B. 



RASFBZiRILir {Bubus strignsus and 

 liiibum idrus). Where this fruit is raised 

 largely for the market it is quite an impor- 

 tant honey-plant ; but it would hardly be 

 advisable to think of raising it for honey 

 alone. Bees work on it closely in our 

 locality, and its honey is of the very finest. 

 If bee-keepers and growers of small fruits 

 could locate near each other it would proba- 

 bly be a benefit to both. Langstroth says of 

 the raspberry honey : "In flavor it is supe- 

 rior to that from white clover, while its deli- 

 cate comb almost melts in the mouth. 

 When it is in blossom, bees hold even white 

 clover in light esteem. Its drooping blos- 

 soms protect the honey from moisture, and 

 bees work upon it when the Meather is so 

 wet they can obtain nothing from the up- 

 right blossoms of the white clover." 



In our locality it comes in bloom just aft- 

 er fruit blossoms and just before clover, so 

 that large fields of it are a great acquisition 

 indeed. The red varieties (especially the 

 Cuthbert) are said to furnish most honey. 



WILD RASPBERRY OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN. 



This deserves special mention here for the 

 reason that large quantities of raspberry 



honey are produced in Northern Michigan 

 where forests of pine timber formerly grew. 

 The fact that such land is very cheap, and 

 almost useless for any thing but timber- 

 growing, which, under present conditions, 

 can not get a start, makes the business of 

 honey-producing profitable and reasonably 

 sure, for it is probable that the plant will 

 continue to flourish, as there is nothing else 

 that is adapted to take its place. The blos- 

 soms commence yielding honey in June, and 

 continue to bloom more or less from then 

 till frost. 



As Langstroth says of it above, the honey 

 is of the finest quality, and will rank in al- 

 most any market with the best clover. In- 

 deed, connoisseurs pronounce it superior to 

 any other table honey in the world, for it 

 partakes somewhat of the beautiful flavor 

 of the berry itself, with all the added quali- 

 ties that are so much prized in clover. 



The Michigan fruit ripens in July, and 

 continues available for picking till frost. 



The drawback about this wild raspberry 

 is that the fruit will not keep for sliipping, 

 and it must, therefore, be vsed almost the 

 same day it is picked. 



WILD RASPBERRY OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN. 



