AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



ton leaves. He reports that at times it becomes so strong as to have a 

 sickening effect on the apiarist, even interfering with his work, on 



calm days 



The heaviest flows come from rank-growing plants on rich soils, 

 during warm and wet weather. At such times the honey is lighter in color 

 and superior in quality, while the honey stored from plants growing on 

 light soils during dry weather is darker and strong in taste. 



Pollen from the cotton plant is white in color, and is produced in 

 abundance from the large bell-shaped flowers. When the bloom first 

 opens it is white, later turning pink. 



COTTON-GUM, see Tupelo. 

 COTTONWOOD, see Aspen. 



COW-ITCH (Cissus incisa). 



The cow-itch is a climbing vine found from the coast of Florida to 

 western Texas and north to southern Arkansas. In south Texas it is 

 called "yerba del buey," according to Coulter. 



Scholl states that it "yields sufficiently to keep the bees out of mis- 

 chief during a dearth, and giving surplus when abundant." At Buffalo 

 and Palestine, Texas, the author found reports to the effect that cow- 

 itch was a heavy yielder of neotar, bees beginning on it as soon as the 

 basswood bloom closed. It blooms from June till October, with fruit in 

 all stages. The honey was reported to be light amber in color and of 

 good flavor. R. A. Nestor reported that he had secured as high as 35 to 

 40 pounds of surplus per colony from this source mixed with partridge 

 pea. It is also called corn-itch. 



COWPEA (Vigna sinensis). 



The cowpea is widely cultivated in the warmer regions of the old 

 world and in our own Southern States. It is grown for forage and for 

 green manure. The plant is more closely related to the beans than to the 

 peas. 



R. A. Nestor reports that it yields freely in east Texas, and where 

 planted in sufficient acreage yields surplus. The honey is very dark in 

 color, but of mild flavor, according to his report. 



The nectar from cowpeas is secreted by extra floral nectaries and 

 beekeepers are often mystified because the bees are working at the 

 "joints" instead of on the flowers. Some report that bees gather nectar 

 from the flowers, also. 



The following reports indicate the value in different localities : 



"There is no finer honey plant than the cowpea, while it lasts, but 



it blooms only about a week. During this time, if the weather is fair, 



the bees swarm over the fields from early morn till dewey eve." — J. 



D. Rowan, Tupelo, Miss. Gleanings, Sept. 15, 1909. 



"The cowpea is one of our most abundant sources of honey for 



late summer. The crop is planted here from May 1 to August 1, and 



furnishes nectar through a considerable period of otherwise scarcity. 



