards. 



830. In October, the honey of the July crop is all granu- 

 lated, and that of the September crop is beginning to gran- 

 ulate. There are many different opinions in regard to the 

 causes of granulation. Some think that it is effected by 

 the action of light, but this is certainly a mistake, for our 

 honey only sees the light when extracted, and is then k«pt 

 in the dark until sold. We are more inclined to think that 

 it is the action of cold air which causes granulation ; for 

 sealed comb-honey generally remains liquid. The extracted 

 honey, which we harvest, always granulates. We have hand- 

 led liquid honey, however, several times, but we have always 

 found it to be unripe ; and have laid it down as a rule for 

 ourselves, that good honey should be granulated after Nov- 

 31 



