170 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



pierce tlie skin of any fruit, like the wasp or hornet. I will 

 appeal to Mr. Bradley whether or not I am correct. 



Mr. Bradley. I think the gentleman is correct. 



Question. I would like to ask if the honey that is deposi- 

 ted in the comb is the same identical honey that the bees find 

 deposited in the flowers ? 



Mr. Jeffrey. Any pei-son who has ever extracted honey 

 from the comb, and tasted it in flowers, making it a daily oc- 

 cupation, will have ascertained the fact that honey extracted 

 from the comb, if it has just been secreted by the bee, will 

 retain its flavor the same as you find in the flower ; but it is 

 certain the bees exude or separate from the juice taken from 

 a flower an amount of water that would prevent its keeping 

 any length of time. 



Mr. . That is what I was going to suggest, because, 



being taken from the fruit, it must undergo some process be- 

 fore they deposit it in the comb. 



Mr. Jeffrey. It undergoes a process of separation, that 

 is all. 



Dr. Goodrich. There is one point that has not been men- 

 tioned, that I would like to have explained or brought out. 

 We hear in bee culture of what is called " the honey dew." 

 I would like to inquire what it is ? What produces it ? Also, 

 if there is any difference in different plants in the production 

 of that " honey dew " ? 



Mr. Jeffrey. I believe tliat " honey dew " has been de- 

 cided, by the majority of bee experts and entomologists, to be 

 the secretion exuded by a species of louse that infests vegeta- 

 tion. 



Mr. Gold. The question does not appear to have been an- 

 swered to perfect satisfaction, whether the honey is subjected 

 fo any change when it is taken from the flower before it is 

 deposited in the cell. It has been answered that it is not 

 subjected to any change. When a bee eats a sweet grape, 

 what does it do with it ? Does it use the juice of that grape 

 for honey, or does it use it for food ? 



Mr. Jeffrey. The juice of that grape is deposited ex- 



