HONEY-DEW. 73 



poplar or willow exhibit this phenomenon, even 

 in England, in hot calm weather, when drops of 

 clear water trickle from their leaves, like a slight 

 shower of rain. Sometimes this secretion is of a 

 saccharine nature, as DE LA HIRE observed in 

 orange trees." " It is somewhat glutinous in the 

 tilia or lime tree, rather resinous in poplars, as 

 well as in Cistus creticus." " Ovid has made an 

 elegant use of the resinous exudations of Lom- 

 bardy poplars, which he supposes to be the tears 

 of Phaeton's sisters, who were transformed into 

 those trees. Such exudations must be considered 

 as effusions of the peculiar secretions ; for it has 

 been observed that manna may be scraped from 

 the leaves of Fraxmus ornus, as well as be pro- 

 cured from its stem by incision. They are often 

 perhaps a sign of unhealthiness in the plant ; at 

 least such appears to be the nature of one kind of 

 honey-dew, found in particular upon the beech, 

 which, in consequence of an unfavourable wind, 

 has its leaves often covered with a sweet exuda- 

 tion, similar in flavour to the liquor obtained from 

 its trunk. So likewise the hop, according to LIN- 

 NAEUS, is affected with the honey-dew, and its 

 flowers are rendered abortive, in consequence of 

 the attacks of the caterpillar of the Ghost moth 

 (Phalcena Humuli) upon its roots. In such case 

 the saccharine exudation must decidedly be of a 

 morbid nature." 



