154 REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST OF 



It will be observed that this plant is in bloom from July 15 to August 15, 

 just the period whern there is almost no natural honey bloom — the period 

 between basswood or linden and fall bloom. This season (1889) was very 

 exceptionally dry, and it is difficult to say how that affected the plants. It 

 is certainly true that our bees kept storing all through the usual dearth, 

 and what I never knew before, swarmed enormously the last of July and 

 first half of August. I could but wish that our whole eight acres had been 

 a sea of bloom. Another feature commendatory to this plant is the long 

 period that it is in bloom — from early June till the end of summer. The 

 honey from the plant is very excellent, both as to flavor and color. The fact 

 that this plant thrives and yields abundance of honey on the arid plains of 

 Colorado may also give us hope that with a full stand we could secure a crop 

 even in our dryest seasons. We only need to learn how to grow it with 

 success to be able to decide these points. I shall try it thoroughly till I 

 know whether it will pay for special planting. I am arranging to plant a 

 large area again this year. This year I shall plant on clay and also on light 

 sand. I know it does well on sand. Some transplanted plants on clay, the 

 past season, did very poorly. We are now arranging to plant the seed on 

 clay to see if it will do better. We now know that it will keep bees busy 

 and give some honey. We have reason to hope, that if abundant enough, it 

 will give a good paying harvest. 



CHAPMAN HONEY PLANT. 



Of this we have about an acre. It was planted in the spring of 1888. It 

 does not bloom the first season. We planted it in drills and cultivated it 

 the first summer. The second season it grew very vigorously and possessed 

 the ground. I think we need never cultivate this after the first season. 

 This plant commenced to bloom July 19, and a week later was in full bloom. 

 The season lasted just about a month, as by August 20 the blossoms were 

 nearly all wilted. The bees worked on this plant with great energy early in 

 the day, but not so eagerly afterwards. We grew this on strong clay land. 

 We could but wish that it was eight acres instead of one. Next year we 

 shall plant a large acreage on sand. The vigorous habit of this plant, the 

 time of bloom — just during the honey dearth of July and August — and the 

 fact that when once started it will hold its own with no care, are greatly in 

 its favor as a honey plant. I think there can be no doubt but that it fur- 

 nishes much excellent honey, though I hope to demonstrate this with a 

 larger area of the plants. The objections to this plant are its failure to 

 bloom the first season after planting and the fact that the bees do not hang 

 to it actively all the day through, as they do to linden and clover. It will 

 be noticed that the period of bloom is much shorter than is that of the 

 cleome. 



THE MELISSA HONEY PLANT. 



This beautiful, very sweet mint grows about a foot high, and bears a 

 beautiful white blossom. It is very sweet, and well may be called bee-balm. 

 It is an annual and grows readily on either clay or sand. It commences to 

 bloom about two and one-half months after sowing, and fairly rings with 

 bees till frost kills the flowers. By sowing or planting in early May it will 



