The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-16
IS AAWA||'S
HONEY BAD?
Complaint of Quality
Comes From the
Market.

ers' Association brought together yes
terday Messrs. Van Dine, Jordan. E. c.
Smith, Tucker, Howard. Silva. Lucas
and Laws at the L. S. Expert
ment station where Mr.. Van Dine has
fifty odd samples Of honey produced
in the islands. Aside from the idea
of forming an organization it was de-
sired by the bee men to talk over some
of the reports damaging TO the industry
that have been received here.
Mr. Van Dine acted as chairman of
the meeting and in opening said he re-
GREETED that the largest company in
the islands, the Sandwich Island Honey
Co. was not represented. Relative to
the difficulty in marketing Hawaiian
honey the chair said the reports had
been to the effect that it was below
standard and was believed to be adul-
terated Knowing this to be the oppo-
site of the facts, in so far as the purity
of the product is concerned, Mr. Van
Dine had asked DR.. Shorey to analyze
some of the samples and the result OF
that analysis would be read by the
doctor later Coast dealers had said
| the honey received there was in a state
of fermentation. In answer to queS-
ton by Mr.. Van Dine, E. c. Smith said
he had had experience in shipping to
London San Francisco and New York
| markets and found it was difficult to
! market the honey and the complaints
as to quality had been frequent. He
| said he had never received a higher
price for sugar cane honey than for
| that known as the algaroba. He was
| of the opinion that the trouble Is
| caused by the middle man stepping in
| and knocking the product on account
| of the long distance. Believed 1t
| would be well for the beekeepers to get
! in closer touch with the large consum-
| ers on the mainland
| Mr.. Van Dine said Mr.. Thompson,
another beekeeper, had made similar
| report.
| Mr. Jordan said he had had cOnsid-
| cradle experience in shipping algaroba
| honey TO London during the past ten
years and he had always found that it
| brought next in price to the New Yea
| land article and the latter ranked first
| in the London market.
Mr.. Van Dine then read his records
| of the fifty-four samples of honey re-
! ceived from Kauai, Molokai and Ca
| hu BY these records he could tell
what the bees feed on in certain local
! tiles at certain seasons. The samples,
| which are in glass containers, showed
| a variety of colors, which Mr.. Van
| Dine explained vas due to the differ
| ence in the pasturage.
| Algaroba had been for years the prin-
| cipal pasturage for the bees and where
| other food was introduced the color
sometimes changed. There was one
sample that had been gathered nearly
| a year ago that showed no signs of
granulation, and while honey that
| graduates is always considered pure,
| this particular sample is perfectly So
! He said there were three different
| sources for the honey.
! First-Norma! organ-fiower nectar.
| Second-From plants which exude
neutral nectarines and known as honey
dew
| Thfrd-Indrectly from such plants as
may be infested by aphids or the cane
top that is infested by the hopper. In
the latter case the hopper punctures
/ the leaf and pumps himself full of
Juice and then eXudes it upon the leaf
to be taken up by the bee. The sub
, stance exuded by the hopper is known
to commerce as honey dew and Mr..
Van Dine suggested that the cane
, honey be named Honey Dew Honey
! to distinguish ii from all other varie-
; ties. This grade is inferior to the
other and is the cause of the embargo
to the beekeepers here who have been
accused of adulterating their product.
Il some such measure is not adopted
the charge will be made that the keep
ers here allow their bees access to the
| molasses watts of the plantations.
Mr.. Smith asked, if the substance
! exuded by the leaf hoppers is honey
dew and that exuded by bees, honey.
Why it would not be possible to turn
the former into honey of commerce.
| MIR. Van Dine answered that the hop
| pers do not store their honey dew.
At this stage of the proceedings it
was announced that Prof. Frank Ben
ton, assistant entomologist of the Agri-
cultural Department at Washington
would be here in December on his re-
turn from tour of the world and
would remain about seventeen days
Prof Benton has been studying con-
ditions and bee pasturage throughout
the world and gathering new species
of bees so 1t is possible he would be
able to introduce new bee plants here.
!. Next month the beekeepers would hold
JOINT exhibition with the poultrymen
and Mr.. Van Dine will exhibit his
honey samples and the cocoons.
DR.. Shorey and Food Commissioner
Duncan were invited into the confer
ence at this time and Dr. Shorey re-
ported the result of his Investigations.
He first stated that the standard COM
position of honey is the nectarine exu-
dations of honey bees and was COM
posed of 25 per cent water: 25-100 per
cent ash an per cent sucrose. This
is the standard fixed in the United
States A large number of samples
given TO him for analysis as cane honey
departed widely from the standard men
u 4 IL