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THE farmer’s manual. 
elucidation of it, nor has demonstrated either its 
destination or utility, in the vegetable economy of 
flowers. On this account, the solution of this question 
appears to be wholly abandoned to the researches of 
our successors. From the supposition that honey 
transpires from the plants and trees, by the action 
and admixture of heat and humidity, our surprise 
need not be great to find it at the bottom of the nec- 
tarium of the flower, which is the proximate part to 
the bark or peel, and it.piay, therefore, be easily con- 
ceived, why, in certain days, it is abundant, in others, 
scarce ; because it follows the motion, more or less 
strong, of thejsap. Also, why certain vegetables sup- 
ply a greater quantity than others; because they are 
more favoured with a soft humidity, and are more 
abundant in sap. Why the honey possesses quali- 
ties so various in difl'erent climates ; from the diver- 
sity of the vegetables. Why the cold rains, north 
winds, frost and snow, are unfavourable to honey; 
because they impede the circulation of the sap. Why 
this mellifluous liquid can abound without dew, pro- 
vided the sap circulates freely ; why, with an ardent 
sun, the harvest of honey can be great, when the ve- 
getables are full of humid juices, and why, during ex- 
cessive heat, honey is scarce ; because, from the avi- 
dity of the soil, all the vegetable juices are checked 
in their circulation. It is evident there are two kinds 
of honey, the one contained in the nectarium of flow- 
ers, and the other an exudation on the leaves of trees. 
The oak and the laurel, are particularly abundant in 
the latter, and on the first view, it appears paradox- 
ical, that the juice of a plant which is so very dele- 
terious should produce an exudation of a saccharine 
and wholesome nature. This cirpumstance has been 
one great ground on which certain persons found 
their argument, that the saccharine matter observed 
on the laurel, cannot possibly be an exudation from 
the plant, but must have fallen upon it in some other 
shape. The homogeneousness of this liquid, is an- 
