Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-10-24
HONEY VINEGAR.

The proper way to make honey vim
egar out of what might easily be wasted
in any well-conducted apiary, and even
from the poorer grades of honey, which
are not usually in demand, may be found
from the following paragraphs, which
seem to have been written by one who
knows. One pound of honey and one
gallon of water are the proper proper
tions to make good vinegar. That IS,
twenty mine pounds of honey will make
(water enough being added to fill regu-
lar thirty-two gallon barreD one barrel of
the best vinegar. The vessels used to
make it in are common alcohol barrels
which are found at drug stores. Saw
out one of the barrel-heads, and paint
the outside, to prevent the iron-hoops
from being destroyed by the vinegar.
The barrels and vinegar are kept in the
cellar, so covered with burlap as to keep
the dust out and let the air in.
One year converts this water and honey
Into the choicest vinegar. More age
will make it sharper, but at one year old
it is fine enough for any use. Sweetened
water from washing honey drippings is
the most common waste of the apiary,
and to utilize it is presumed to be de-
sirable matter in connection with honey
vinegar. Still, with the low price of
honey, bee-keepers may find q reason
able outlet for some of their poor honey,
such as is unfit to sell as luxury for
table use.--Farm, Field and .Stockman.
+ In his address before the Ohio Bee
keepers Convention President Board
man called attention to the universal ex-
perience of Ohio apiarists during the
past three years, in which the honey
yields have steadily decreased. He next
proceeded to prove that the decrease is
not dependent on the style of hive, the
race of bees, thick top bars, honey
boards, green cages or the various other
fixtures and conveniences introduced.
These are all well in their way, but they
do not produce honey. Among the
notable changes affecting the honey yield
Mr.. Boardman named the destruction of
forest trees incident to the advance of
civilization. This destruction is more
effective with the loss of the Eastwood
and the tulip tree or whitcwood, both
prolific in nectar for the bees. This de-
struction of the Eastwood, especially, the
beekeepen are thoughtlessly encouraging
by the use of supplies made from that
timber.
The shortage of the Ohio honey crop
was not, however, attributed entirely to
the cause mentioned. There are two
conditions necessary to successful honey
production. These are abundance of
honey producing bloom and favorable
weather. The most important of these
conditions, the weather, is one over
which we have no control. There is in the
west, vast domain where these two
favorable conditions nearly always exist
during the honey season; where almost
perpetual sunshine and unbounded bloom
combine to make it a beekeepers' para
disc. It is where artificial irrigation is
substituted for the natural rainfall and
where the alfalfa clover grows in abun-
dance. This domain, Mr.. Boardman
predicted, will in the no distant future
flow with honey; but as all cannot &c
west to seek this beekeepers' paradise,
they were advised as follows: .Turn
your attention to improving the flowers
and extending bee forage. ] would rec.
ommend careful and patient experiment
With alfalfa clover by beekeepers wher.