100 AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



is, the male flower is found on one plant and the female flower on another. 

 Bees are very seldom seen working on the female tree, while on the male 

 bloom they work in a continuous swarm. 



In May, also blooms the bay (Magnolia glauca). This tree flowers for 

 at least one month, and extends into June. It affords some of our best 

 and most abundant forage. The Magnolia grandiflora, linden and China 

 berry (Melia azedarach) bloom also in May. The magnolia blooms for 

 six weeks, the linden from six to ten days, and the China tree for two 

 weeks. 



Sourwood, the varnish tree (Sterculia platanifolia), Japan privet (Lu- 

 gustrum) and a few other plants of less note embrace the principal forage 

 in June. 



I have now enumerated the chief honey-producing plants that go to 

 make up our spring honey harvest. Take one season with another, our 

 bees commence to lay up surplus about the last of April and continue until 

 the first or middle of June. After this date but little honey is gathered 

 from the holly, persimmon, black gum, bay and sourwood. Of course, 

 some seasons there is considerable honey gathered from other sources. 

 The color of the honey is usually a little dark, but of excellent flavor. 



There is comparatively little forage during the summer months of 

 July and August. The button bust (Cephalanthus occidentalism, sumach, 

 Asclepias tuberosa (known as pleurisy root and butterfly weed), and 

 Yucca ainifolia (Spanish bayonet), are the most important. The cotton 

 plant, which generally commences to bloom about the first of July, 

 yields largely of pollen, but very little honey. Sumach is a rich melliflu- 

 ous plant, but the warm, dry atmosphere evaporates the secretion very 

 rapidly, so that the bees can only work on it very early in the morning, 

 while the dew is on. The Spanish bayonet plant no doubt furnishes some 

 nectar. It generally swarms with flies, various sorts of wild bees, and 

 now and then a few honeybees will visit it. 



Bees are generally able to gather sufficient stores during July and 

 August to keep up brood rearing and the strength of the colony until the 

 blooming of the autumn forage. 



The first to bloom of the fall pasturage is the Chrysopsis graminifolia 

 of Nuttall, a perennial, composite. This plant is often taken for a species 

 of dog fennel, but it is altogether distinct. It is indigenous to the south 

 from Florida to North Carolina, which seems to be its northern limit. It 

 is a yellow flowering weed that commences to bloom in August and keeps 

 on till frost. 



The goldenrod and the asters bloom till killed by frost. I esteem 

 both these plants very highly for their honey-producing qualities. In some 

 seasons I have hives filled with aster honey alone. — Dr. J. H. P. Brown, 

 Augusta, Ga. American Bee Journal, Page 500, 1880. 



GERMANDER or WOOD SAGE (Teucrium canadense). 



The germander, also known as wood sage, is found in open woodlands 

 and thickets from Nova Scotia to Nebraska, and south to Florida and 

 Texas. It is common in the Central States, and is much sought by the 



