412 POWDERED VEGETABLE DRUGS 



136. (Fig. 135.) MEL. Honey. 



A saccharine preparation deposited in the honey-comb by the bee, 

 Apis mellifera L., Apidse. 



Syrupy consistency, to thick and granular. 



Pale amber to pale yellowish, to opaque when crystallized. 



Pleasing characteristic odor. 



Taste very sweet, slightly acrid. 



The fresh, uncrystallized honey shows no crystals, but the pollen 

 grains arid wax particles are present. The number and kind of pollen 

 grains vary with the flowers from which the bees obtain the nectar. 

 The number of pollen grains in one field of view under the high power 

 varies from less than one to eight or ten. From a study of the pollen 

 grains it is possible to determine the floral source of the honey, as alfalfa 

 honey, clover honey, sage honey, furze honey, mixed honey, sweet 

 clover honey, bumble bee honey, etc. The color of honey varies from 

 nearly colorless to deep brown, and the odor from very pleasing to 

 decidedly disagreeable. The honey obtained from poisonous plants 

 may be poisonous, and the taste may be so disagreeable as to render it 

 inedible. 



The crystallized honey reveals the prismatic scales of cane sugar 

 and the needle crystals of laevulose, the more or less spherical colorless 

 wax particles and brown to deep brown irregular wax particles and the 

 pollen grains. The microscope is absolutely indispensable in the study 

 of honey. 



Ash should not exceed 0.3 per cent. 



Some varieties of honey are poisonous, obtained from the nectar 

 of the flowers of toxic plants. Imitation honey made from glucose, 

 syrup, honey flavor and added pollen grains, is found upon the mar- 

 ket. There may be partial substitution with glucose, etc. There 

 may be false declaration of quality and grade and source. 



