ADULTERATION OP HONEY. 379 



under the name of prime honey, bears little or no affinity 

 with the real nature of that article. As it is generally sold by 

 weight, the cottagers take care in the first instance that the 

 honey shall not pass into the hands of the wholesale dealers 

 without receiving its due proportion of flour or other heavy 

 farinaceous substances ; which in a short time places the honey 

 in a state of fermentation, and divests it of a great portion of 

 its natural sweetness. A second adulteration takes place 

 when it comes into the hands of the retail dealer, and thus the 

 native virtues of the article are completely destroyed. The 

 detection of the admixture of flour with honey is very easy. 

 Dilute a little honey with cold water, and if it be adulterated 

 with flour, the water will become of a milky hue. Another 

 method is to clarify the honey, by placing a small quantity 

 in a jar, which must be half immersed in a saucepan of 

 water. When the water is brought to a boiling heat, the 

 honey becomes perfectly liquid and clarified ; but if adul- 

 terated, a thick scum rises to the top, which on being taken 

 off and suffered to grow cold, crumbles into a farinaceous 

 dust. 



r 6 



