378 STATE AGRICULTURAL. COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



made on one or two grams of the substance in a tiat platinum dish, drying from 15 to 

 HO hours at the temperature of boiling water. There is no more difficult thing than to 

 determine accurately the percentage of water in honey, and while I do not claim that our 

 numbers are absolutely c rrect yet they are as exact as we could well get them. 



The determination of the invert sutrar was also made as such by the reduction of the 

 copper, subsequent solution and precipitation of the copper by an electric current, in 

 the metallic state, and calculating the results as invert sugar. The factors having been 

 determined by working on pure cane sugar inverted, as a standard, our results must be 

 practically correct. Other methods of estimating the invert sugar and calculating it 

 as dextrose, or estimating it volumetrically. would lead to different numbers and this 

 must be taken into consideration in looking over these figures. 



I had a much more elaborate work planned out for this investigation, but knowing 

 that you are anxious to get these results I transmit them. Hoping that they will be 

 satisfactorv to you. I am, Respectfully, 



H. W. Wiley. Chemist. 



I desire to call your further attention to two samples which still show a left-handed 

 polarization at 88'^. These are Nos. IG (Black mangrove honey. — A. J. C.) and 41. 



It is evident from this behavior that these honeys contain an axcess of levulose; that 

 is, they contain more levulose than would naturally be present in invert sugar. 



Sample No. 41 (Basswood honey from Wisconsin. — A. J. C.) has most remarkable 

 qualities. Its still high left-handed polarization at 88° -8.44 indicates that it is some- 

 thing which is very peculiar. If it pure honey which has been gathered from nectar, 

 it contains an abnormal percentage of levulose. It might be an ordinary honey 

 which was adulterated with a solution of levulose. if such an adulteration is ever 

 practiced. This honey could be made also in another way, that is. by draining granu- 

 lated honey in which the dextroee part of the invert sugar remains in a solid state and 

 the levulo?e part runs off. This would be similar to the method of making open-kettle 

 molaeses in the south, in which the crystalized sugar is pldced in hogsheads with per- 

 forated bottoms find the molasses allowed to drain out. Sample No. 41 has evidently 

 been made in one of the ways mentioned above. At any rate it is an abnormal honey, 

 (italics mine. — A. J. C.) and I should be glad to know its history when convenient. 



In regard to sample No. 16 the same remarks may be applied except with less 



accentuation. 



H. W. W. 



Kentucky Aobicultural. Experiment Station, ^ 



M. A. ScovELi., Director, C 



Lexington, Ky., Aug. 6, 1892. ) 



Prof. A. J. Cook, Agricultur.al College, Michigan: 



My Dear Sir — I send you enclosed with this letter a tabulated statement of results 

 of the analyses of your honeys, together with some that I had collected and analyzed. 

 These last for the purpose of comparison. 



Nos. 1-.39 inclu-iive are your honeys. The numbers are the same as given by you. 

 No. 40 is orange flower honey from Florida. By special request this honey was col- 

 lected and centrifugnled in the presence of an owner of an orange grove in Florida, 

 who vouches for its purity. 



No. 41 I obtained from a can of honey sent to one of the boys here by his mother. 

 The honey was taken from an old hive and was old comb in which the honey had 

 granulated somewhat. 



No. 42 is a honey which I took myself from a cap in a hive a few days before the 

 analjsis w«8 made. The cap was nearly full, the outer combs only remaining uncapped. 



Nos. 4.'J-50 inclusive were honeys gathered around Lexington, although not in my 

 presence, but I have every reason to believe that they were geouine. I made analysis 

 •of them last year for Dr. Wiley. 



No ol is a mixture of DO per cent of the honey No. 42. and 10 per cent cane sugar. . 



Explanations: The cane sugar was calculated by the usual formula from the direct 

 and indirect readings of the polariscope. The reducing sugars, by Faiiling's folution; 

 water from loss after heating from a lower and then at u temperature of 1U3° C. for an 

 hour; ash by ignition of the water free residue. 



In order to ascertain whei her any of the honeys had been mixed with glucose and 

 invert sugar in such proportions that the direct and indirect polarization would indi- 

 cate a pure honey, i;}.0'i4 grams of each honey were diluted with 40 c. c. of water, and 

 dialyzed for 24 hours. This dials zed residue was then polarized. The readings in the 

 column are gi^en in t>*rin8 of the normal solntio'i (24.048 gr.ima honey diluted to 100 

 c. c.) By request Prof. Garraan examined the honeys for pollen. His results are given 

 ia the column headed pollen. The last honeys you sent came during his absence. 



