The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-13
ABOUT HONEY.

l. is customary to speak OF clear
honey, that is honey free from comb,
as strained honey customary be-
cause the expression comes from US
age before the improvements IN bee
keeping, one of which being the
honey extractor.
The honey extractor is machine
by which the combs containing honey
are whirled around, in large can,
with sufficient velocity to throw the
honey from the combs. The honey
is caught upon the inside of the can
and runs down and out through the
faucet at the bottom and iuto yes
sci placed there for that purpose.
Only the clear honey is thrown out,
the pollen, or bee bread, and young
bees remaining in the combs. which,
being returned to the hives. the
strength of the colony is not mate.
rally impaired. Any very young
bees, in the larva state, that may be
thrown out of the combs float down
upon the surface of the honey and
are skinned off without being killed
or mixed in the honey.
These who have seen the old fash
ioned lay of preparing strained
honey, know that extracted honey ls
in every way much nicer and q
better article than strained honey.
In fact, no honey is ever "stralned. /"
Being very heavy-weighing II
pounds to the gallon, while water
weighs only about 81 pounds-honey
clarifies itself by setting and forcing
everything else to the top.
In making "stralned" honey in
the cid fashioned way, the comb
honey after beng cut out OF the
"gum" and containing honey, bee
bread and young bees, all interspers-
ed through the comb, is taken in the
hands aud squeezed, so as to press
out the honey In this squeezing
process the soft portions of the bee
bread mix witn the honey, and also the
white fluid that comes from the mash.
ing of the bee larva Occasionally
also dead adult bees being mixed
among the mass of combs and honey,
are squeezed along with the lot, it
being impossible to see and pick out
every one OF course. as before
stated, the honey clarifies itself by
aud forces the bee.bread
and pieces of comb to the top.
But that is the way strained
honey is prepared. The writer has
seen 1t made, and in his younger
days, helped to prepare it
Advanced bee keepers only use
the term strained" honey in order
to be understood by those who want
clear honey-thas is honey "extract-
ed from toe comb 1t is time that
the masses should be educated as to
The meaning of the two terms, aud
thus be able to decide whether they
really want strained houey or
extracted honey Tie strained
honey is still made, aud can freq qleut
y be bought cheaper than the "eS
tracted" toney-bus whea you know
the difference, which would you pre-
fer
Those who keep bees in gums
and boxes cannot, of course, make
any kind but "strained" honey ; but
when movable-frame hives can be
obtained so cneaply, bee keeper is
behind the times to use the old fash
ioned gums " There is no patent
on them, and any one can make them
at home ii be chooses, out it is cheap
er to boy hives in the hat-tbat is al!
the pieces cut to the right size and
ready to be put tcgetheg-and they
can be nailed up and painted III odd
times at home They can be bought
from dealers in bee supplies cheaper
and more accurately y made than If
made at home by the average Car
pentel
With bees in movable frame hives