THE INDUSTRIES OF THE HIVE 57 



and enterprise. There is a oneness in bee enterprises 

 which harmonises capital and labour, and which 

 precludes strikes and lockouts. 



THE PRODUCTION OF HONEY 



In trying to fathom the mysteries of honey-produc- 

 tion, scientists have dissected the bee with greatest 

 care; but they have usually been obliged to guess at 

 the uses of such organs as they could not understand 

 by analogy. To-day, after all the excellent work of 

 investigators, the process and formulae of honey- 

 making remain unrevealed. 



The nectar, when taken from the flowers by the 

 bees, is received in a special reservoir, called the 

 honey-stomach. It is supposed that the secretion 

 from the glands in the head and thorax is added 

 to the nectar as it is swallowed, and induces the 

 chemical action which, in the honey-stomach, changes 

 the cane-sugar to the more digestible grape-sugar, 

 and brings about the other changes that finally result 

 in the production of honey. The chemical composi- 

 tion of honey varies, perhaps for two reasons: It 

 may be more perfectly digested sometimes than at 

 others; and the nectar of different flowers may vary 

 chemically. However, all honey contains water, 

 glucose, a small amount each of albumenoids, mineral 

 matter, essential oils and formic acid. While most 

 of the chemical changes take place in the honey- 

 stomach of the bee, yet the honey is made perfect by 

 ripening in the cells; these are left uncapped for a 

 period of time and the current of air, always in action 



