ON HONEY. I97 



Honey may be clarified by putting it 

 into a bowl, and fetting that in water over 

 a fire. When it boils, part of the impuri- 

 ties will rife to the top, and is to be fkimmed 

 off. The heat, in this procefs, however, 

 takes off from its fragrancy, and, if properly 

 extracted, it is not neceffary. 



It may be thought that honey retains the 

 virtues of the flowers from which it is ga- 

 thered. This may be true in a degree, efpe- 

 cially of aromatics; but as it is gathered 

 from a variety of different flowers, of various 

 qualities, the honey muft partake of that of 

 the aggregate. We find, whatever flowers 

 it may have been collected from, it frill re- 

 tains its difagreeing quality (though other- 

 wife diverfified by flavour and colour), and, 

 if expofed much to fire, lofes its fine/me// 

 and tajle. Neverthelefs, whether it could be 

 deprived of its difagreeing quality, and made 

 as agreeable as fugar, without a diminution 

 of its medicinal virtues, merits the confider- 

 ation of the chemift. 



The heating and griping properties of ho- 

 ney probably arife from its ejfential oil, with 

 which farina largely abounds ; its detergent 

 O 3 and 



