486 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
The density of honey is an important point, and 
on that account I just now enforced the necessity of 
all the cells being sealed before extraction. If our 
object is quantity, and not to win in a quality com- 
petition, it may often be a great economy to extract 
so soon as the cells are well filled. The compara- 
tively watery honey thus obtained is somewhat liable 
to ferment and become acid. This may be avoided 
by exposing it, not to dust, but to a warm, dry atmo- 
sphere. As the top layer of honey loses its excess 
of water, it sinks and brings the thinnest again to 
the surface. 
The sinking of the densest portion will allow 
honey in deep vessels to grade itself, and although, 
by liquid diffusion, the density will at length become 
equal, the process is exceedingly slow. A bottle of 
honey of high quality, which had travelled from Higher 
Bebington, Cheshire, to the Exhibition, Kensington, 
and was then returned North, came back to the Author 
with the refractive indices of different parts unlike. 
The journeying had not absolutely mixed it. 
Honey kept at a low temperature (or, rather, if not 
kept at a high temperature) candies — i.e., some of its 
sugar crystallises out. The crystals hold the liquid parts 
between their meshes, so solidifying the whole that 
it may be carried in paper like butter. The dispo- 
sition to candy varies with the source whence the 
honey has been obtained, some specimens . quickly 
setting almost into a block. Candying is no proof of 
purity, yet it is a presumption in favour of it, since 
candying spoils the appearance of the honey, while 
it may easily be prevented by adulteration, glucose 
II 
