SOURWOOD. 



400 



SPACING FRAMER. 



SOCIETIES OF BEE KEEPERS. See 



Organization of Bee-kkki'ers. 



SOLAR WAX-EXTRACTOR. See Wax. 



SOURWOOD [Oxydendrum arboreum). 

 This is considered a great honey-bearing 

 tree in some localities, especially in the 

 South; but as we have had no personal expe- 

 rience with it, we submit a description from 

 one of our friends who has furnished us 

 with the specimen of the leaves and flowers 

 from which our engraving was made. 



The sourwood, sometimes called the sorrel, is a 

 fine tree from 40 to 60 feet in height, and about a 

 foot in diameter; although it sometimes reaches 70 

 feet in height and a foot and a half through. The 

 popular name, sourwood, is derived from the odon 

 and the peculiar sour taste of the leaves and small 

 twigs. 



It is entirely distinct from the black-gum and 

 sour-gum, or pepperidge, with which it has been un- 

 wittingly classed by some writers on honey - plants, 

 much to the injury of sourwood. The former are 

 honey - producers to a small extent, but are not 

 worthy to be compared with sourwood, which, we 

 are convinced after living where basswood, poplar, 

 clover, buckwheat, goldenrod, persimmon, and 

 aster abound, has not its superior among the honey- 

 producing plants of America, either in the amount 

 of yield, or in its beautiful appearance. Basswood 

 is more important, only because of its widely extend- 

 ed growth. We write this article, to call attention 

 more directly to this tree as a honey-producer, liee- 

 mastei-s are familiar with other flora which abound 

 where those who have written our books on bee cul- 

 ture reside, yet few are aware of the merits of sour- 

 wood, outside of the regions where it is found. 



We are not familiar with the extent of its growth, 

 but know this much: It abounds in the native for- 

 ests from Southern Pennsylvania into Georgia and 

 Mississippi. It seems to be more abundant along 

 the whole mountainous tract of country on both 

 sides of the AUeghenies and the Blue Ridge, reach- 

 ing, in places, even as far as the tide-water on one 

 side, and to Central Tennessee on the other. In 

 many sections where poplar abounds and much 

 buckwheat is raised, sourwood is considered thefion- 

 ey-jjlant, and yields the largest amount of surplus 

 honey. It seems to flourish best on high, dry soib 

 and often abounds on poor woodland ridges, which 

 can be purchased at a nominal price: though the 

 forests along the rivers, in rich cultivated soil, are 

 often beautifully checkered with the white blossoms 

 in July. Being a forest tree, it Is tall and gener- 

 ally spare of branches along the trunk, except when 

 it grows in the edges of fields, where it yields the 

 greatest amount of honey. The trunk preserves its 

 uniformity of size for some distance up from the 

 ground. The wood is white, with straight grain, 

 which splits nicely. It is brittle and quite fine- 

 grained, and is used for posts by cabinet-makers. 



The flowers (see engraving) are produced on 

 spikes five or six inches long, which hang in clusters 

 on the ends of branches. Many of these flower- 

 bearing spikes are thrown out from one central 

 spike, and are all strung with white, bell - shaped 

 flowers, rich in honey. The flower is midway in 

 size and appearance between the whortleberry blos- 



som and the lily of the valley. Unless there is a 

 failure of the blossom, the honey-yield is sure to be 

 abundant ; for, being in the woods with good roots, 

 the flow is not checked by ordinary drouths, nor do 

 the rains wash out the honey from the pendant, cup- 

 shaped flowers. Often have we regaled ourselves, 

 while riding along the road, by breaking a bunch of 

 the blossoms, shaking out the honey in the hand, 

 and licking up the delicious nectar. It bears no 

 fruit; but each flower, as it dries up, produces a 

 brown seed-pod about the size of a large grain of 

 wheat, which separates, when ripe, into five parts, 

 and permits the very fine seed to fall to the earth. 



SOURWOOD LEAF, FLOWERS, AND SEED-PODS. 



We omitted to state that the tree commences to 

 bloom the latter part of June, and the harvest from 

 this source lasts until the middle of July. 



We are inclined to think that the tree would 

 thrive in our more northern latitudes ; perhaps 

 anywhere in our land. It is found abundantly in 

 many parts of the Allegheny Mountains, where it is 

 very cold, the thermometer often indicating several 

 degrees below zero. James W. Shearer. 



Liberty Corner, N. J. 



The following is from Oleaninys in Bee 

 Culture : 



SOURWOOD HONEY, ETC. 



I send you to-day a sample of sourwood honey. 

 Examine It and let us know what you think of its 

 quality. I get more of it than of any other kind. I 

 took about 800 fts. last year from tlie poplar, and 

 something more than 120(i from the sourwood, all ex- 

 tracted. 



Now, Mr. Rout, nearly all of you bee - men up 

 North say that all pure honey will candy in cold 

 weather; and I want you to keep th(^ sample I send 

 you through the winter, and report if cold weather 

 candies it. I know you have colder weather than 

 we have down here, but I don't believe it will get 

 cold enough to candy sourwood honej'. 



Lincoln, Tenn. J. F. Montgomery. 



SFACina FRAIVEIIS. In nature 

 we lind combs variously spaced from If, H, 

 II, and sometimes up to two inches from 

 center to center. Dzierzon, one of the very 

 tirst to conceive the idea of a movable comb, 

 gave li as the right distance until Wyprecht 



