For the American Bee Journal. 



Honey Dew. 



If the article in the August number, on 

 •'What is Honey Dew?" did not contain 

 some antiquated ideas, it would not be 

 worth while to shed light on it. The gen- 

 eral point sought to be made is, that all 

 honey dew is excreted by the plants, and 

 that the cause is a "chemical derange- 

 ment," which causes them to relieve them- 

 selves, by excretion, through organs similar 

 to those of animals. It also maintains that 

 all the elements of sugar are taken in 

 through the leaves. 



The investigations of the last 20 years 

 have, beyond all doubt, shown that the 

 body of plants consists of nothing but liv- 

 ing, or living and dead cells, according to 

 what the plants are. These cells are very 

 small, from 1-200 part of an inch to 1-1000 in 

 diameter. Some few may attain a size of 

 1-10 of an inch. These cells are entirely 

 closed, and join each other. They are the 

 only organs by which plants can take in 

 watery substances, and they do it by in- 

 haling and exhaling, or "endosmose and 

 exosmose ;" on the same principle, as two 

 different fluids related to each otlies, if sep- 

 arated by a bladder, will penetrate the 

 bladder until they are equalized. Hang a 

 bladder with salt or sugar water into clean 

 water, and you will soon tind the outside as 

 salty or sweet as the inside. 



Tiie flow of sap is nothing more than the 

 mechanical effort of the evaporation of 

 water from tlie leaves and younger stems.— 

 The contents of the water cells becoming 

 thereby more concentrated, the power of 

 " endosmose " becomes so much stronger.— 

 It is also settled that plants cannot take in 

 any matter which is not soluble in water, 

 and that very near all the water a plant 

 uses is drawn up by the roots. This water 

 contains in solution, salts, acids, minerals 

 and more or less carbonic acid, hydrogin 

 and oxygin. The upper side of leaves have 

 not vet shown any opening through which 

 any "fluid could exude, and I defy any one 

 to show it. The under side of leaves is 

 generallv provided with small crated open- 

 ings, which lead into the spiral vessels, 

 whose functions are the inhalation and ex- 

 halation of gases, which is far more active 

 in day than in night time. At night, plants, 

 so to say, sleep, and yet, at night, should 

 they be so pressed by sugar as to burst 

 the hard, upper surface of the leaves, to 

 gain an outlet ? On the other hand, the 

 plant lice work principally at night. 



The writer of the article in the Home 

 Journal really supposes that our large 

 forests of oak, hickory and other trees, are 

 chemically deranged, when honey dew dis- 

 appears. It would, in such a night, when 

 the trees are in their best, be dangerous to 

 the ears, to enter such a forest ; one might 

 come out deaf ! No ; Mr. K. : Honey dew 

 is not excreted by leaves ; it is, all of it. 

 simply sucked by plant lice, who use of it 

 what they need, which is not the sugar, and 

 ejectthe surplus not by the anus, but by two 

 fine openings above it. 



1 can show you, almost any time, how 

 these little tiny insects work, and can show 



you, beyond the possibility of a doubt, how 

 they eject the honey dew. I can believe 

 what my eyes see. Chas. Sonnk. 



Sigel, 111., Aug. 16, 1878. 



Central Ky. Blue Grass Convention. 



The annual meeting of this Association 

 will take place in this city, Tuesday, the 

 1st of October next, at 10 o'clock, a. m., 

 when it is expected that important business 

 will be transacted. There will be an elec- 

 tion of ofiicers for the ensuing year. 



We hope the Editor of the Journat> will 

 be with us in body as well as inspirit. If the 

 former should fail, we shall be content with 

 one of his interesting articles on "Bee- 

 keeping, a Science." We cordially invite 

 all lovers of bee-culture to be with us, and 

 especially all the members of the Associa- 

 tion, as we hope some prominent member 

 will volunteer to represent us in the 

 National Convention, which meets in New 

 York City (I think) one week after ours. 

 W. Williamson, Sec'y. 



Lexington, Ky., Aug. 7, 1878. 



[Would be pleased to attend, were it pos- 

 sible for us to be absent long enough to 

 attend both conventions— but it is not. — Ed] 



North-Eastern Wisconsin Convention. 



The Northeastern Wisconsin Bee-Keepers' 

 Association will meet at Depere, Brown Co., 

 on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 3a 

 and 4th. 



Interesting articles from prominent bee- 

 beepers will be read, among which may be 

 mentioned, "The management of the home 

 market for honey, both comb and ex- 

 tracted," by H. P. Sayles, of Hartford; 

 " Wintering bees, and carrying them safely 

 through the Spring in this Northern cli- 

 mate," by James Heddon, of Dowagiac, 

 Mich. ; " Best method and time of increase," 

 by Crowfoot Bros., Hartford; "Best man- 

 agement of bees for the production of comb 

 honey," by Fred. Claussen, of Mlshicott. 



Legare Potter, of Sherwood, and Edwin 

 Pike, of Boscobel, will also read articles, 

 and we hope for one from A. H. Hart, or 

 Appleton. 



Blanks will be on hand for filling out, 

 whereby we may get an accurate statement 

 of the number and amount of bees, honey, 

 etc., in the state, and prices settled ac- 

 cordingly. 



A cordial invitation is given to all to come 

 and bring anything new of interest to the 

 fraternity. Frances Dunham. Sec. 



Ointment.— "I will give you a receipt 

 that I have been in the habit of using for 

 years, viz : Good yellow beeswax or nice, 

 white comb, one part ; fresh butter, well 

 washed, 4 paits. Melt, skim and pour in 

 moulds, which makes it handy for toilet 

 purposes, or in boxes. It is excellent for 

 any dressing where ordinary ointment is 

 usiid. Have had some bad ulcers healed by 

 its use ; but, tor the hands and lips, it is not 

 surpassed." Dr. J. R. Pratt. 



