58 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



head and thorax " (See page 171, 

 1902 edition of the Bee-Keepers' Guide. ) 

 Cheshire says, on page 378 of his second 

 volume, "The secretion, or nectar, of 

 most blossoms consists of cane sugar, and 

 is inverted, by the addition of salivary 

 juices into dextrose and levulose. " On 

 page 581 of the same volume he saj's 

 "The blossoms whence the bees gather 

 nectar yield mostly cane sugar, (italics 

 Cheshire's) but this undergoes inver- 

 sion through the action of the salivarj'^ 

 secretion of the bee, and the two forms 

 of glucose before mentioned (dextrose 

 and levulose) are produced. " 



It is universally admitted that the 

 nectar of flowers is largely cane sugar 

 and water with the addition of a small 

 amount of flavoring material. Now, in 

 all seriousness, what difterence does it 

 make, aside front the flavor, whether 

 the cane sugar that the bee gets is 

 that extracted b3' the blossoms from 

 the juices of plants, or that extracted 

 by the hand of man from the juices 

 of plants ? That point of flavor 

 is, of course, important, I'ery impor- 

 tant, but I believe it is the only real 

 difference between floral honey and 

 that produced by feeding the bees 

 sugar. Chemists are unable to distin- 

 guish the difference between the two. 

 I know, as Bro. Abbott says, two sub- 

 stances may be alike chemically, yet 

 differ in some manner. On the 

 other hand, it is equally true that the 

 raw materials for the making of some 

 manufactured product may come from 

 dift'erent sources, yet the finished pro- 

 duct be the same to all intents and pur- 

 poses. 



I said that the matter ot flavor is im- 

 portant, but let no one think that 

 sugar honey is devoid of flavor. It, 

 has a peculiarly sweet, spicy, "beey" 

 flavor that is simply delicious, and I 

 believe it is just as truly "sugar 

 honey'''' as basswood honey is bassivood 

 honey. 



Bro. Abbott says that I was once an 

 enthusiastic advocate of what was 



then wrongly called "sugar honey." 

 This is is not putting the matter very 

 clearly. Then, as now, I was an ad- 

 vocate of the truth ; and I believed, as I 

 still believe, that the source from which 

 bees get their cane sugar in making 

 honey is unimportant, aside from the 

 matter of flavor, but I have never ad- 

 vocated the production and putting 

 upon the market of sugar honey. The 

 discussion started in the Review in an 

 imperceptible manner; one thing led 

 along, gradually, to another, until the 

 discussion was finallj' in full swing. 

 All that I desired, or plead for, was 

 that the matter be fairly discussed. I 

 I wished it settled practically, chemi- 

 cally and ethically; but such a furor 

 arose that fair, calm, reasonable dis- 

 cussion was simply impossible, and it 

 was dropped, — and. perhaps, for the 

 best. I have always doubted the prac- 

 ticability and advisability of producing 

 and selling sugar honey. The major- 

 ity of bee-keepers could not produce it 

 at a profit, and the general public, not 

 understanding the matter as we do, 

 would look upon it with suspicion, and 

 all sorts of damaging stories would be 

 rife. 



But all this does not change facts, 

 and if we are going to discuss the sub- 

 ject, let us stick to the truth. 



FOR SALE: 4 Danz. hives, complete. 

 Used one season, (cheap.) Box 14, 

 2-05-lt Mclvor, Mich. 



Bees and Queens 



Have yon tried my queens? They are as good 

 as money can buy; they are daughters of impor- 

 ted mothers; and no ■, ains have been spared to 

 mate them purely. When you send me an orc'er 

 I fill it promptly and guarantee perfect satisfac- 

 tion. I have the three- banded Ita ians, goldens, 

 Cyprians, Carniolans, Holy Lands and Albinos. 



Untested queens, of either race, yS cts. each; 

 tested, $1.50; breeders, $3.00. Special prices on 

 lots of a dozen or more. Two-frame nuclei a 

 specialty. 



7-04-tf 



B. H. STANLEY, 



Beeville, Texas. 



