10 Farmers’ Butieun 1216. 
demand for comb-honey from buckwheat, however, and where a 
beekeeper is sure that he is in touch with such a market, he may 
safely produce some comb-honey. Fortunately little bulk comb-honey 
(chunk honey) is produced in the buckwheat region. For the gen- 
eral markets, and also for general use within the buckwheat region 
itself, extracted honey is the only type of buckwheat honey which 
should be produced. Furthermore, the daily gain on colonies from 
buckwheat is less rapid than from many other sources of nectar, and 
this results in less well filled and sealed sections of comb-honey. 
Unfortunately most beekeepers, when taking up modern methods of 
beekeeping, get equipment suitable for comb-honey production. The 
production of extracted honey is well adapted to commercial honey 
production, and the characteristics of the buckwheat region make it 
especially desirable that beekeeping be practiced on an extensive 
scale. Even when clover honey is produced extensively in the buck- 
wheat region, it is desirable that it also be extracted to avoid the 
necessity of two sets of equipment. 
OTHER PLANTS IN THE REGION WHICH FURNISH 
NECTAR. 
Throughout the buckwheat region many other plants add to the 
beekeeper’s profit. Fruit bloom, dandelion, maples, and other early 
spring sources are useful in helping the bees to build up in the spring, 
but do not furnish surplus honey. White clover’ and alsike clover,’ 
which bloom in June and early July, are found in almost all parts of 
the region, but the soil conditions usually are not the best for the 
secretion of nectar from these species. Alsike clover is coming into 
more general use as a forage crop in this region because of its adapta- 
bility to soils that are deficient in lime and which are cold. It is more 
often found in the valleys with buckwheat on the adjacent hills. 
Basswood,’ which blooms in the middle of July, was formerly 
abundant in the region, but has been largely removed. Sweet clover ® 
is sometimes found blooming in July, but is rarely of much value in 
the region. Asters? and goldenrods” usually furnish considerable 
nectar in the fall. Many minor sources of nectar also occur locally, 
but these do not modify the beekeeping practices. 
The chief modifications in beekeeping practice arise from the effort 
to obtain a surplus crop from the clovers. These plants furnish nec- 
tar several weeks before buckwheat blooms, and it is therefore neces- 
sary that the colonies be at full strength at this earlier date if the 
fullest advantage is’ to be taken of these sources. Since European 
5 Trifolium repens. 8 Melilotus alba. 
6 Trifolium hybridum. * Aster spp. 
7 Tilia americana. 1° Solidago spp. 
