AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS IS 



duced to help out the honey supply. About 1830 bees were taken from 

 Sitka to Fort Ross in California. As late as 1905 there were about 30 

 colonies at the Russian school at Sitka. These bees were in straw skeps 

 and were kept on shelves under the eaves of the house. In winter they 

 were kept within the same projecting eaves. In 1906 the Experiment Farm 

 at Sitka made an unsuccessful attempt to keep bees in Langstroth hives. 

 It is not probable that beekeeping will ever be a commercial project in 

 Alaska. References to beekeeping at Sitka by Dr. Sheldon Jackson are to 

 be found in the Report on Education in Alaska, Bureau of Education. 

 Prof. C. C. Georgeson, in the reports on work done at the Experiment 

 Station in Alaska also mentions beekeeping. Bees were observed collect- 

 ing nectar and pollen from plants given below during the years 1905 to 1912. 

 It should be observed that a majority of these plants have pendulous 

 flowers. In a climate such as at Sitka, where the normal precipitation is 

 120 inches, only pendulous flowers could protect the nectar: 



Willow (Salix speciosa). 

 Crab Apple (Pyrus rivularis). 

 Salmon Berry (Rubus spectabills). 

 Salmon Berry (Rubus nuLkonus noctino). 

 Cloud Berry (Rubus Chamaemorus). 

 Nahgoon Berry (Rubus stellatin). 

 Wild Red Raspberry (Rubus strigosus). 

 Blue Berries (Vaccinium uliginosum). 

 Blue Berries (Vaccinium ovalifolium). 

 Blue Berries (Vaccinium vitis Idaea). 

 Seaside Portulaca (Claytonia sp.) 

 White Clover (TrifoHum sp.) 

 Wild Tansey (Achillea borealis). 

 Yellow Water Lily (FJymphaca advena). 

 Water Smart Weed (Polygonum sp.) 

 Elder (Sambucus racemosa). 

 Cow Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum). 



— H. B. Parks. 



ALBERTA— Honey Sources of. 



In the southern part of the province alfalfa is of first importance. 

 Fireweed, white clover and alsike are the chief sources elsewhere. Wil- 

 lows and maples stimulate early brood rearing and some honey is gathered 

 from prairie flowers. — F. W. L. Sladen. 



ALDER (Alnus). 



The alders are a group of shrubs or trees common from New England 

 and Canada west to Michigan and south to Texas. The bark is sometimes 

 used for tanning and as a dyestufif. and to some extent in medicine. The 

 blossoms appear early in spring, and are the source of an abundant supply 

 of pollen at a season when it is often much needed by the bees. 



