AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



137 



JACKASS CLOVER or STINKWEED (Wislizenia refracta). 



Jackass clover or stinkweed is a rank scented annual plant with yellow 

 flowers, growing two to six feet high. It is common from Sacramento to 

 Lathrop and southward in the San Joaquin Valley, according to Jepson. 

 — Flora of Middle Western California. 



It is an important honey plant in the interior valleys, where it is re- 



Fig. S4. Blossoms of western ironweed. 



ported as blooming freely only every other year. The blooming period 

 is from August to December. C. R. Snyder, of Selma, regards it as a main 

 source. He reports as high as 100 pounds of surplus per colony. He usu- 

 ally extracts two or three times from this source in September, and has 

 extracted as late as December. A heavy rain or a frost will stop the flow. 

 The honey is light and of good quality. A sample presented to the au- 

 thor is a light amber with a peculiar flavor, unlike our eastern honey. 

 The flavor reminds one somewhat of butter-scotch candy. It is rather 

 strong, but agreeable. 



Richter comments on this plant as follows: 



