Bee-culture by Hopkins Isaac

Author:Hopkins, Isaac
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Bees
Publisher: Wellington, By authority: John Mackay, govt. printer
Published: 1905-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

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The instrument is made with various scales, acoording to the density of the liquid to test which it is required.

Bach degree is equal to 5 degrees specific gravity ; for example, 80 degrees Twaddel is equal to 1-400 sp. g. as 80 x 5 = 400 + 1000 = 1-400 sp. g.

TESTING STRENGTH OF LIQUID FOR MAKING HONEY VINEGAR.

The washings of cappings (when there are any), the skimmings and washings of the tanks, honey-extractors, &c., broken honey-combs, and other odds and ends of honey need not be wasted; all can be utilised in the making of vinegar or mead, or both. A hydrometer comes in very useful here again to test the strength of the liquid. For vinegar there should not be more than \\ lb. of honey to each gallon of water, the specific gravity of which is 1'040, so that when the honey cannot be weighed the hydrometer will at once show whether the strength is right, instead of depending on guesswork.

RIPENING HONEY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HIVE. This subject has caused no end of controversy in the bee journals, but chiefly by those bitterly opposed to any other method of ripening honey

than within the hive. Although I have closely followed most of the writers on this side of the question, I have failed entirely to discover anything beyond mere assertions that their method is the right one, and all others wrong. No proof by tests or experience of both methods has been adduced to support their assertions, so that to a close observer they have been valueless. On the other hand, we have the ejperience and testimony of some very eminent beekeepers who have practised with great success and advantage the ripening of honey outside the hive.

Ripening Inside the Hive.

This can readily be done, and is, no doubt, the best plan for those who are not prepared to exercise great care—that is, who are somewhat careless. All that is needed is to leave the honey in the hive until all the cells are sealed or capped over before removing the comb for extracting. The capping of the hofney-cells denotes that the contents are ripe—^that is, that the surplus moisture has been evaporated, which in my opinion is all that takes place. The time required for this depends in a great measure on the state of the weather and the condition of the honey when stored; it may be several days before the honey is capped, or in dry warm weather only a few hours after the cells are filled. Even honey that is ripened in the hive should remain in a shallow tank after extracting, to mature before tinning it—but more of this later.

Ripening Outside the Hivb.

If there were no disadvantages in the foregoing process, or no other method of reaching the same end without disadvantages attached to it, we should, as a matter of course, have to follow it; but I maintain we can ripen our honey equally as well outside as within the hive, and

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