Of the different Kinds of Honey. 215 
with butter, fugar, flower, and the like. This 
miftake prevails in many parts of the country, 
and it is much to be regretted ; as this fufpi- 
cion, fo injurious to the characters of honeft 
country people, who, in reality, fell their honey 
as it run from the combs, is even fometimes 
entertained by perfons in the higher ranks of 
life, who might be expected to be better inform- 
ed. For although the country dealers fome- 
times fpoil their honey, by fqueezing out the 
combs, and thereby occafioning bee-bread, 
eges, &c. to mingle with it; yet in all my ex- 
perience, | have never met with any honey, 
which I could difcover to have been mixed with 
butter, fugar or flour. Once indeed, and only 
once, I faw honey which the owner had mixed 
with water, but he was juftly punithed for his 
avarice; for the honey and water, fomented by 
the carriage in fuch a manner, that the upper 
part of it had more the appearance of barm or 
yeft than of honey ; and the unfortunate deal- 
er loft both his cargo and his character. 
Some alledge, that honey may be purified by 
warming or boiling it in pots, &c. which occa- 
fions it to throw up a fcum, that is {kimmed 
off. But I am perfuaded, that honey is always 
beft in its natural ftate ; and that fuch methods 
of 
