514 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
the equal of that in sections, and, ultimately, such 
must it be. Formerly, muddy specimens, more the 
product of the aphis than flowers, could even squeeze 
their way into the prize list ; at that time the whole 
nursery went whirling round to get a few pounds of 
pollen-stained stuff ; soon the mistake was seen, 
and, barring brood, we yet held to old brood-combs, 
as being tough enough to bear extraction. Now 
the extractor is so improved that virgin combs can 
brave the ordeal ; and since those built on thick 
and wired foundation may be used, there is no 
fear at all that they will unduly suffer. 
The truth is better faced ; the specks, tiny though 
they be, found in that from combs in which breed- 
ing has taken place, consist, mainly, of larval 
excrement (see Fig. 4, Vol. I.), a fact which will 
convince the far-seeing that 1 am urging no fancy, 
but that which has much to do with the develop- 
ment of the popularity of honey itself — a popularity 
which will continue to grow, unless blind folly 
prevent. If prizes were given for honey extracted 
from combs which had never been contaminated, 
and the capable judge, with a good- hand magnifier, 
could determine the point instantly, an improvement 
in the quality of the article would soon be produced, 
far transcending, in effect, any of the tasty labels now 
so common. A name should be given to it, and 
although the word virgin, as applied to comb, covers 
an old blunder, it is unremovably crystallised into 
the language; and so '' extracted virgin honey” might 
not be inappropriate, especially as it would appeal 
correctly to a vague idea in the public mind. 
1 
