THE EXPERIMENT STATION. 155 



be in bloom by the time the honey dearth comes on. Though not so long in 

 bloom as is the Eocky Mountain bee plant, yet it is a long bloomer, and 

 covers the period of need. It should be planted as early as possible in the 

 season. The points in favor of Melissa are, first, the ease with which it is 

 cultivated, its long period of bloom and the abundant supply of beautiful 

 honey which it affords. The points against it are that it must be planted 

 each season unless it will come up from its own scattered seed, and I fear 

 unless cultivated it would soon be run out by more vigorous and hardy 

 plants. I am pleased with the results the past season, and shall continue to 

 investigate till we know whether it will pay to plant specially for bees. If 

 by planting eight or ten acres of some plant we can secure a crop, whereas 

 without this we would secure no harvest ; or if, by special planting, we can 

 in good seasons double our crop of honey, then such information will be 

 most valuale. If we find, as may be true, that special planting is not profit- 

 able, then all should know this fact, that the many may not waste money in 

 fruitless experimentation. At the very least, these experiments will prove 

 what plants are best adopted for special planting in waste places. I under- 

 stand that already in places in Iowa and Wisconsin, cleome has secured a 

 foothold and is much prized by bee-keepers. 



JAPAN" BUCKWHEAT. 



We have continued our experiments with this variety of buckwheat the 

 present season. Last season we sowed it on clay soil, early and at the usual 

 time of sowing, and secured a great crop, although the land was hard and 

 unfertile and the season dry. This year I sowed it on light sand and on 

 clay. I sowed it on June 15 and June 30. Although the season was very 

 dry, both sowings on both soils gave a fair yield of very fine seed. It was 

 in full bloom four weeks after sowing. That we might have data for com- 

 parison, three equal plats were sown side by side on soil that was about the 

 same. The middle plat was Japanese, the outside plats silver hull and 

 common buckwheat, respectively. These plats were sown late, and the 

 ground was very dry and parched. The outside plats gave no seed at all — 

 just nothing — while the Japanese, though not great, gave considerable fine 

 seed. 



I feel more than warranted in recommending all to sow this variety, if 

 they wish to grow buckwheat. Now it can be purchased for from $0.75 to 

 $1.00 per bushel for seed. It is far more productive than either the common 

 or silver hull varieties. The seed is larger and finer, and it matures earlier. 

 This last not only prevents destruction from early frost, but makes this 

 variety more valuable for bee-keepers, as the earlier the bloom the better. 

 Again, we find this variety proves as productive and reliable when sown the 

 middle of June as when sown the first of July. If sown at this earlier date, 

 the blossoms coming in full force, a month later, are just in time for the 

 bees at the beginning of the honey dearth, from July 15 to August 15, 

 between the harvests of basswood and fall flowers. Again, the plant will be 

 out of bloom when the asters and golden rods, etc., commence to afford 

 nectar, and so the inferior buckwheat honey will not be mixed with that 

 from the fall flowers. Lastly it stands the drouth much better than the old 

 varieties. 



