4S0 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



The latest researches have shown that this acid is deposited by the bees them- 

 xel^es by means of their stings. The stings of the bees are not only used for de- 

 fens^ but also serve in a very marked way to introduce into the honey a substance 

 which hinders both fermentation and decay. The observation has lately been 

 ■laule that the bees in the hives, although they are undisturbed, apply from time 

 to time to the walls of the cells the tiny drops of poison (formic acid) that ooze 

 oat ©n the ends of their stings. 



^Sooner or later this remarkable antiseptic is incorporated with the honey. The 

 more «xcited and enraged the bees the greater will be the quantity of formic acid 

 added to the honey. On this supposition, it is easy to understand why the stingless 

 honey bees of South America collect so little honey. Why should they bother 

 tbensBeives to collect stores which would not be preserved? Formic acid fails them 

 «BUreIj, 



"Of eighteen different kinds of North Brazilian honey bees with which we are 

 «equainted only three have stings. These observations are of great interest, and 

 tbe phenomena which they describe are worthy of careful study. 



I hope that those who are devoted to observing the habits of bees will pay par- 

 ticular attention to this alleged application of formic acid. Although it is gener- 

 ally miderstood that formic acid is found in the poison bag of bees, yet all the 

 •taadard -chemical authors are strangely silent on this point. 



Rosee and Schoerlemmer, Miller, Naquet, Gruelin, Gorup, Besanez, and others 

 «{ minor note never mention the bee in giving the natural occurence of this acid. 

 The German chemist. Wise, however, in a very rare paper in Schleiden and Foreps, 

 NoL, 1848, September, p. 17, distinctly states that he has found the active principle 

 of the poison of all hymenoptera to be formic acid. 



The preservative power of this acid is said to be greater even than that of 

 fheno*. All things considered, therefore, the function of formic acid in honey seems 

 pretty well defined. 



Pollen and Wax. — Even the best strained honey will contain particles of pollen 

 •ad fragments of wax. These exist in varying proportions; sometimes as mnch 

 «s two per cent, in all. From the pollen the bee gets those nitrogenous parts of its 

 food which are essential to its growth and health. Pollen, therefore, must be re- 

 garded as a. necessary constituent of normal honey. The skilled botanist is able 

 to identify the kind of flower or flowers from which the honey has been derived by 

 a study of the pollen present. In this way a valuable indication of the source of 

 tite honey is obtained. 



in strained honey particles of wax may be regarded as a mechanical impurity, 

 Imt where it exists in small quantities it can not be considered as objectionable. 



*Jodin C. R. LXI, 1179. 



