CENTURY PLANT. 



86 



CLOVER. 



most oilier cacti, jiiid it does not take long 

 to grow. The long (lower-stem seen in the 

 illustration shoots up with marvelous rapid- 

 ity; and wlien the golden-yellow llowers aj)- 

 pear, hundreds of bees cluster on them as 

 if they were taking syruj) from a feeder. 

 The nectar can be gathered by hand. There 

 is a common impression that this plant takes 

 something like a centin-y to reach maturity; 

 but where the climate is suitable it does not 

 exceed ten years in any case; and once the 



CKNTUUY PLANT 



l)lantation begins to flower, it keeps up its 

 annual procession of blooms, though not 

 from the same plant. 



The most suitable localities for century 

 plants in this country are in the vicinity of 

 Yuma, Arizona; Needles, California; South- 

 western Texas and Sonthern Florida. 



CLIPPING QUEENS. See QUEENS. 



CLOVER. rerha])S no class of honey- ^ 

 plants yields more or better honey than the 

 clover family. In the northern portions of 

 the United States we find white clover 

 comaion in our pastures. It is honey 

 from this plant which gives the name of 

 " clover" to most of the honey bearing that 

 name. Closely related to it is the white f 

 Dutch, which is often found on law^ns in ' 

 cities ; in fact, it is the only w^hite clover 

 from which the seed can be gathered and 

 used, large quantities being mixed v^ith 

 lawn-grass seed. Alsike and red clovers are 

 coming to be more and more cultivated as 

 fodder. Where the clovers of our pastures 

 give way to intensive agriculture, the alsike 

 and red clovers, and, in the western country 

 especially, alfalfa, are taking their place. 



The failing of white clover from the pas- 

 ture lands has been met by rapid counter- 

 spreading- of sweet clover along the road- 

 sides and railway tracks, and over the coun- 

 try generally. A few years ago this plant 

 was scarcely known; but now it extends 

 over the entire country. 



The alfalfa, referred to under this head- 

 ing elsewhere, is being introduced all over 

 the western country. Indeed, at the pres- 

 ent time it may be said to be the most im- 

 portant crop ever raised on irrigated land. 

 In quantity and quality of its honey it comes 

 near surpassing the white clover, which lias 

 for years carried off the honors: for any 

 honey said to be equal to white clover re- 

 ceives the highest encomium. 



There are other clovers, such as the crim- 

 scm, which are being introduced to some ex- 

 tent. Sainfoin is largely grown, has some- 

 what the characteristics of alfalfa, and is 

 now being introduced to some extent in this 

 country from Europe, where it is a very 

 important fodder-plant. 



Having discussed in a general way the clo- 

 vers that have any connection with bee-keep- 

 ing, we will now consider the differentfj (' 

 Tarietie*. 



WHITE CLOVER [Trifolium repens). 



This at one time was considered the most 

 important source of honey in the world; 



U 



«v>iu 



