AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



27 



It is probable that most of the species are of more or less value for 

 honey under favorable conditions. The writer has seen bees working on 

 arrow-leaf (Aster sagittifolius) on sunny days in Cass County, Iowa, the 

 first week in November, after everything else had been killed by frost. 

 Figure 13 shows this species, which occurs in dry, open woods, from New 

 Brunswick to Ontario, and west to Dakota, and from New York to the 

 Ohio valley, and along the mountains to Georgia and Alabama. 



Generally speaking, the small-flowered species with willow-shaped 

 leaves, are best for honey. Aster tradescanti is probably first in the list 

 as a source of surplus. It is found from Ontario to Saskatchewan, and 

 throughout the States east of the Mississippi, south to the Gulf States. 

 Aster salicifolius is probably one of the best in Iowa and Illinois, being 

 common on low ground. 



In a private letter, F. W. L. Sladen writes concerning the asters in 

 Canada, as follows : 



"I have this year had confirmation that Aster cordifolius is a use- 

 ful source of surplus honey in favorable seasons in the Gatineau val- 

 ley in September. During a period of very fine weather between Sep- 

 tember 11 and 22, a crop of 12,000 pounds of honey, principally from 

 this source, and from the late flowering species of goldenrod, was ob- 

 tained by Joseph Martineau, at Montcerf, Quebec, from 300 colonies. 

 The honey was light amber color, 

 and a pleasant flavor, and not un- 

 wholesome for wintering, not 

 granulating in the combs. (See 

 Experimental Farms report 1914- 

 15, page 996). Other valuable 

 species of aster in Canada for 

 honey production are A. lateri- 

 florus (Maritime provinces to On- 

 tario) ; Aster umbellatus (Mari- 

 time provinces to Eastern Mani- 

 toba), and Aster puniceus, Fig. 11 

 (Maritime provinces to Ontario)." 

 —Ottawa, October 2, 1917. 

 Aster puniceus, the purple-stemmed 



aster. Fig. 11, is found from Nova 



Scotia to the Rocky Mountains and 



south to Northern Alabama. It is 



one of the most attractive of the 



asters, growing on wet land and in 



the borders of swamps. Lovell writes 



that in Maine he has seen the bees 



on this species in large numbers on 



September 17. 



The white field aster, or frost 



flower (Aster vimineus), Fig. 10, is ^'^^ ^^- ^^^'"P ^^'^'' ^^"'' '^"'»'i»a'"s). 



common from Eastern Canada to Minnesota, and south to Arkansas and 



Florida. It grows in dry, open fields, along roadsides, and in waste places. 



It is a late bloomer, belonging to the group of field asters which are im- 

 portant for nectar. Some other species, however, yield more freely. 



