AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 91 



ERIOGONUM, Wild Buckwheat or Flat Top. 



A group of low annual or perennial plants common to the Rocky 

 Mountain and plains States. It is a large group and numerous species are 

 to be found from Nebraska to California. In New Mexico the Eriogonum 

 are among the commonest plants, there being something like forty species 

 recorded from that State. The best known is the wild buckwheat of 

 southern California (Eriogonum fasciculatum). This is an important 

 source of nectar in that region. The honey is said to be light amber and 

 of good flavor. It granulates readily. 



Richter lists it as the most important honey plant in many southern 

 California localities. 



In Colorado Eriogonum effusum is sometimes known as "heather." Ac- 

 cording to Herman Rauchfuss it yields nectar nearly every year when 

 there are late rains. It blooms in August and September and is usually in 

 bloom for some time before the bees are attracted to it. He sometimes 

 gets a super of comb honey per colony from this source. The honey he 

 reports to be amber, of fine quality, and strong aroma, of which one does 

 not easily tire. 



It grows abundantly on the prairies about Denver. The plant is small 

 and inconspicuous, with minute flowers, and is not generally recognized 

 as a honey plant among beekeepers of Colorado. 



"Wild buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) is one of tiie principal 

 honey plants of southern California. In the Acton, Antelope Valley 

 and Elsinore districts it is the main reliance. Although quite abund- 

 ant at lower levels, it does not yield much nectar below 1,500 feet nor 

 above 5,000 feet. The honey is a deep light amber, but of fine flavor, 

 and the comb is very white. The honey has such a heavy body that 

 it is seldom extracted." — J. D. Bixby, Western Honeybee, May, 1917, 

 page 116. 



ERODIUM, see Pin Clover. 



EUCALYPTUS. 



There are about one hundred and fifty different species of eucalyp- 

 tus trees, most of which are native to Australia and Tasmania, where 

 they are the most characteristic and important timber trees. Many of 

 them secrete resinous gums, hence are called "gum trees." A number of 

 commercial products are derived from them. They have been widely in- 

 troduced into California, and, to some extent, also into Florida, Texas 

 and other Southern States. The various species are known as sugar gum, 

 blue gum, mahogany gum ,red gum, stringy bark, white iron bark, red 

 box tree and various similar names. Richter lists 21 species as yielding 

 honey in California. According to this author there is a great variation 

 in the quality of honey from the different species. While some species 

 seem to yield water-white honey of good quality, others produce an amber 

 product of low value. The blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) is said to pro- 

 duce "honey, amber, of acid flavor, heavy body and granulating within 

 a few months. The blue gum is very constant in nectar secretion, even 

 in spite of unfavorable weather, and since it is of wide distribution, con- 

 siderable quantities of honey come from this source. On account of the 



