Honey 187 



Strained honey was obtained by pressing the combs, or 

 by melting them, when the wax was taken from the top and 

 the honey from below. Great carelessness in handling 

 this honey and no care as to what kind of combs were 

 pressed or melted resulted in a dark-colored liquid con- 

 taining all sorts of disagreeable impurities, so it is no won- 

 der there Hngers a feeling of distaste for honey that has 

 been removed from the combs. 



Doubtless extracted honey is sometimes adulterated by 

 dealers with cheap syrups and it is interesting to know that 

 the adulteration of honey is an ancient as well as a modern 

 fraud, for Pliny tells us that the must of grapes was boiled 

 -down to the consistency of honey and used for its 

 adulteration. 



To-day the cheap and harmful glucose or corn-syrup 

 supplants the must of grapes as an adulterant, just enough 

 honey being added to flavor the compound. 



The color of the comb and of the honey depends 

 doubtless upon the flowers from which the nectar is 

 gathered, and from a note in the Koran we learn that, — 



" The Arabs are curious in and fond of honey. Mecca 

 alone affords eight or nine varieties, green, white, red and 

 brown." 



Menzel tells us that in Russia, whose steppes afford the 

 bees rich nourishment, is found honey of all colors, white, 

 yellow, brown, yes black, sold in the cleanest vessels. 



He also tells us that in Siberia there are white bees 

 whose honey is also white ; that from the Isle of Bourbon 

 and the Isle of France there comes a green honey that 

 is very valuable ; that a green honey in red wax cells is 

 found in Africa; that in Madagascar is a very thin but 

 brown honey made by little black stingless bees ; and in 

 Brazil are black bees whose wax is also black. 



The comb of the Apis Mellilica, our hive-bee, is often 



