THE MWnODEXmiOX. 63 



It will occur to the reader to ask whether this plant 

 is to be taken note of in connection with the poisonous 

 honey that we have discoursed upon in describing 1 the 

 Pontic azalea ? The deleterious honey known to the 

 ancients, and. described by Dioscorides and Pliny, and 

 which plays a dramatic part in the grand story of Xeno- 

 phon, was certainly not a mythic substance. The in- 

 habitants of Georgia were but too familiar with it. In 

 the opinion of the writer, who for many years has been 

 intimately familiar with the greatest plantations of rho- 

 dodendrons of this country, and of Europe generally, the 

 common purple rhododendron produces honey that is as 

 wholesome as that from the clover, the heather, or any 

 other good bee plant. Indeed, were it otherwise, we 

 should be too frequently and forcibly informed to remain 

 in doubt upon the subject. But in the Botanical Maga- 

 zine, under t. 650, occurs a very interesting note, as 

 follows : — " A middling-sized rhododendron, which had 

 been somewhat forced, standing in a very light, airy bow- 

 window facing the north, produced a large drop of very 

 pellucid nectar at the base of the broadest segment of each 

 corolla ; as the flower decayed, this drop mostly crystal- 

 lised. A number of these crystals were collected, five of 

 which weighed a grain. They were very transparent, re- 

 sembling in appearance and taste the purest white sugar- 

 candy. The same has been observed in some degree, but 

 not to nearly the same extent, on some other trees simi- 

 larly situated ." Many who observe minutely have seen 

 these saccharine tears in flowers, but few have proceeded 

 beyond the casual observation. 



As for Pontus, it is a mysterious geographical entity ; 

 and to work out its boundaries will cost some labour, even 



