FOREWORD 



In the first volume of American Bee Journal, published in 1861, appears 

 a plea for the publication of a volume devoted to the honey flora of 

 America. In numerous instances since that time, writers have mentioned 

 the great need of a work of this kind. In common with other students of 

 beekeeping, the author came to feel this lack in our beekeeping literature. 

 This book is an attempt to fill that need. It is to be expected that the first 

 work on this great subject will overlook many things which should have 

 been included and that numerous errors should creep in. In an attempt to 

 gather the desired material, the author has visited the important beekeep- 

 ing regions from the Atlantic Coast to California and from Canada to 

 Florida and Texas. Careful notes have been made of the honey plants 

 of each section as indicated by the many beekeepers with whom the 

 author has come in contact. To this multitude of beekeepers who have 

 thus assisted by furnishing notes of this kind the author is greatly in- 

 debted. 



The literature of beekeeping has been carefully examined for refer- 

 ences to honey plants, and hundreds of quotations appear in the text. 

 The few bulletins which have appeared on the subject have been quoted 

 freely, as well as similar material appearing in the bee magazines 



The illustrations are for the most part from the author's original 

 photographs, although a number have been borrowed from the American 

 Bee Journal, which appeared in that publication, from John H. Lovell, 

 Homer Mathewson, J. M. Buchanan, M. C. Richter, C. D. Stuart, Florida 

 Photographic Concern, Wesley Foster, W. A. Pryal, and some others, the 

 identity of the originator of which are lost. 



Since most of the readers of this 'book will be men who are not accus- 

 nomed to botanical classification, it has been thought best to treat each 

 plant under the name by which it is most widely known, giving other 

 names as cross references, and to treat all in alphabetical order. Numer- 

 ous related subjects which seemed to have a place in a book of this kind, 

 such as nectar and nectar secretion, poisonous honey, propolis, pollina- 

 tion, weather and honey production, etc., have been likewise included in 

 proper alphabetical order. 



No one is likely to be more conscious of the shortcomings of the 

 volume than is the author. As it is his hope to expand the scope of the 

 work in a later edition, he will be grateful for notes on additions and 

 corrections from all parts of America. 



Hamilton, 111. FRANK C. PELLETT. 



November 18, 1919. 



