AUGUST 1, 1915 



623 



acquainted. The large flowers are of a 

 cream color, with tiie base of the petals of 

 ail orange color, and they stand up straight 

 like those of the tulip. They bloom in 

 May or June according to tlie weather, 

 sometimes very early, and at other times 

 considerably later. When the blossoms 

 come late, and the weather is fairly dry and 

 warm, the honey-flow is very nuu'li heavier 

 than when they bloom early. Under proper 

 weather conditions no honey-plant will much 

 exceed, even if it equals, the tulip tree. One 

 good authority says that each flower will 

 produce a teaspoonful of nectar, which I 

 am pretty sure i.s not much of an overesti- 

 mate. 



On account of early blooming, and also 

 Oie erect position of the flowers, tlie lioney- 

 riow is apt to be interrupted by cold spells 

 or rain, which happens at least lialf the sea- 

 sons. The tree continues to bloom nearly 

 a month; and so when conditions are just 

 right the yield is surprising, even where the 

 ti-ees are somewhat scarce. The bees often 

 till one or two super's from this source alone. 



Where the trees are plentiful there is not 

 much danger of overstocking, as I am 

 pi-etty sure that 200 hives of bees could not 

 take care of all the honej' within their range. 

 Unfortunately, there are very few such lo- 

 cations now, and they are generally in some 

 almost inaccessible place where it is almost 

 impossible to get out or in. 



The honey from wliitewood is a bright 

 amber color when new, but it becomes 

 darker with age, and also very thick — some- 

 times almost like molasses. It is always 

 considered to be of a fair quality, and most 

 people who are acquainted with it prefer it 

 to any other. 1 always can get a good price 

 for it, generally 15 cts. for bulk comb honey, 

 as this is the most common way of getting 

 honey here, and so there is no need of fuss- 

 ing with getting the bees to work in sec- 

 tions. As long as 1 can sell bulk comb 

 honey at practically my own price I am 

 not very likely to produce honey in sections, 

 as I can get fully a half more in the ex- 

 tracting-frames. 

 Stonecoal, W. Va. 



VALUABLE WINTER BLOOM 



BY P. C. CHADWICK. 



The loquot is very limited in its distribu- 

 tion. It is found principally in our city 

 gardens, and is gi'own for its fruit. Never- 

 theless it is of considerable importance as a 

 pollen and honey plant for the month of 

 December, when little else to encourage a 

 bee is to be found. 



The eucalyptus is of vast importance in 

 many sections of our state. There are many 

 species of this tree, one or more of whicli 

 may be found in bloom at a time, during the 

 entire year. The picture is that of Euca- 

 lyptus (jlobuhis which is, perhaps, the most 

 important of any in the state, due to the 

 fact that it has been planted generally to a 

 greater extent. Eucalyptus rohnsta is the 

 next in importance. Both of these bloom 

 in December, Januaiy, and February, and 

 their importance as a winter stimulative 

 agent is well known to our native beekeep- 

 ers. A flow sufficient to cause the building 

 of new combs is quite common in some lo- 

 calities. The honey is not very desirable, 

 either in color or flavor. There are said to 

 be some thirty varieties of this tree in Cali- 

 fornia. 



No. 1 in the picture is a bud just in tlie 

 act of blooming. The cap, which is almost 

 exactly the shape of an acorn-cup. comes 

 off and the j)etals spread, making tlie bloom 



complete. No. 2 is a seed-pod which has 

 slied its petals. No, 3 is a bloom with half 



Tlic lo.nn.t 

 present. 



ncourages the bees wlieii little else is 



