THE HONEY-BEE. 16*3 



apiary is situated in a country abounding with such 

 natural productions as the industrious insect can turn 

 to account. Large heaths, sheltered with woods, are 

 extremely productive of honey, as the wild thyme and 

 other flowering plants with which they abound, are 

 not cut down by the scythe ; and the heath itself re- 

 mains in bloom till late in the season. The plane- 

 tree, the whole willow tribe, the furze or whin, the 

 broom, especially the Spanish kind, furnish a rich 

 store both of honey and farina. The bees do not 

 feed indiscriminately on every species of flowers ; 

 several of the most splendid and odoriferous are 

 wholly neglected by them, while they select others, 

 the flowers of which are extremely small, and not 

 apparently possessed of any very valuable qualities. 

 Moreover, they give a decided preference to those 

 spots where a great quantity of their favourite flowers 

 grow together. On the continent, fields of buck- 

 wheat afford a copious supply, though the honey ex- 

 tracted from it is of a coarser kind ; and in our own 

 country, the white clover (Trifelium repens), will, 

 in fine weather, be found thronged with them, while 

 scattered plants that afford more honey are neglected. 

 When a variety of bee-flowers flourish in the same 

 field, it is said they will first collect from those which 

 furnish the best honey ; if, for example, several 

 species of thyme grow together, they prefer the 

 lemon thyme, which is of a richer fragrance. 



The Bee-master will do well to supply his fa- 

 vourites with such flowers, &c. as are not found 

 growing spontaneously in his neighbourhood. In 



