BEES AND FLOWERS 



ready for the new bees and flies. The development of the 

 flower and that of its insect are probably simultaneous, and 

 equally regulated by the sun's warmth. Moreover the open- 

 ing periods do not merely fit in during the day, but each 

 flower has its own special month, and even in Scotland there 

 is no month in which some flower may not be found in bloom. 

 Any stray wandering insect can get its draught of honey at 

 any season of the year. 



This is a matter of some importance for those who keep 

 bees, and the following list may be of some use. Fehruary : 

 Crocus vemus^ Snowdrop, Black Hellebore, and Hazel. 

 March: The preceding, Arahis alpina, Bulbocodium, 

 Corrnis mascula, Hellehorus fodtidus^ Giant Coltsfoot, Goose- 

 berry, various species of Prunus and Pyrus, Willow. April: 

 The preceding as well as Adonis vemalis, Barbarea vulgaris, 

 Brassica napus. 



It is not worth while noting those that bloom from May 

 to September, for there are hundreds of good bee-flowers in 

 these months. In October: Borage, Echium, Sunflowers, 

 Lycium europcBum, Malope grandiflora, Catmint, Tobacco, 

 Ocimum, Origanum, Phacelia tanacetifolia, and others. 

 Most of these last into November.^ In December and 

 January very few plants are in bloom. The following 

 have been noted at Edinburgh Botanical Gardens : Dondia 

 epipactisy Tussilago fragrans, Snowdrop, Geum aureum^ 

 Hepatica, Primula acaulis, P. veris, Aubrietia deltoidea, 

 Crocus imperati, C. suaveolens, Erica herbacea alba, Hellehorus 

 (3 species). Poly gala chamaebuxus, Andromeda Jloribunda; 

 also Sir H. Maxwell ^ mentions Azara integrifolia, Hamamelis 



* Huck, Unsere Honig u. Bienenpjianzen. These are drawn up for 

 Germany, and cannot be warranted for this country. 

 2 Memories of the Months. 



77 



