142 AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



pleasing sight when in bloom. These plants are so well known that a 



great variety of common names have become known in different localities. 



According to Sladen, the sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) is one of 



tlie important sources of honey in Nova Scotia. 



LAUREL-TREE, see Red Bay. 

 LEATHERWOOD, see Ti-ti. 



LEMON (Citrus limon). 



The lemon is a valuable source of honey in southern California, though 

 much less is heard of it than of orange. It is cultivated principally in the 

 coast region, and Richter suggests that the proximity to the ocean of the 

 principal lemon groves may account for the fact that it does not yield as 

 well as orange. Unlike other fruit trees, it blooms more or less continu- 

 ously throughout the year. This again would make its real value less ap- 

 parent, since a plant which yields a little nectar for a long period of time 

 may give a total greater than one which gives a heavy yield for a short 

 period. It is noted, also, that oranges yield less freely along the coast 

 than in the interior valleys. 



LETTUCE (Lactuca floridana). 



Figure 87 will give a good idea of the height to which the wild blue 

 lettuce grows. It is common in the woodland borders, in rich soil, from 

 Pennsylvania to Iowa and south to Florida and Texas. The plant produces 

 hundreds of blue flowers in late summer and early fall. Although it is 

 of no special importance as a honey plant, the bees visit it frequently 

 and apparently get some nectar from its blossoms. In the South it is re- 

 ported as blooming in May and June. The writer does not recall having 

 seen it in bloom in Iowa earlier than August, while it blooms into Sep- 

 tember. There are a considerable number of species of wild lettuce, some 

 of which, like the prickly lettuce, become very troublesome weeds. The 

 writer has not observed the bees working to any extent on any except the 

 blue fall lettuce above described. 



LEONURUS, see Motherwort. 

 LIGNUM-VITAE, see Soapbush. 

 LILAC, see Mountain Lilac. 



LIME (Citrus acida). 



The lime is a fruit very similar to the lemon, which has been intro- 

 duced to some extent into the citrus districts. Since it is not generally 

 grown it is not very important, though it yields honey freely. 



LIMETREE, see Basswood. 

 LINDEN, see Basswood. 

 LION'S TAIL, see Motherwort, 

 LIPPIA GRASS, see Carpet Grass. 



