San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-10
Is Easy to Get and Gro
Gerry Stores Usually
Stocked Well.
TEXAS BIG PRODUCER
"Chunk," Comb and
Strained Honeys Shipped
in Large Quantities.
BY MADELEINE MILLIGAN, B. S.

BY MADELEINE MILLIGAN, B. s.
As we all know, this product may
be found in the grocery stores as comb
honey or extracted honey, and the best
of it is that it is easy TO get and near
IL everyone likes it. There is also a
chunk honey which is obtained from
Texas and the southern states. 1t is
sometimes sold in the comb form, be-
ing cut from large combs to any size
desired. These pieces are usually
! placed in can. extracted honey being
then poured over them to fill up the
| little spaces or interstices. This chunk
honey ships remarkably well. and per-
feet Gaping of the cells by the bees II
not deemed essential in this produce
Bull; comb honey is produced in small
quantities elsewhere than in Texas, q
little of it coming from all parts of the
| United States. Like maple syrup.
strained honey is easily adulterated
with sugar syrupS.
Comb Honey Best.
Some of the delicate aroma of ever
the superlative grades of honey is lost
in the process of extraction, but in The
! comb honey these properties are fully
retained. Less expensive equipment i
required for the production Of comb
honey than for strained honey. Arti-
| fetal honey, combs are now available
to the trade: they are made from par
affin stamped into cells to initiate the
original, which enables the bees to de-
vote more energy TO the making Of
honey rather than expending it upon
the comb. The wholesale price of comb
honey is higher than that of extracted
honey but the amount from each col
Ony of bees is less so that the returns
are about the same in either case. On
the other hard. when extracted honey
is blended and bottled, it brings a.
high retail price as comb honey. In
most markets, comb honey meets vita
more ready sale than extracted honey
Comb honey ships poorly and there L.
the danger of breakage. and il it gran
ulates, it is worthless. 1t must be
stored in a warm and dry room and it
should be prepared for market az
speedily as is practical after, its re.
moval from the hive. 1t should be
wrapped and sealed in wax cartons tO
prevent a careless grocery clerk from
accidentally running his thumb into
the comb. rendering it unfit for sale.
Variations In Honey.
| Comb honey is judged according TO
| finish. color and weight. 1t should be
packed in clean. first-clas cases and
not in badly stained or propelled sec
tons. Some of the conditions cncount-
cred in the comb product are instances
of poorly ripened honey: sour OIL
weeping hOner: sections with the
comb projecting beyond the box, OF
well attached to the box less than two.
thirds the distance around its inner
surface sections with more than &C
unsealed cells, exclusive of the row ad
jacent TO the box; leaking. injured OF
patched-up sections sections weighing
less than ten ounces and. finally
honey showing signs of granulation.
In speaking of weight, it may b.
mentioned that unless comb is ex
ceptionally well filled, it does mo-
weigh one pound.
The sO-called "honey-dew honeys'
have their source not in plant secre
ton but rather in insect secretion
This substance is high in gum couten;
and is poor food for bees in winter
HOney-dew is gathered by ants per
haps more than by the bees. The sug
ars in this honey are similar to thos;
in other honey but it has a poor flaw
or. is dark in color and GRADUATES
very quickly, sometimes even before
sealing. Hawaiian honey-dew honey ii
an exception to this last remark, a.
it very rarely graduates.
Unless the housewife or the che
make practice of buying honey from
agents or grocers who are not reput
able. the remarks on poisonous honey,
will have little significance. 1t i!
nevertheless true that the juices of Ger
tain plants are known to be poison
Gus to man and therefore we assum,
that the nectar from each species ais,
contains toxic properties. Bees ar,
known TO have gathered poisonou
nectar from the mountain laurel (kal
mia latifOlia) from the tobacco plan
INicotianna tabacum) from the vel
low jasmine (Gelsemium sempcrvir
ens) from the sweet peppef busl
(Clethra alnifolia) and also from
rhododendrons. One species of rho
dOdendrons is supposed to be tn
source Of honey reported by Xenophci
as having poisoned his soldiers. A
| the same time it is not certain tina
all of these plants produce poisonou
honey. because the sweet pepper bus
or Clethra is the source of much o
the products which is eaten extensive
ly with no unpleasant effects.
l Ancients Used Honey.
Honey formed the alimentary articl
] of great Importance to the ancient
4 who were almost unacQuainted wit
sugar, and certain localities, such q
Hybla in the island of Sicily and Hy
mettus near Athens, were especial
celebrated for its production. Today j
the Black Forests of Baden, til
U peasants consume honey as a stapl
article of diet.
= The difference in color. flavor an
odOr of honey are attributed TO I'll
characteristic nectars in the differeI
flowers upon which the bees feed an
, the age of the bees also has somethir
to do with the situation.
The color of honey, for exampl
ranges from almost white 70 the COLI
r 4 Il. L..