Vol. XII. 



0€T. 15, 1884. 



No. 20 



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NECTAR, OR HONEY-DEW. 



fHE following, from the pen of Prof. 

 A. J. Cook, we clip from the WeeMy 

 Press, of Philadelphia : 

 These terms are very old in our literature, 

 and refer to drops of liquid sweet, often very 

 minute, which are frequently observed on grass and 

 the foliage or branches of various trees and plants. 

 These drops of nectar have been referred to by writ- 

 ers for at least 2000 years, and probably were the 

 subject of remark and inquiry as far back as the 

 time of Aristotle. The first name, nectar, is very 

 appropriate, as the substance is sweet and often 

 very pleasant to the taste. Sometimes it is as light 

 colored as the finest honey, while at other times it 

 is as dark as New-Orleans molasses, and, as if to il- 

 lustrate that nature, has an eye to the fitness of 

 things. The dark nectar is also often bitter and un- 

 pleasant to the taste. The dark nectar is often 

 quite odorous, so much so that when gathered 

 largely, as it is apt to be, by bees, a rank, disagree- 

 able smell will be observed about the apiary in place 

 of the delightful odor usual to the bee yard. A few 

 weeks ago I knew an apiarist, misled by this odor, to 

 be very- anxious for fear he had in his apiary the 

 dreaded malady, "Foul Brood," which is always 

 characterized by a most disagreeable stench. Have 

 not many readers, during the past summer months, 

 as they have been walking, especially just at the 

 beginning of twilight, i)erceived a very noticeable 

 odor, which the physician would liken to slippery 

 elm, but which would remind the farmer boy of the 

 diluted odor of the hog-pen? The cause of such 

 odors is this same nectar. Often it so smears the 

 leaves of the trees that to grasp them covers the 

 hands with a sticky, unctuous liquid not entirely 

 pleasant to the touch ; not infrequently the glitter- 

 ing drops may be seen to twinkle on the foliage, or 

 as they fall from it, especially just at the dawn of 

 morning. Sometimes it falls from the leaves, so as 

 to stain the sidewalks or other objects beneath the 

 trees. 



The other term, honey-dew, is not so correct, for, 

 though the sweet is well likened to honey, it is in no 

 respect like dew. As is well known, dew collects 

 from vapors in the atmosphere while the so-called 



I honey-dew never has any such origin, though it is 

 (juite impossible to persuade many persons, es- 

 ])ecially bee-keepers, that such is not the case. 

 Even men of no mean scientific ability have often 

 i assented to this false view as to the origin of this 

 nectar. 



Occasionally this nectarTtakos the name manna, 

 and grasses from which it is secured have, in recent 

 journals, been called manna'grass. Were this term 

 in general use 1 should think it a very appropriate 

 name. 



The sources of nectar of plants are very various. 

 That secreted by flowers, through the agency of 

 special cells, is best understood, and is without 

 doubt to attract insects to the important work of 

 fertilizing the flowers. Another source of nectar is 

 special, extra-floral glands, which are sometimes on 

 the stalk, sometimes on the leaves and sometimes 

 on the peduncles, or flower-stems. The cotton and 

 partridge pea show such glands, and afford such 

 secretion. Professor Trelease suggests that the 

 function or use of such glands and secretion is to 

 insure the presence of ants, wasps, and bees, which 

 will destroy or frighten and drive off insect enemies 

 of the plants. Professor Trelease was led to this 

 view while studying the cotton plant of the South. 

 Such nectar — that from flowers and extra-floral 

 glands, as also the sugar-laden sap or juices of many 

 trees and plants — is never included in the term 

 honey-dew. 



The nectar known as honey-dew is also of diverse 

 origin. As is well known, it comes largely from 

 plant lice. It may come from special tubes — called 

 nectaries — or, as is more generally the case, from 

 the glandular pores of the abdomen. It is very 

 coiniiioii to find the leaves of trees infested with 

 aphides, <)!• pl;inf lice, blackened by this nectar, or 

 I the fuiii^i uiiifh its jn-esence induces. The presence 

 of ants ill tici' nr shrub is almost always a sure in- 

 dication that tlic plants were previously attacked 

 by plant lid'. The ants repair to the place for this 

 same iicitar. Hoes often collect this nectar in con- 

 I sidcralilf (luaiitities. I have often seen this sweet 

 I in hii-yrc drops sufficiently ample to be sampled with- 

 ! out ditlic iilty. Of course I sampled it, and have al- 

 I ways found it agreeable to the taste. It might not 

 be wise to label honey " Plant-Louse Honey," but I 

 I am free to say that some of the best of honey might 



