In some seasons, extraordinary quantities of honey are furnished by the
honey-dews, and bees will often, in a few days, fill their hives with
it. If at such times, they can be furnished with empty combs, the amount
stored up by them, will be truly wonderful. No certain reliance,
however, can be placed upon this article of bee-food, as in some years,
there is scarcely any to be found, and it is only once in three or four
years, that it is very abundant. The honey obtained from this source, is
generally of a very good quality, though seldom as clear as that
gathered from the choicest blossoms.
The quality of honey is exceedingly various, some being dark, and often
bitter and disagreeable to the taste, while occasionally it is gathered
from poisonous flowers, and is very noxious to the human system.
An intelligent Mandingo African informed a lady of my acquaintance, that
they do not in his country, dare to eat _unsealed_ honey, until it is
first _boiled_. In some of the Southern States, all unsealed honey is
generally rejected. It appears to me highly probable that the noxious
qualities of the honey gathered from some flowers, is, for the most
part, evaporated, before it is sealed over by the bees, while the honey
is thickening in the cells. Boiling the honey, would, of course, expel
it much more effectually, and it is a well ascertained fact that some
persons are not able to eat even the best honey with impunity, until
after it has been boiled! I believe that if persons who are injured by
honey would subject it to this operation, they would usually find it to
exert no injurious influence on the system. Honey is improved by age,
and many are able to use with impunity, that which has been for a long
time, in the hive, and which seems to be much milder than any freshly
gathered by the bees.
Honey, when taken from the bees, should be carefully put where it will
be safe from all intruders, and where it will not be exposed to so low a
temperature as to candy in the cells. The little red ant, and the large
black ant are extravagantly fond of it, and unless placed where they
cannot reach it, they will soon carry off large quantities. I paste
paper over all my boxes, glasses, &c., so as to make them air-tight, and
carefully store them away for future use. If it is drained from the
combs, it may be kept in tight vessels, although in this state it will
be almost sure to candy. By putting the vessels in water, and bringing
it to the boiling point, it will be as nice as when first strained from
the comb. In this way, I prefer to keep the larger portion of my honey.
The appearance of white honey in the comb, is however, so beautiful,
that many will prefer to keep it in this form, especially, if intended
for sale.
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