268 



AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



but does not indicate that it yields surplus in California, where it is grown 

 as a cover crop. Some species have extra-floral nectaries. 



Some of the group are regarded as good honey plants in Europe. 



VINEGAR-WEED, see Blue Curls, also Tarweed 



VINE MAPLE (Acer circinatum). 



\'ine maple is common on the Pacific Coast from Humboldt County, 

 California, north to Washington. There are numerous reports of vine 

 m.aple as an abundant source of early nectar in Oregon and Washington. 

 The honey is amber and of excellent quality, but it blooms so early (April) 

 that the bees are usually not in condition to store much surplus. (See 

 Maple). In exceptional seasons as high as 50 pounds of surplus have been 

 gathered by a single colony from vine maple. 



Blossoms and leaf of Virginia waterleaf. 



VINE MILKWEED (Enslenia albida). 



The vine milkweed is a smooth perennial climbing herb, with small 

 whitish flowers. It is common along streams from southern Pennsyl- 

 vania and the Ohio Valley south to north Georgia and west to Texas. 



It is reported as a good honey plant in the vicinity of Buffalo, Texas. 

 H. B. Parks states that it is a valuable bee plant, if sufficiently common. 



VIPER'S BUGLOSS, see Blueweed. 



VIRGINIA— Honey Sources of. 



Willows, fruit blossoms, red-bud and maples furnish early nectar and 



