1 68 A Modern Bee- Farm 



CHAPTER XXV. 

 HONEY, AND SOME OF ITS USES. 



BEE-KEEPERS generally are prone to consider that honey 

 is good for everything ; but our ideas must be somewhat 

 moderated before we can hope to teach others to appreciate its 

 real advantages. That it is a wonderful gift of nature no one 

 will deny ; and that it stands almost alone as a pure natural 

 sweet, perfect in itself, we are all aware. There are very many 

 who have the impression that bees make honey ; but this is far 

 from being the case. Flowers secrete nectar under the chemical 

 action of the atmosphere upon the juices of the plant, and this 

 process is continued daily until the bee while gathering such pro- 

 duction is the means of mixing the pollen of different flowers, 

 and thus being fertilised and the plant made capable of repro- 

 duction by seeding, the object of the sweet attraction is accom- 

 plished ; the flower fades, and the nectaries are dried up. 



Medicinal Qualities. 



Honey requires no digestion, but enters immediately into the 

 system ; it is productive of heat, and by its regular use, the entire 

 organism is benefited in a high degree, as it not only stimulates 

 the appetite and aids digestion, but is at the same time better than 

 any medicine for regulating the system. 



Persons inclined to be costive, especially children, will find 

 honey restore them to a perfectly normal condition ; while the 

 continued use of purging medicines on the other hand causes 



