100 
point us to the truth. This dew never occurs until 
after the principal trees and flowers have secreted large 
quantities of honey in their cups, — most flowers secrete 
more or less of it, and but a small quantity is ever 
gathered from them. It seems to be a portion of the 
life principle in every flower, and is found at the base 
of the antheral portion of them in minute particles or 
drops caused either by exudation, or chemical absorp- 
tion from the surrounding atmosphere, or a combination 
of the two. It usually takes place during the evening 
and night, and if not gathered by insects, is gradually 
evaporated and absorbed by the surrounding atmos- 
phere the following day. This process is continued for 
weeks, and even months. Large quantities of this 
saccharine substance, must be produced in the atmos- 
phere,— it is often perceptible in passing gardens of 
flowers, orchards, fields of clover, &c. How frequently 
do we hear the expression, “ How sweet the flowers ! ” 
We add, 
“ How sweet is every passing breeze 
That stoops to bathe the opening flowers, 
And nods the blooming trees.” 
It is the floating particles of saccharine substance that 
is passing into the atmosphere, that greets your olfacto- 
ries with sweet. “ Mother Larth,” then, and the grand 
bouquet she sports on her bosom, does not contain all 
the sweets in nature. No, your atmosphere is filled 
with it, and all we want is a chemist, that will precipi- 
tate and condense those particles, and you have a honey 
dew. The oak, the hickory, basswood, chestnut, horse- 
chestnut, elm and maple, are chemical laboratories where 
these sweets are distilled. Each tree acts upon the air 
