362 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 16, 1884. 
they divide, so as tociiahlo them to attend on the more important 
occasions, such as taun<r the bees to and from the Heather. 
Yet these bee-keepers find time enough to make their own 
modern hives, &c., and in most instances realise as much as clear 
country houie rent and taxes, as well as extra travelling expenses 
to and from their seat of work. One important thing in hives 
is that they should be of sufficient internal capacity for the pro¬ 
fitable nianageruen<', with ai ;:,reat lightness and small compass 
as possible to enable bee-keepers to handle easily when in transit 
from one locality to another, which is coming more into practice 
every year. On another occasion I will describe what I have 
found to be a proper and cheap bee house.—A Lanaukshike 
Bee-Keeper. 
HONEY PRESSER AND DRAINER. 
Would “A Lanarkshire Bee-Keeper” inform me, through your valuable 
Journal, the cost of honey presser and drainer, and where they are to be 
had ; also give instructions for use ? I have a lot of Heather honey in 
dark combs mixed with bee bread, which I cannot get out, and am obliged 
to feed my bees on it when they require it.— Edward Appleby, 
Gardener. 
[The above can no doubt be had through Messrs. G-. Neighbour and 
Sons, 149, Regent Stree'', London. I do not think they have them in 
stock, but would get them for purchasers. The price, exclusive of 
carriage, is about 30^. for tVie presser and about £1 for the drainer. The 
latter can be made cheaper if sieves are simply supported on a skeleton 
frame made by the purchaser. Both are efficient articles. The presser 
extracts about 5 lbs. of honey from G lbs. of old combs, and with less re¬ 
fuse when the combs are new ; and what adds more to their value is the 
cleanly manner the honey is made fit for use. The extra quantity of 
honey got by the use of presser soon pays for its expense. Should Messrs. 
Neighbour not be able to supply these I could get them if a guarantee is 
given that they will be taken when ready. Heather honey is fast be¬ 
coming thick, but if the combs are stowed away in a warm place will be 
quite easy managed though the pressing is delayed.— A Lanarkshire 
Bee-Keeper.] 
BERKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
What may be considered the most noteworthy and effective display of 
bee-products, and the various articles in which honey can be applied, took 
place at the Old Town Hall, Reading, on the 1st and 2nd inst. The Rev. 
V. H. Moyle, Hon. Secretary of the Berkshire Bee-keepers’ Association, is to 
be congratulated upon the success which he has achieved in Berkshire (1) in 
the increase of the production of honey in the couutjq and (2) in the 
disposal of honey for use in several articles of food, medicine, &c. 
In addition to the usual prizes offered for bees, hives, honey, Ac., several 
silver and bronze medals were offered for— 
1, “ For the best collection of honey and wax in various applied forms.” 
In this class were shown preserved fruit, honey, vinegar, mead, wax plates 
for etching purposes, sheets of wax for making wax flowers, &c. Mr. Thomas 
Stothard and the Rev. V. H. Moyle were awarded equal first prizes in this 
class. 
2, “ For the best collection of honey as beverages.” In this class Mr. F. 
Blatch of Theale was justly awarded the first prize for an excellent exhibit 
of honey lemonade, honey nectar, and honey noyeau. A guarantee is given 
that pure British honey only is used in the manufacture of these articles. 
Mead and honey wine was also shown in this class. 
Honey as medicine w’as represented by exhibits in various forms shown 
by Messrs. Cross, Cardwell, and Noad. The largest and most interesting 
class was that in which honey as applied in the manufacture of confectionery 
was shown. In this class six entries were made, each of which contained 
some special feature. The first prize was very justl}' awarded to Mr. J. D. 
George, of 24, King Street, Reading, for an excellent display of honey 
gateaux, honej gingerbread, honey dominoes, honey plums, honey cakes, 
honey queens, honey roll, honey surprise, honey sandwich, honey fingers, 
honey ginger nuts, Ac., Ac. The meeting was made a very instructive one, 
lectures being delivered by Frank E. Cheshire, Esq., and Otto Hehner, Esq. 
Rev. F. S. Sclater was deputed by the British Bee-keepers’ Association to 
act as Judge, and he was very ably assisted by the Rev. 'W. E. Burkett and 
Mr. Otto Hehner. 
THE ORIGIN OF HONEYDEW. 
It is curious to notice the theories and speculations concerning the 
origin of what is called honey-dew. This sweet substance is certainly 
elaborated in the b.idies of insects, and all that is required to demon¬ 
strate the fact is a little close observation, aided, it may be, by a hand- 
magnifier. To one accustomed to careful looking, honey-dew is as much 
a sign of the presence of aphides or their allies, as certain tracks in the 
cornfield indicate to the farmer the existence of depredating cattle, or as 
peculiar imprints in fresh snow reveal to the hunter the near occurrence 
of the sought-for game. That some insects do exude such sweet fluid 
from peculiar organs is as certain as that bees gather nectar or pollen 
from flowers, and the certainty comes from the same source—to wit, 
actual observation. 
It may be stated with equal positiveness, though the information is 
less directly based upon simple eyesight, that the sweet substance called 
honey-dew is never exuded from the glossy surfaces of leaves on which it 
is so commonly seen. Nectar is produced by many plants, not only in 
the flowers, but from other parts of the growing or living substance, but 
it is always, except, perhaps, from wounds, elaborated by special glands 
from which it is thence poured out. These glands are never found 
opening through the glossy coating of the leaves. Our native plants 
never become gorged with fluid in summer time so as to cause pressure 
from within, to force out the juices, as has been so often theoretically 
assumed. Even if this were true, we should look for the exudation from 
the pores of the under side of the leaf rather than the upper, because 
there is much less to prevent such escape through the thinner epidermis, 
or the far more numerous openings of the under surface. 
It is also curious that so many conclude that the deposition of honey- 
dew only takes place at night, a statement as much at variance with truth 
as the opinion that stars exist in the heavens only after the sun goes 
down, and much easier proved to be false. The fact is, in most cases the 
exudation is commonly greatest in daytime, but more rapidly dries. The 
only reason in the world that the substance is seen on the upper sides of 
leaves rather than the lower, is that it falls from above. A piece of glass 
or a painted board put in the situation of the smeared leaves will soon 
be found similarly spotted with the adhesive colourless material. With 
us just now there is upon the leaves of our soft Maple trees multitudes of 
a peculiar insect, and from the latter there is enough sweetish fluid exuded 
to conspicuously wet the side walks under the trees. 
If we inquire why the little insects produce the sweet substance, an 
interesting study is opened. It must be understood that the material is 
not excrement. The elaboration is the work of two special glands which 
open through variously shaped external appendages, usually directed 
backward, and situated one on each side, near the hinder extremity of 
the abdomen. The insects are provided with sharply pointed sucking 
organs projecting from the mouth, by the aid of which they a’l live upon 
the juices of plants. A portion of this plant sap is, after absorption from 
the alimentary canal, converted into honey-dew and deposited at the will 
of the insect, often collecting at the extremity of the opening in little 
spherical drops which fall one after another as it slowly issues. One 
would at first say that it must thus be an expense to the internal economy 
of the little creatures without compensating benefit. It is simply elabo¬ 
rated and poured out. After more careful study, however, it will be 
ascertained that there is at least one useful purpose subserved. ^ It 
secures the good will and attention of friends who act as guards against 
enemies. 
It is well known that ants are extremely fond of sweet substances 
and honey-dew forms no exception in their bill of fare. For it they 
ascend trees in great numbers, and caress in a most remarkable manner 
the honey-dew producers. In response to their petting, it is easy to 
observe the droplets exude which, the ants sip with apparently great 
satisfaction. 
Aphides have many insect enemies, but so long as the ants are in 
attendance they are safe. The active, well-mailed, sharp-jawed creatures 
make excellent police. They are ever alert. They never accept a fee 
from the enemy ; they never bargain for a share in the plunder. Honey- 
dew seems specially provided for ants. 
Now, as to the question of quality as honey when collected by bees, 
there may still be differences of opinion among men, even after the source 
and method of production is understood. No doubt, however, most 
people will prefer to have that gathered from flowers without adrnixture 
with the aphis product. It may be, to be sure, that different insects 
elaborate different grades of honey-dew, but the best may not be con¬ 
sidered good enough for home use, whatever the conscience dictates in 
regard to the market.—T. J. BURRILL, Illinois Industrial University .— 
(r/te American Idee Journal.') 
coiTespondence should be directed either to “The Editor” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the staff often remain unopened unavoidably. AVe 
request that no one will write privatelj’^ to any of our correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper 
only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, and we 
do not undertake to return reiected communications. 
Books (IF. i., Bolton). —Rivers’ “ Orcha'd House,” published by Long¬ 
mans, will suit you. The price is, we think, 6s., and the work can be had 
through a bookseller in Bolton. 
Single Dahlias (IF. B. Vic'kers ).—The flowers arrived much shrivelled 
one of them being so dried that we could scarcely form an opinion on its 
merits. The yellow flower, which is not single, is distinct, and if its 
