542 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



as in Anglo-Saxon countries, but were slowly civilized. There are still 

 Indian villages in close proximity, and I was shown a settlement of 

 Abenakis who have become so mixed with the whites as to be almost in- 

 distinguishable. 



The French Canadians of Quebec have retained their identity, their 

 language and their religion, in spite of the efforts to assimilate them with 

 the more numerous Anglo-Saxons. They have fine, neat homes, they are 

 thrifty and prolific. It is said that the French population of Quebec 

 doubles every 20 years and the Province would soon be overstocked if 

 their young people did not emigrate towards the Great West. 



HONEY PLANTS OF IOWA. 



BY L. H. TA^M-MEL, AMES. 



Through the kindness of your secretary, Mr. S. W. Snyder, I have been 

 invited to prepare a paper on the honey plants of Iowa. I am glad to ap- 

 pear before you, because the Iowa State College wants your co-operation 

 in the study of the honey plants of Iowa. In a little leaflet issued this 

 summer by the Botanical Section, "Information Regarding the Honey 

 Plants of Iowa," the following statement was made: 



"Mr. Frank C. Pellett, the State Inspector of Apiaries, estimates the 

 honey production in Iowa at ten to twelve million pounds annually. He 

 estimates, moreover, that the bees could gather $5,000,000 worth more of 

 honey that now goes to waste. 



Aside from honey production, bees and other insects are of great im- 

 portance in the pollination of flowers. Without these insects, in many 

 cases, seed and fruit will not form. They are, therefore, of inestimable 

 value to the fruit and agricultural interests of the state. It has seemed 

 wise to undertake an exhaustive study of the problem from many different 

 angles. Professor C. F. Curtiss, Director of the Iowa Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station, has authorized the undertaking of a study of this prob- 

 lem. It will take time to do this work properly, since a great many ques- 

 tions are Involved. In this work the Botanical Section will have coopera- 

 tion on fruit blossoms and leguminous forage plants (alfalfa, etc.,) by Dr. 

 J. N. Martin. Prof. L. A. Kenoyer and a number of assisants will, during 

 this and succeeding seasons, work on the problems of honey plants, in- 

 sects, nectar secretion, etc., and the beekeepers are invited to co-operate 

 with us by filling out the blanks on this sheet and indicating as fully as 

 possible their experience with honey plants. 



It is especially desirable to obtain specimens of honey plants. We 

 would appreciate your sending these specimens to us with notes on their 

 abundance and their value for honey purposes. 



Yours truly, 



(Signed) L. H. PAMMEL, 

 Botanist, Iowa Experiment Station. 



