AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



235 



Fig. 125. 



The blossoms of Siberian squill are attractive tc the bees in early spring. 



SIBERIAN SQUILL, see SciUa. 

 SILKWEED, see Milkweed. 

 SILPHIUM, see Cup Plant. 

 SILVERBERRY, see Oleaster. 

 SIMPSON'S HONEY PLANT, see Figwort. 



SKUNK CABBAGE (Symplocarpus foetidus). 



The skunk cabbage is found in wet places from Nova Scotia to North 

 Carolina and west to Iowa. It receives its name from the strong odor 

 which it gives off. Skunk cabbage is one of the very f^rst plant to bloom 

 as frost is leaving the ground in spring, and its principal value to the bee- 

 keeper comes from this early appearance. The late G. M. Doolittle wrote 

 (Gleanings, 1909, page 200) that he had seen the bees gathering pollen from 

 this plant when the temperature stood at 42 degrees. He stated further 

 that he valued it more highly than any other pollen-yielding plant or tree. 

 and that there was nothing with which he was familiar so eagerly sought 

 by the bees, nor any source of pollen which so greatly stimulated brood 

 rearing. 



SMARTWEED, see Heartsease. 

 SNEEZEWEED, see Bitterweed. 



SNOWBERRY (Symphoricarpos racemosus). WAXBERRY. 



The snowberry is a low branching shrub with conspicuous white ber- 

 ries which hang on through most of the winter. It is of wide distribution 

 in the Northern States from New England and Pennsylvania to the North 



