FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 1059 



WMS iniiKtssihU' t(i draw any sweepin}; conclusions as (o tlic coniiiosilion of each 

 particular lioncy tyi)e." 



Knvii-onincnt or locality frequently has a very marked influence on the com- 

 position of honey, but the data rejwrted are not rejiarded as suflicient for st-"- 

 eral deductions. 



The Hawaiian honeys examined offer a strikini; example of the effect of 

 local conditions on composition, having a high ash content largely due to an 

 excels of chlorids, exi)laiiial)le probably by the large amount of salt contained 

 in the soil water of the islands. Some of the Hawaiian samples contained 

 large quantities of honeydew, which has a pronounced effect on the physical 

 (lualities of the hone.v. 



" The light-colored honeys are very much darkened through the blending 

 witli honeydew, and the property of granulating is also much diminished. The 

 presence of honeydew in very large amount also affects the flavor and odor of 

 honey, giving it a taste and smell resembling that of molasses." 



As regards the composition of American hone.vs and the detection of adulter- 

 ation, the author states that 20 per cent of the large number of commercial 

 samples analyzed were found to contain " commercial glucose var.ving in amount 

 from small quantities (when it was apparently added to prevent granulation) 

 to as much as 80 per cent ; 12 per cent of the samples exceeded 8 per cent 

 sucrose, and 8 per cent of the samples gave the reactions for artificial invert 

 sugar with both ammoniacal-silver solution and anilin acetate. 



" Bottled honeys are frequently labeled by some floral designation, and these 

 honeys, even when within the standard, often show a suspicious variation from 

 the analyses of such honeys of known floral origin, especially as regards sucrose 

 content. The microscopic examination of these hone.vs frequently shows an 

 almost complete absence of pollen from the flower in question. Bee keepers 

 and bottlers of hone.v are sometimes exceedingly careless in the labeling of their 

 products and apply the name of almost any flower, thinking that they keep 

 within the requirements of the law so long as their product is pure honey. 

 This is a mistake, as the product should be labeled exactly according to its 

 origin. The composition of different honey types and the possibility of estab- 

 lishing special standards for these are questions which will require further 

 study." 



A bibliography of literature on honey from 1802 to 1907, compiled by A. H. 

 I'r.van. is apiiended to the bulletin. 



A microscopical study of honey pollen, W. J. Young {U. H. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 Chcni. Bui. HO, pp. 70-88, pis. 5). — With a view to securing data for use in the 

 identification of honey numerous microscopical studies were made of pollen of 

 ]ilants commonly visited by bees and of honey sediments, the results being re- 

 ported in detail and fully illustrated by means of plates. The author's results 

 have been summarized in a systematic wa.v, providing a key to the pollens 

 commonly found in American honeys which facilitates their identification with 

 the microscope. The methods followed in the microscopical work are described. 



In addition to pollen grains in honey, crystals of calcium oxalate and calcium 

 phosphate are found and sometimes crystals of dextrose. Structures of animal 

 origin, such as hairs and other appendages of insects, are occasi<jnally found, 

 and hairs, fragments of tissues, etc., of vegetable origin and small fragments of 

 comb are always present. Dust and other accidental contaminations are also 

 nearly always present. In honeys which have been adulterated with glucose, 

 starch grains, frequently changed by heat, often occur and may have been 

 added in the aduKeration. 



The deterioration of sugars on storage, N. Dkkru and R. S. ^'ouins (Ifaicai' 

 ian Suyar riantcrs' Uta., Div. Ayr. and Vlicin. Bui. .i>,, pp. .J/).— In a great ma- 



