8 AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



second only in importance to an abundant honeyflow. This being the case, 

 the plants which are generally regarded as valuable for pollen, especially 

 those blooming at seasons when pollen is not abundant generally, are 

 included in this book. 



HONEY PLANT REGIONS 



Several attempts have been made to outline the principal regions of 

 the United States. A careful examination of all these outlines brings out 

 serious discrepancies. There are too many small regions within larger 

 ones to permit of anything like accuracy with the present data and the 

 present knowledge of the honey plants. In general, white clover may be 

 said to be the principal honey plant of all the region from Nova Scotia 

 west to eastern Dakota and south to Tennessee and Arkansas. Yet 

 within that large area, there are many places where white clover is un- 

 important, and where other plants furnish the principal surplus. In much 

 of Michigan white clover is of first importance, yet in the cut-over dis- 

 tricts of the northern part of the State, raspberry, fireweed and milkweed 

 furnish nearly all the honey that goes to market. It is good clover terri- 

 tory, and with the ultimate development of the region, clover will pre- 

 dominate. 



In the irrigated regions of the Rocky Mountain States, alfalfa is the 

 principal source of surplus, but sweet clover is rapidly crowding it for 

 first place. 



Basswood was once a very important source of honey over all the 

 Northeastern States. The cutting of the basswood forests has gradually 

 reduced the basswood area until there are now few localities, in Ohio, 

 Indiana, Illinois or Iowa, where it is really an important honey source. 

 In parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ontario, basswood is 

 still sufficiently plentiful to yield large quantities of honey, but there it 

 h being rapidly reduced. 



In the cotton belt, where cotton would naturally be expected to be the 

 principal source, the area would be divided into many small regions. Cot- 

 ton may yield much honey in a locality where the soil is heavy and rich, 

 while a few miles distant, where soils are light and sandy, there is little 

 honey from cotton, although the plant is just as commonly cultivated. In 

 the cotton region there would be a great many sub-divisions. In parts of 

 Texas, mesquite is the principal source, in others catsclaw and huajilla 

 (wa-he-ya), while in eastern Texas basswood yields heavily. Buckwheat 

 is important principally in the region about the Great Lakes and south in 

 the higher elevations to Virginia and Tennessee. Goldenrod is one of the 

 most important sources of nectar in New England, while it is seldom of 

 much value west of the Mississippi River, although growing abundantly. 



In California and Florida there are several entirely different regions 

 within the State. There is no one plant of major importance over all 

 parts of either State. A large amount of work still remains to be done 

 before the honey resources of America can be mapped out with anything 

 like accuracy. Changing conditions are rapidly removing one plant and 



