Bee World

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Detecting the Source of Honey

William Herrod-Hempsall (Secretary)

To cite this article: William Herrod-Hempsall (Secretary) (1919) Detecting the Source of Honey,
Bee World, 1:6, 115-116, DOI: 10.1080/0005772X.1919.11093747

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.1919.11093747

Published online: 31 Jul 2015.

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 November, 1919. THE BEE WORLD. 115

(a) LING HEATHER:

Flavour.-Bitter, sweet, and strong, as the flower smells.
Aroma.-Pungent of the Moors in September.
Density .-Gelatinous; so much so,. that it cannot be extracted by
centrifugal force, but must be pressed out.
Colour.-Dark to light amber.
Brightness.-It never assumes the clearness of "Flower Honey,"
as on account of its density, the air globules impreg-
nated in pressing never come out, but give a beau-
tiful effect to the honey by reflecting the light-like
drops of dew in the sunlight.
Detecting the Source of Honey.
(b) BELL HEATHER:
By WILLIAM HERROD-HEMPSALL, F.E.S.
Flavour.-Not quite so strong as Ling.
Secretary, The British Beekeepers' Association. Density .-Not gelatinous, and can be extracted in the usual way.
As a rule in this Country, the surplus honey from the bees is Colour.-Port Wine.
obtained from mixed sources. This is necessarily so, as large crops Brightness.-Good.
of one particular flower are the exception rather than the rule. (2) CLOVER:
However, there are certain crops grown in sufficient quantities
Flavour.-Delicate, of the flower.
at some periods of the year, to enable the bees to store in the surplus
chambers mainly from this particular source. Aroma.-Delicate, of the flower.
Density .-Medium to excellent, according to season.
As I find the majority of beekeepers. are unable to distinguish Colour.-Varying. Light amber to water white.
the various kinds of honey, the following notes will probably enable
them to identify the principal varieties. Brightness.-Usually good and sparkling.
The chief points of good honey are: Flavour, Aroma, (3) FRUIT BLOSSOM :
Density, Colour and Brightness. Flavour.-Rather stron_s.
Flav.our: This is o-ften a matter of palate; for instance, the Aroma.-Very pronounced.
Southerner does not, as a rule, care for the bitter, sweet, and strong Density .-Very good, so much so that it is often difficult to extract.
flavour of heather honey, whereas the Northerner does; and in his Colour .-Dark.
turn, the latter regards the delicately flavoured Southern honey Brightness .-Medium.
from clover or sainfoin as "sweet but otherwise tasteless stuff."
Honey from buckwheat is obnoxious to most people, but preferred (4) SAINFOIN:
by a few in this Country, while in Holland and Sweden, it is much Flavour.-Delicate.
sought after. The Eucalyptus flavour of Australian honey appeals Aroma.-Pronounced; and if stored in large quantities, it is obJec-
to the people of that Country, and it is not honey to them unless tionable when first opened, but tones down upon exposure.
this is present, whilst people in the United Kingdom generally object Density.-Very good.
to it, since it reminds them too much of a medicinal preparation; and Colour.-Light amber.
so, if space permitted, one could go on enumerating the vagaries of Brightness .-Sparkling.
flavour. (5) LIME, LINDEN, OR BASS WOOD:
Aroma : This is often redolent of the flavour from which the
nectar is obtained. At times very pungent, as from heather, sainfoin, Flavour.-Tinged with peppermint.
hawthorn, mustard and lime, while at others, faint and almost imper- Aroma.-Delicate peppermint.
ceptible. Density .-Only medium.
Density: Climatic conditions and soil affect this to a certain Colour .-Slightly green.
extent. In a very damp season it is more liquid than in a moderately Brightness.-Only very medium.
dry one. Honey gathered early in the season is generally more dense (6) BUCKWHEAT:
than that gathered later, and does not granulate so quickly. Soil Flavour.-Very strong.
also has an influence. For instance, clover grown on a clay soil Aroma.-Pungent.
yi">lds a thicker honey than that grown on a sandy one. Density .-Poor.
Colour : This is affected by the flower from which the nectar Colou::- .-Dark, often almost black.
is obtained. There is a fashion in food just as in clothes, and while
Brightness .-Poor.
the Southerner prefers a light honey, the Northerner swears by the
dark coloured. To my mind it is immaterial, so long as flavour and (7) MUSTARD:
density are good. Flavour.-Strong, often with a slight burning sensation when swd.l-
Brightness : As a rule, honey properly ripened and extracted lowed.
even in the case of the dark ones, is bright in appearance. Dullness Aroma.-Rather pungent.
is caused by unripeness, the admixture of pollen, or a very slight quan- Density .-Good. It is the quickest granulating honey in this Country.
tity of honey dew. Slight heating will often improve a dull honey. On exposure to light, it will granulate in three days.
The characteristics of the principal varieties of honey It also granulates very quickly in the hive, and should
produced in the United Kingdom may be thus summarised : therefore be extracted as soon as sealed over.
(1) HEATHER: Colour.-Pale amber to water white.
Heather blooms late in the season, in August and September, Brightness.-Good.
when all other flora are over. Heather honey is, therefore, one of (8) HAWTHORN:
the crops which can be secured unmixed with that from other flowers. Flavour -Fairly strong, often mistaken for heather mixture.
On account of climatic conditions, a good harvest is secured about Aroma .-Pungent.
once every three years ; hence the price is usually about double the Density.-Very good.
price of that which the Scotchman terms" Flower Honey " to dis- Colour.-Dark amber.
tinguish it from the honey of his native land. It is obtained in the Brightness .-Good.
North of the British Isle; and although there are a few exceptions
such as Hampshire and Devon, I consider that no good Heather (9) SYCAMORE, OR PLANE TREE :
Honey is obtained south of Derbyshire. Flavour.-Strong, of the flower.
There are two kinds of heather honey : (a,. that obtained from Aroma.-Strong, of the flower.
the true Heather or common Ling (Calluna Vulgaris), and (b) that Density .-Medium.
obtained from Bell Heather (Erica Cinera). Colour.-Dark Green.
Pure heather honey is" peculiar in that it never granulates. Brightness .-Poor.
 116 THE BEE WORLD.
Good honey is often spoilt by tllC' mixture of nectar from
ragwort (S. jacobea). This flowering weed grows on moorland and
marshes; and if its flavour predominates, the honey is unsaleable.
Section Honey naturally possesses all the qualities of extracted
honey.
There is a difference in the colour of the cappings as
follows:-
(a) heather: dead white; (b) sainfoin: pale to deep straw colour;
(b) other honeys have a brightish white capping.
[In favouring THE BEE WORLD with this valuable practical article, despite
his over-occupation, Mr. William Herrod-Hempsall, who is writer of the well-known
authoritative work : " Producin~, Preparing, Exhibiting and Judging Bee
Produce," has most kindly prefaced his article with an address of welcome to this
magazine and with friendly words of encouragement to its humble editor. Other men
of leading position, both at home and abroad, have spontaneously acted in the same
kind and generous spirit, and we have duly published a general acknowledgment of
their gentlemanly attitude, and our full appreciation of their liberal kindness.
The striking feature about Mr. W. Herrod-Hempsall's communication is that it was
sent after the appearance of our article "A Lesson in Journalism," in which we
ventured to suggest that the time has come for the whole Bee Press to stop party
duels, and to labour for co-ordination, amity, and better forms of education. Such
duols were a degrading feature of the whole British Bee Press in the past, and they
are not now altogether dead.
Our frank statements afforded the acid test for estimating the qualities of open·
mindedness, forbearance, and sincerity of faith in our leaders. And we are certainly
gratified that our esteemed contributor appreciated the motiYe of our criticism, and did
not descend (as we never expected) to the political tactics of considering our remarks
a sign of opposition on our part, whirh justifies his hostility .... ,. Instead, he has
rightly made the cause of The Apis Club and THE BEE WOHLD hi' own cause
as we expect from all other IE'aders, and has gin·n our labour a most disinterC>sted ancl
repeated review in both The British Bee Journal and The Beekeepers' Record.
\V.H.H., as proprietor of the most widely read two bee magazines in this Country,
is in no need of our assistance. It is within his power to labour for the destruction of
our work should he wish it. But he declares that his principles mean construction
and tangible co-operation in every useful beekeeping scheme. \Vhilst fully apprecia-
ting his sincerity, we, on our part, have no hesitation in declaring that if our work is
not ftt to survive the attacks of one leader or the other, then it is not worthy of a de-
fence. If a testimony is needed in order to show that a rightful course is rightful
then such a course is certainly a poor one in its lack of inspiration. W'e do not car~
therefore to publish letters of appreciation (much as we value the good will of the
writers, both great and small)-a practice which amounts to nothing more than a
form of indirect self publicity, as if to influence the judgment of the readers.
On the other hand, the kind message received from W.H.H. may be rightly pub-
lished, at least in part, for the purpose of showing the true charar.ter of the man who
seems to be held responsible for the blundc>rs of some of his <liscip1es. More than
one of these, imbibed with hopeless partisanship, refused to help us just because of
our recognition of the services of others who hold divergent views from theirs, who
may have committed or are still committing mistakes, pardonable or otherwise, but
whose literary and practical ability, nevertheless, cannot be ignored by any honest
man. The same feeling, we much regret to say, appears to be operating in Ireland
just as strongly as it is operating in Great Britain. \Ve personally owe much to the
teachings of several British leaders in beekeeping, that a smack from one or the other of
them will not hurt us. It will o~ly fill us with re.gret. We would sympathise with any
one of them If he were wrongly unpressed and misgmded by manreuvres of Ill-advisers
who lack even the courage of expressing their opinions in print, and would like to shift
the responsibility of their short-sightedness, their selfishness, and their petty jealousy
to the pen of one leader or the other. We are glad that W.H.H., amongst other
leaders, is candid enough to acknowledge our sincere motives, and we trust that our
labour will not be successfully misrepresented in any quarter. It will not be our
fault if such a traditional misrepresentation will ever succeed.
Our esteemed contributor kindly remarks: " I must congratulate von on your
admirable magazine. Though delayed through absence abroad and presSurp of worl\
this message is not the less sincere. The paper is uniquf>,,high in tone, and free fro~
extraneous matter and recriminations. Beekeepers cannot have too much edu-
cation, and the more periodicals we have devoted exclusively to bee culture,
the more we shall succeed in our callin~. There are a great number of people
who keep bees who do not read anything at all or. the subject, and ofttimes are not
even aware that literature on beel\eeping exists. The greater number of periodicals
we have, the more likely are they to come into touch with them and receivP that edu-
cation and assistance which they sorely need. I trust, therefore, you wiJl receive
that support and encouragement which your unselfish, tmbiassed, and financial de-
votion to the craft so richly deserves, and that you may soon be restored to perfect
health a.nd remain a~ongst us ~o con.tinue the good w?~k of 1.~plifting the industry of
beekeepmg to the highest possible pmnacle. The Bntlsher IS undemonstrative and
phlegmatic, and you will receive (as I well know) many setbacks and disappointments.
But all the time, although it may not be apparent for the moment, good work is being
done, and you will, in due course, reap the reward of your unselfish devotion and labour.
As the owner of contemporary periodicals, I extend a hearty welcome to you and any
assistance I can render is entirely at your service. I am sorry to see that yo~ have to
make repeated appeals for practical sympathy to enable you to develop your work
anrl would here submit, for consideration and adoption, the following principle : '
A poor man walking along the street carrying a basket of eggs came into collision
with another pedestrian. The result was that the basket feJJ to the pavement and the
eggs were broken. As usual, a crowd collected, and the usual verbal expressions of
sympathy \~·ere give!1 by alarg.e number of the spectators. One man, a 'quaker,' stood
for s~m1e I:unut~s without say~ng ~ wo.rd. At last he spoke thus: • Friends! I sym-
patlnse w1th thts poor fellow m h1s misfortune to the extent of ten shillings.' I am
not snrprised at the failure of promises of support. To everv appreciative reader of
THE BEE WORLD who is aware of your aims, of your hibour and perseverence
of the obstacles in your way, and of the existence of the development fund of the maga~
zine, this legitimate question may be put : What is the cash value of your
sympathy ? " · than half-a-dozen inspectors with police powers." Space forbids
. . We speak of people as we find them. Further comment on the message of appre-
caabon and encouragement from Mr. W. Herrod-Hcmpsall to a constructive critic
who holds so many divergent views from his, and with whom he has hardly come int~
persoQal contact, i$ certainly needless,-Ed.]
November, 1919
Bee Diseases Legislation.
By GILBERT BARRATT,
Secretary, The Sheffield Beekeepers' Society.
At the request of the Editor, the following notes on Legislation
have been written.
At the outset, it may be conceded, I think, that no sensible
beekeeper obfects to sane legislation : the need of it is patent to every-
one except those "who have eyes and see not." No, the objection
by the thoughtful man is in the administration of it. If a Bee
Diseases Bill becomes law, then it is a sine qua non that it must be
administered; but by whom are the administrators to be appointed?
Naturally one thinks of the Board of Agriculture: ?ut that body,
by its countenancing the issue of the fatuous and llhterate screeds,
in the shape of leaflets which have excited the derision of two conti-
nents, has proved its entire unsuitability and ineptitude. One
would like to see the B.B.K.A. entrusted with this task, but a survey
over many years, fails to find any signs of that body furthering, in
any way, the interests of the average beekeeper.
Obviously, it is difficult to deal with this subject when not the
faintest indication of the proposed Bill is known, also the futility
of endeavouring to obtain, by advertisement or otherwise, any know-
ledge as to who is against legislation, a question that cannot possibly
be answered until the character of the proposed Bill is indicated.
If the proposed Bill (and the Government hold out no promise
of such, because of the lack of unanimity amongst beekeepers),
includes inspection, then, naturally, the job seeker would clamour
for appointment, irrespective of his qualifications, and although
his persistence might not secure him the post, yet modern proto-
types of the importunate widow are not wanting.
An excellent suggestion, and one which would commend itself
to the" moderates," is outlined by a correspondent in the B.B.J.
for November 27th, in which a modification of the Diseases of Animals
Act, and the putting of the onus of notification upon the beekeeper,
is urged ; this would meet the wishes of all beekeepers except those
who have a personal interest in the passing of a more drastic Act.
If, on the other hand, an inspection clause is incorporated, then a
study of the literature of America, where inspection is almost uni-
versal, will prove illuminating. Apicultural conditions are much
different from those obtaining in this Country, but human nature
is the same the world over. ln the Januuary issue of the Western
Honeybee, the following statement appears, "foul brood, together
with ·unwise inspection, has decreased the number of colonies
in one county in California by 50%. Here is food for serious thought,
especially those who have seen the trail of death following the visit
of the county' expert' in this country."
An article of unusual interest, entitled "Force or Education,"
from the pen of the sub-Editor, Mr. Frank Pellett, appears in the
February American Bee Journal. He says" ...... in passing
bee laws. we have been so frightened by the presence of disease, that
we have put more power into the hands of the inspector than it was
ever designed that any one individual should hold. \Ve are living
undl'r a constitution which gives to every man the right to be heard,
and provides that no individual shall he deprived of his property
without clue process of law ...... many o[ these laws go so far as to
give the inspector authority to establish a quarantine against the
sale o£ honey from infected areas ....... in no. other department of
American activity do we make it possible for one man to judge the
merits of a case, assess the penalty and execute the sentence ..... .
there should be laws to govern the movements of diseased apiaries,
as a matter of course, but they should be administered in the same
way as other laws." Mr. Pellett, having been a Government inspector
for five years, is entitled to be heard with respect ; he further urges
the necessity of education, rather than the "big stick" and adds
...... '· let us warn the beemen in these States, that they are better
without any laws at all than they would be with the stringent pro-
visions now on the books of several States " ...... " where new laws
are to be passed, it is far safer to make a move towards an educational
officer rather than toward another policeman ...... if the beekeepers
will strive to get a beekeeper with expert knowledge of diseases
into that department, gewill be of far greater service to the industry
further extracts from this valuable article, but in an editorial com-
ment Mr. Dadant says," beekeepers should consider very carefully the
result of improper administration before asking for stringent laws