METHODS OF HONEY TESTING FOR BEE KEEPERS." 
By C. A. Browne, Ph. D., 
Chief, Sugar Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry. 
The most common forms of adulteration which are practiced at 
present in the sophistication of honey are the addition of commercial 
glucose, cane sugar, and invert sugar. The adulteration of honey- 
by dilution with water is less commonly practiced; such addition 
is easily recognized by the increased fluidity of the honey, and there 
is, besides, the increased danger that the product will spoil through 
fermentation. It is often desirable, however, for the bee keeper to 
know the approximate percentage of moisture in his products in 
order to avoid the marketing of unripe honey Avhich might exceed 
the limit for water allowed by the standards (25 per cent). The 
average water content of American honey, according to the average 
for 99 pure samples analyzed in the Bureau of Chemistry, is 17.59 
per cent, so that there is above this a margin of more than 7 per cent 
in which the moisture of honeys may be allowed to fluctuate. 
The accurate determination of moisture in honey in the chemical 
laboratory is a somewhat complicated {process. A carefully weighed 
amount of the honey is evaporated at a temperature of about 160° F. 
in a vacuum chamber until no more moisture is given off, and the loss 
in weight during the interval is calculated as water. For the bee 
keeper such a method of determination is too involved and compli- 
cated ; there is, however, a much simpler method by means of which 
the moisture content of a honey can be determined with ease and 
rapidity and with a fair degree of accuracy. This is by means of a 
specific gravity float or spindle. The liquefied honey is poured into 
a tall cylinder and immersed in hot water of 170° F. temperature. 
The honey is stirred with a thermometer and as soon as the tempera- 
ture has reached 160° F. the spindle is lowered into the honey and 
allowed to come to rest. The point at which the surface of the hone} 7 
a This paper was prepared, by Doctor Browne of the Bureau of Chemistry after 
the completion of his work on honey analysis. For greater detail the reader 
is referred to Bulletin 110 of the Bureau of Chemistry, entitled "Chemical 
Analysis and Composition of American Honeys." This bulletin may be obtained 
from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washing- 
ton, D. C. It can not be obtained from the Bureau of Entomology. — E. F. P. 
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