204 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



the famous honey of Hymettus, which is made from 

 thyme. 



The horse-mint is a very important honey-plant 

 of the lower Mississippi Valley and of Texas. Its 

 corolla tubes are so long that only the Italians and 

 other long-tongued bees can get its honey. Catnip, 

 motherwort and gill-over-the-ground and gall-berry 

 all furnish an abundance of nectar. 



The blue thistle emigrated to Virginia in colonial 

 times, and now covers with a heavenly blue thousands 

 of acres of the desolate, uncultivated, red Virginia 

 soil. It is a great boon to the bees of the region, as 

 its blossoms creep slowly up its stalks, thus affording 

 nectar for many weeks. It is related to borage, 

 which is another good honey-plant. 



Spider flower {Cleome fungens), the Rocky Moun- 

 tain bee-plant {Cleome integrijoUa), and figwort 

 (Scrojularia venalis) have all been planted by bee- 

 keepers in their honey-gardens, because they give 

 such a great amount of honey per plant. 



During September and early October the bees 

 work busily on the various species of goldenrod and 

 asters, and gather from them a considerable amount 

 of honey, which is rich in colour and taste. The 

 two common species of Impaiiens also give the bees 

 good fall pasturage. 



Fireweed (Epilobium angiistijoUum) comes wher- 

 ever forests have been cleared and burned off. It 

 blooms late and yields a fine quality of honey. The 

 unlovely Spanish needle (Coreopsis) also gives much 

 honey. The milkweed yields good honey, yet it 



