HONEY .is a fluid or semi-fluid substance, the materials of which are collected by differ ent kinds of bees, in Europe-chiefly by the hive-bee, and solely by the neuter or working bees, from the nectariferons glands in the :cap or chalice of flowers. It cannot be said to be a purely vegetable production, for, after being collected by the proboscis of. the insect, it is transmitted to that distension of the cesopha. gus termed the crop, sucking stomach, or honey bag, where it is elaborated, and again dis gorged, to be :deposited in the cell of the honey-comb. It undergoes less change when the bees are very young, remaining nearly white, and is then denominated virgin honey. At all, times it .retains qualities derived from the kind of plant whenceit has been procured; as is manifest not only by the peculiar odour of the honey, but by the effects which follow the use of honey obtained from certain plants.
Honey is sweet, faintly aromatic, granular, soluble in water, and capable of undergoing the vinous fermentation.
The finest, honey in Europe is said to be that of Narbonne, which is supposed to derive its excellence from the rosemary which grows in the neighbourhood. When honey is taken
from the honey-comb it is fluid, but gradually thickens by age ; and in cold weather a firm and solid mass of honey forms.
Honey is used as a substitute, sometimes for sugar and sometimes for butter. Honey is an ingredient in the useful medicine Oxymel of Squills: °Mel; horacis is borate of soda mixed with honey ; mel rose is made of honey and red rose petals ; oxymel. simplei consists of clarified honey boiled in dilute acetic acid. When fermented, honey water obtains the name of mead, and is in fact honey wine, which is the name given to it in Germany (7tonipeein). Mead was formerly drunk to a considerable extent iu 'England,' aild in. most parts of northern Europe. Real mead or IlIetheglin is a fermented wine ; but many drinks made from honey are lithe else than honey water or hydromel. Such is the sbite;ie of Russia, which consists of honey mixed with .boiling water and boiling milk, and seasoned with pepper