128 B.C. Entomological Society. 



W. Sheppard, Provincial Apiarist for the Kootenay region, that this plant 

 was considered a valuable bee-plant in his district. 



In addition to the foregoing useful bee-plants, we have in some parts 

 of the Province, particularly in the Lower Fraser Valley and on some parts 

 of \"ancouver Island, a plant which is considered an agricultural undesirable 

 — namely, the bitterweed, or sneezeweed (Helenium). Though I have not 

 heard of our native species affecting the quality of honey, I draw attention 

 to it in the hope of eliciting information as to whether or not it is as 

 harmful as its closely related species found in the United States. 



Regarding Helenium tenuifolium in Texas, it is reported that the 

 " honey yield is good in favourable seasons ; honey golden-yellow, heavy 

 body, but very bitter, as if 50 per cent, quinine and some pepper were 

 added." Our native species flowers from June to August, and I have seen 

 it in abundance around Langley Prairie and on A'ancouver Island in the 

 vicinity of Colwood. 



If apiarists have had experience with bitter honey, we would like to 

 know in order to ascertain if other plants may be responsible for similar 

 results. Good crops of white-clover honey are frequently spoiled in the 

 United States by mixing with bitter honey. 



Pammel, in his huge work on poisonous plants, reports that the honey 

 from rhododendron and Kalmia latifolia is poisonous, and mentions our 

 native species, Kalmia polifolia, as possessing similar properties. This is 

 of interest to us, because in some districts we have large areas covered with 

 these plants. There are probably no apiarists within reach of our evergreen 

 rhododendron region in the Skagit River basin, but we may have in the 

 regions of white rhododendrons, and there must be some within reach of 

 the bogs which are ablaze in spring with millions of our beautiful kalmia 

 flowers. 



Conclusive .evidence seems to be lacking as to the poisonous properties 

 in the nectar of these plants, and it is hoped that by mentioning it here it 

 may lead to our being able to corroborate or contradict the statement with 

 definite proof. 



As previously mentioned, this work in British Columbia is compara- 

 tively new ; there is much to be done in testing the value of our native 

 flowers for bees. With keen and intelligent observers in various parts of the 

 Province co-operating in this work, we should be able to accumulate much 

 valuable information for the benefit of the present and future generations. 

 Entomologists can assist, if they will, by observing flowers that are visited 

 by honey-bees, and having the flowers correctly identified so that definite 

 records can be made. 



It is impossible here to deal in detail with all the native plants known 

 to yield nectar and pollen for bees. I have drawn up a list of over 100 

 botanical and common names of the best known species, indicating their 

 use for nectar or pollen, or both, and the periods of flowering. 



