274 



August, 1915. 



American Hee JoarnaJj 



honey plants, although the bees are 

 not always able to reach the nectar. 



SWEET CLOVER. 



There are several species of sweet 

 clover native to Europe and Asia, a 

 few of which have been introduced 

 into this country. The white sweet 

 clover, nielilotus alba, and yellow 

 sweet clover, nielilotus officinalis, are 

 the two most generally grown in this 

 country. The value of sweet clover to 

 the beekeeper has long been known, 

 but it is only recently that its value 

 as a forage crop has been appreciated. 

 In a few- localities it has come to be 

 quite generally grown for hay and pas- 

 ture, and, wherever it has an oppor- 

 tunity to demonstrate its value, it re- 

 mains permanently, the acreage con- 

 stantly increasing. Along the irrigat- 

 ing ditches of the west it has become 

 well established, so that it is an im- 

 portant source of nectar in Colorado 

 and other western states. It has long 

 been known as a roadside weed in 

 nearly all parts of North America, 

 and is to be seen along the railroads 

 for miles in many places. The ex- 

 tension of its growth as a forage 

 plant will greatly increase the crops 

 of honey in localities where it be- 

 comes popular, and as it is one of the 

 surest plants to yield nectar, the man 

 within reach of it will seldom face a 

 failure. 



.\LFALFA. 



Alfalfa or lucern, medicago sativa, 

 like most of this family of plants was 

 introduced from Europe. It has been 

 grown in the irrigated sections of the 

 west for many years, but of late is 

 being introduced into the humid sec- 

 tions from Iowa to the Atlantic coast. 

 The plant grows vigorously, and pro- 



FIG. 40 -BLOSSOMS OF ALFALFA AND YELLOW SWEET CLOVER 



duces large quantities of splendid hay. 

 In the arid regions of the west it 

 produces large quantities of honey, 

 although it seldom yields in the humid 

 sections. The writer has not found 



KIG, w.-WHITE CLOVEK BLOSSOMS IN UIKKI'',KI':N t STAGES 



the bees working on it freely in Iowa 

 oftener than about one year in five, 

 and then only for a short time during 

 a severe drouth when conditions ap- 

 proached the usual conditions in the 

 arid climates. 



Prof. N. E. Hansen of South Dako- 

 ta has recently introduced some new 

 alfalfas from Siberia that thrive with 

 a small amount of moisture, and it 

 is hoped that these new varieties will 

 thrive on the dry uplands of the west 

 where irrigation is not possible. It 

 they come up to expectations they bid 

 fair to do wonders for the dry land 

 farmers of the west. 



Alfalfa honey is of a high quality, 

 and is produced in large quantities by 

 the beekeeiiers in all irrigated regions. 



Atlantic, Iowa. 

 Copyright: lois. by Frank C. Pellett. 



Swarming Devices 



BY J. E. HAND. 



FOR obvious reasons swarnung is a 

 calamity to be avoided if possible, 

 hence any invention that savors 

 of imi)rovement in present methods of 

 swarm control should be welcomed 

 by progressive beekeepers. In the 

 ,Iune number of the American Bee 

 Journal Or. Honney introduces a de- 

 vice which he calls a "swarm saver;" 

 it is supposed to bo an automatic 

 self hiver of bees. If Dr. Ronney 

 says it will work in his location I am 

 ready to believe him; in the absence 



