AMERICAN HONEY PLANTS 



281 



WILD PARSNIP (Pastinaca sativa). 



The wild parsnip, introduced from Europe, has spread over a wide area 



Fig. 147. Wild i:arsnip. 



from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. (Fig. 147). It is common along rail- 

 roads and highways everywhere. The small yellow flowers, which are 

 borne in clusters like an open umbrella, are attractive to a large variety 

 of insects. The nectar, apparently, is never very abundant, hence it is 

 not an important source of honey, although the plant is sometimes very 

 plentiful. (See Parsnip). 



WILD PENNYROYAL (Satureja rigidi). 



Wild pennyroyal (Fig. 148) is a square-stemmed plant of the mint fam- 

 ily that grows abundantly on the sandy pine lands of the south half of 

 Florida. It begins blooming in December in the southern part of its range, 

 and blooms till early in March. Weather conditions are too uncertain dur- 

 ing the winter months to favor storing much surplus honey. However, ac- 

 cording to Poppleton (Review, Jan., 1893), it is the source of some surplus, 

 and from it the bees are stimulated to begin heavy brood-rearing about 

 Christmas. In an occasional season a fair amount of surplus was secured, 

 sometimes as much as 50 pounds per colony. The honey is said to be light 

 in color, good flavor and heavy body— a first-class article. 



