1570. Siller's Method of Clarifying Honey

1570.    Siller's Method of Clarifying Honey. Any quantity of honey is dissolved in an equal part, by weight, of water. The liquid is allowed to boil up 4 or 6 times without skimming; it is then removed from the fire, and after being cooled, brought on several strong linen strainers, stretched horizontally, and covered with a layer of clean and well-washed sand an inch in depth. When the solution has passed through the strainers, it is found to be of the color of clear white wine; the sand being allowed to remain on the strainers, is rinsed with cold water, and the whole of the liquor is finally evaporated to the thickness of syrup.

1571. To Clarify Honey

1571.     To Clarify Honey. Dissolve the honey in water, add 11/2 pounds animal charcoal to every 28 pounds of honey, gently simmer for 15 minutes, add a little chalk to saturate excess of acid, if required; strain or clarify, and evaporate. Observe. - Honey acquires a darker color if heated in copper or iron vessels; the above processes should therefore be conducted in earthen or well-tinned copper pans.

1572. Shute's Artificial Honey

1572.    Shute's Artificial Honey. Soft water, 6 pounds; pure best honey, 3 pounds; white moist sugar, 20 pounds; cream of tartar, 80 grains; essence of roses, 24 drops. Mix the above in a brass kettle, boil over a charcoal fire 5 minutes, take it off, add the whites of 2 eggs well beaten; when almost cold, add 2 pounds more honey. A decoction of slippery elm will improve the honey if it be added while cooling, but it will ferment in warm weather and rise to the surface.

1573. Cuba Honey

1573.    Cuba Honey. Good brown sugar, 11 pounds; water, 1 quart; old bee honey in

BEES' WAX.

the comb, 2 pounds; cream of tartar, 50 grains; gum-arabic, 1 ounce; oil of peppermint, 5 drops; oil of rose, 2 drops. Mix and boil 2 or 3 minutes and remove from the fire. Have ready, strained, 1 quart water in which a table-spoonful of pulverized slippery elm bark has stood sufficiently long to make it ropy and thick like honey. Mix this into the kettle with egg well beat up. Skim well in a few minutes, and when a little cool add 2 pounds nice strained bees' honey, and then strain the whole, and you will have not only an article which looks and tastes like honey, but which possesses all its medical properties. (The slippery elm will ferment in warm weather and rise to the surface.)

1574. Artificial Honey

1574. Artificial Honey. Take 10 pounds Havana sugar, 4 pounds water, 40 grains cream of tartar, 10 drops essence of peppermint, and 3 pounds honey; first dissolve the sugar in the water over a slow fire, and take off the scum. Then dissolve the cream of tartar in a little warm water, and add, with some stirring; then add the honey, heated to a boiling point; then add the essence of peppermint; stir for a few moments, and let it-stand until cold, when it will be ready for use.

1575. Excellent Honey

1575.   Excellent Honey. Take 5 pounds good common sugar, 2 pounds water, gradually bring to a boil, skimming well; when cool, add 1 pound bees' honey and 4 drops of peppermint. If you desire a better article use white sugar and 1/2 pound less water and 1/2 pound more honey.

1576. To Test the Purity of Honey

1576.    To Test the Purity of Honey. Honey is frequently adulterated with molasses, potato-sugar syrup, starch, wheat flower, and water. The molasses may be detected by the color and odor; the potato-sugar syrup, by boiling a sample of the honey for a short time in water containing 2 or 3 per cent, of caustic potassa; if the liquid remains colorless it is pure; but if it turns brown, more or less, it is adulterated according to the quantity of syrup present. The starch, by the honey not forming a nearly clear solution with cold water, and striking a blue color with iodine. When it contains wheat flour and is heated, it at first liquefies, but on cooling it becomes solid and tough. "Water is added to honey to increase its bulk. Its presence may be suspected from the greater thinness of the liquid.