544 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



rains here had occurred in abundance a few days previous. The day was 

 bright and clear and in spite of the fact that an abundance of the plant 

 occurred in the vicinity of an apiary, no bees, or very few, were found on 

 this species. Every beekeeper has made similar observations. Prof. 

 Kenoyer tells me that although buckv/heat was in blossom abundantly in 

 southeastern Kansas until frost, very few honey bees were working on this 

 plant. Some plants have their maximum secretion for honey in the 



Fig. 3. 



Black cherry (Pi'unus serotiria). 

 the flowers. (U. S. Dept. Agrl.) 



Visited by bees. Gather some honey from 



morning. Mr. Munger and Prof. Kenoyer found honey bees working on 

 buckwheat only in the morning until 10:00 a. m. During the latter part 

 of September, 1 found that the same was still true. Bees were abundant 

 up to 10:00 a. m. or a little later. None were observed at 11:00 a. m. or 

 12:00 m., or in the afternoon. 



The amount of nectar secreted varies in the different plants.* Thus 

 Mr. Dadant mentions the copius secretion of nectar in the South African 

 Protea mellifera.'] It is said to be so abundant that the natives gather 

 the nectar by dipping it from the flowers with spoons. The writer and 



*Liangstroth on The Hive and Honey Bee, revised by Dadant, 397. 

 tProc. la. Acad. Sci. 2 :148. 



