The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-12-06
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT..


Inc NATIONAL Dce-kecpeTb COnVcHLlOHj
in session at New York, Oct. 1G TO 10Th,
1877, aware of the general lack Of infor.
nation concerning improved methods OF
agriculture and Its products, respectfully
submits the following statement OF facts
for general information concerning a
large source of personal and national
revenue in preserving the honey which
God has caused 10 flow 10 ~abundantly IN
the vas, and varied fora of our county 4:
II ~ now only a few years since the
invention OF movable comb hives has
opened up a new era in Bookkeeping, and
placed ii on the basis OF a successful
business pursuit. Such hives, adapted
TO climate, furnish every facility for in
tel'igent management of bees by regu.
lating swarming, guarding against moths,
and manipulating both bees and comb.
The inventors Of the extractor or
honey singer, a machine which cmptiea
the honey from the combs by centrifugal
force, without injury, 80 that the combs
may be returned TO the bees, marks
another great step in agriculture. Thus
virgin honey, free from foreign adj
mixture is obtained, having the flavor Of
the flower from which il is drawn.
The further invention of artificial
comb foundation, made of pure wax, first
successfully used TO a large extent this
season, completes the requisites for plac.
Ing Bookkeeping on the basis Of n great
industry in our country. Bees receive
this artificial comb foundation with
readiness as receptacles both for honey
and brood.
Simultaneous with the first and all of
these improvements, the introduction Of
Italian bees and improved modes of rear.
ing queens, Of transporting and intro
ducing them 10 colonies, has greatly
improved the value of the honey gath.
ercrs, both because Of the superiority OF
the Italian bee and the introduction of
new blood. New blood prevents the
danger from in.and-in breeding.
The great drawback to agriculture is
the sting of the bee. Danger from this
source il now largely overcome By the
simple appliance used for the protection
of the person and for subduing the bees.
The most vicious colony may be subdued
in a very few minutes.
TO consumers of honey, a few facts are
necessary in this article to preserve them
from imposition. Nice white comb speaks
for itself and is generally admired, but
the price many lovers of honey cannot
afford. II makes a beautiful dish for the
liable but it is no better than extracted
honey. All comb is wax, and wax in the
stomach is perfectly indigestible. Tx.
lracted honey is pure liquid honey as it
il taken from the combs by the honey
singers, free from any foreign admixture.
II IL entirely different from what is known
in TIE market AZ strained honey. Con
help to impose upon themselves
by the false idea that pure honey will
not granulate. They desire ungranu-
lated honey and dealers will attempt to
the demand. Almost all pure
will granulate when exposed for
some time to light and cold. The gran
state is a fine evidence of pure
honey. Much of the jar honey hereto.
sold in the market, and recommended
not to granulate, lisa very inferior article,
composed largely of glucose or some
inferior substance. GRADUATED honey
can be reduced to its liquid state in q
moments by placing the jar in warm
water. When thus liquified it 50 remains
for some time before again c~rystalizing.
Consumers may he sure Of a good whole
some article by purchasing granulated
honey and reducing it.
TO producers. Bytull Use of improve
ments in bee keeping, the honey crop of
America may be almost indefinitely
increased and become a great source of
national revenue. None need fear over
production. The home demand and
consumption is largely increased when
EVER people learn to know the superior
Ity OF such honey. Dealers in New York
have already commenced u large export
,radc, and they tell us that their only
difficulty is in procuring honey in proper
'hapc and quantity to supply tho grow
ny demaud. Trade demands that they
Ne put up in nice, attractive packages,
nd in small parcels or jars 81 as to be
handled by groccrs and consum-
RS. Honey was for centuries the prin-
ipal sweet known, and is one of the
hcalthful of all. Improvement in
sugars have within the last two
n three centuries led to It's general adOp
ion. Why may not also new improve
nents in agriculture restore it to its true
lace as n general f~avorite which was lost
y bad management and the consequent
corresponding limited supply?
We believe that improvements in bee
ecping as compared with old methods
re not less than those seen in railroads
nd steamboats, as compared with former
nodes of travel.
For mutual information we would
dvise the organization of local societies
nd conventions to further this business
mong all interested in agriculture.