Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-11-03
Where Our Honey Comes From.

The new crop of honey is coming u
market il small quantities. The white
clover comb honey Is very fine in quslit,
and the quantity is expected to be Larger
than last year, when good, pure
honey was scarce and high. The besi
honey in the world is the Swiss honey,
considerable quantities of which are
shipped TO this country, and sold in all
markets. OF course, only the extracted
honey comes from Switzerland. Ii is
worth about Sl.25 quart, or s. 9 gal
lon. The best American honey comes
from California That is the great honey
producing section of this continent. From
the vicinity of the "Wmte Mountains, So
called because they arc white with clover
blossoms, comes the best collected in thai
State. Vast stretches of upland and noun
tain, slope and summit, are covered with
u luxuriant growth of white clover that at
distance appears like an expanse of snow.
Those who have visited this clover belt
and honey region, say that the hum of bees
throughout those fields is continuous day
in and day out, and that the bees seem to
regard the clover fields Is their particular
province and resent intrusion. However
that may be, white clover honey is the
best, and the best of it as well as the
largest quantity comes from California. In
the far " estern States some attention has
been given to bees, aud some buckwheat
and half wild honey produced Virginia
is noted for its wild honey. Some OF the
inhabitants make it business to collect it,
and the finding of it requires some knowl-
edge of bee movements. 4 bee is
caught, and at the proper time of the day
liberated 1t returns TO its swarm, and as
II flies in ''bee line" It's home can be
found by taking the point and with the aid
of compass following in the same direc-
ton, up hill and down, until the swarm is
found. The tree is felled and the honey
t tIken. Eight or ten pals Of honey are
often obtained from a single hollow tree.
A small part Of Virginia wild honey is COL
lected. The great honey region is in
Western New York, and from this part of
the country the honey now in the market
comes. Vermont and New Hampshire, in
fact all States, send more or less honey TO
market. Honey consumers prefer honey
in the comb, for in the comb it must be
Of inferior syrup, glucose or some other
product that will not sell under Its own
name. If consumers were sure Of the pure
article out of the comb, extracted honey
would sell more readily. IL sells very
well now, but the buyer does not know
whether it is honey or something else.
All honey, however, should be extracted
before il is eaten, for in spite of care some
Of the comb or wax will be eaten with the
honey, and beeswax dis.urbs the digestive
HOneycOmb bears the same
relation to honey that husk bears to corn,
she'll 10 nut, rind to fruit, and is no more
fit for an article of food than any OF them.
A machine has been invented to extract
honey. The comb is taken from the hive.
placed in a machine, which is rapidly re-
Volved, and the honey is thrown cut by
he centrifugal process. The comb is re-
turned to the hive to be filled again, and
he bees are saved the trouble Of building
another comb or cellular case. A single
swarm of bees have often manufactured
s25 worth of honey in season. Bees
an be kept anywhere-on the roof, over
Inc porch, in any place where there IS room
or hive. 1t is said by some, and denied
~ others, that bees extract honey from
1ecaying matter, street garbage and the
ike. At least, bees are seen Of work
where refuse abounds, and from appear
lnces, Samson's riddle is as true as it ever
Mas, whice is saying very little. Last year
he best honey was worth 24@25 cents;
he price now for job lots, is 2O02l cents.
rEe price Is likely to be higher, owing to
he high pnce of butter, which is l0@l3
,ents above last years prices. As butter
advances, honey Is in greater demand as
aud prices are affected. The
shipment OF honey abroad is very large.
)ne firm in New York last year shipped
80 tons at one shipment.