^oks and Queries* 



Wilmington, N. C, Oct. 7, 1878. 

 FiuENDS Newman : I enclose samples of two 

 weeds, with labels attaclied. No. 1 grows taller than 

 No. 2, averagrinfT about 3 to 4 feet hiKh. No. 2 grows 

 from 1^ to o feet high, and its bloom seems all at top \ 

 of plant, and more compact, round and shapely i 

 head.s of bloom than No. 1. Both have yellow blooms, 

 and the bees work on each with avidity. While No. 2 

 grows all about the old fields. No. 1 seems to seek 

 moist, rich locations, on the margins of swamps, 

 marshes, &c. They have been in bloom 12 days. 

 Please eive name of each in Jouunal for Novem- 

 ber. 8R. C Tayi.ok. 



These are both solidagos or golden 

 rods. They are ilhistrated in Manual 

 of Apiary, p. 243. Species of this genus 

 grow on all kinds of soil, — light, heavy, 

 dry or damp. The honey is of a rich 

 yellowish-brown color, of beautiful tla- 

 vor, and the plants are covered with 

 bees from early August till frost. 



A. J. c. 



Wyandotte County, Kansas, Sept. 25, 1878. 

 1 enclose insect. Please give me its scientific and 

 popular name, and tell us something of its habits if 

 it has any. as far as known. The people here tell 

 me it is known as the sweat-bee ; that it burrows in 

 the ground like a bumble-bee ; that it is more ag- 

 gressive in its attacks, and that its stings are more 

 painful than either the bumble or honey-bee. They 

 say there is another bee still more aggressive than 

 tliis <me, and more painful in its sting, though of 

 smaller size. Should 1 be able to get a specimen will 

 send it to you if desired. W. P. Hogarty. 



The insect was badly crushed, yet I 

 was able to identify it as a megachile or 

 tailor-bee, the same as described on p. 

 36 of Manual. It feeds its young or 

 larva on pollen, which it not only carries 

 on its legs but often dusted all" over its 

 body, especially beneath. Its leaf-cut- 

 ting habits, as also its strange cells, are 

 fully described in the Manual, a. j. c. 



Columbus, Kan., Oct. 7, 1878. 

 Please name enclosed plants. Nos. 1 and 2 are 

 covered with bees every day. There appears to be 6 

 or ti varieties of No. 3, but the bees work on this one 

 most. No. 4 is nearly out of bloom ; the bees work 

 on it most from the middle of August to the middle 

 of September. No. 5 is the best honey plant that we 

 have ; the bees work on it from the first of Septem- 

 ber until hard frost. 1 had a single colony gather 150 

 lbs. in 15 days from this plant. My bees are all in 

 good condition for winter. Will winter on summer 

 stands as usual. H. Scovell. 



No. 1 and Xo. 2 are asters. These 

 are referred to and hgured on p. 243 «f 

 Manual. As there stated they are very 

 admirable as honey plants, while many 

 of them— including the ones sent by 

 Mr. Scovell, are very beautiful. There 

 are about two score of species of this 

 genus in our country, and it is not easy 

 to identify the particular species from 

 dried specimens, especially when but a 

 part of the plant is sent ; nor is it neces- 

 sary, as all asters are favorites with the 

 bees. 



No. 3 is a solidago or golden rod. For 

 figure and description see Manvial, pp. 

 242 and 243. Tliis belongs to the same 



family as the asters, and it would seem 

 that all through our country, from Lake 

 to Gulf, and from Ocean to Ocean, there 

 might be a strife between the asters 

 and golden rods as to which should 

 yield the greatest measure of nectar 

 during the autumn harvest. The species 

 of solidagos are about as numerous in 

 the United States as are the asters. 



No. 5 is also of the same family. It 

 belongs to the genus bidens, and is so 

 like the flowers of the genus coreopsis 

 that only the botanist can readily 

 determine them apart. I speak of these 

 in Manual, p. 244. These plants are 

 also very valuable for bees. 



No. 4 is cassia chamoecrista or par- 

 tridge pea, the same that was received 

 from A. M. Crosby of Knoxville, Iowa, 

 and named in American Bee Jour- 

 nal for September, p. 321. A. J. c. 



Washington County, Va., Oct. 22, 1878. 

 I enclose in an accompanying box, a specimen of a 

 plant growing abundantly in south-western Virginia, 

 and from which bees are storing honey. They 

 gathered more from this plant in the six days of 

 October, than in the previous sixty from all other 

 sources together. A dniuth cmiimencing about the 

 middle (if July and lasting six nr eight weeks, cut off 

 the supply of lumey, and eolonies Were so much 

 reduced in numbers as well as stores, that they were 

 likely to go into winter quarters in a starving con- 

 dition, but when this plant came into blossom, they 

 went to work with desperate energy, and in a few- 

 days had all available combs full of honey, or, to use 

 an old Virginian's expression "are •mighty rich this 

 fall." Please give the common and botanical name 

 through AiMEKiCAN Bee JouK>fAL. G. 



The plants which are the subjects of 

 such high praise are asters, which, from 

 our observations here as well as state- 

 ments made by correspondents (see 

 American Bee Journal for October), 

 we are led to believe rank very high as 

 honey plants. They seem also to be 

 indifferent to latitute and climate, nor 

 are they to be ignored on the score of 

 beauty." The flowers before me, as also 

 the onesreceivedlast month, are worthy 

 to grace the costliest vase, or decorate 

 the ttnest parlor. a. j. c. 



Alsike Clover.— In regard to enquiry 

 made by a correspondent in tlie Sept. No. of 

 American Bee Journal, allow nie to say : 

 Tliat aisike clover is far better tor feeding 

 purposes tlian red clover. Stock eat it more 

 readily and in preference to otiier kinds of 

 bay. "The only objection to it is, tliat it has 

 nosecond growtli as with the red. It should 

 be sown with '* timothy." as it grows very 

 rank on rich grouiul. The flavor of aisike 

 honey cannot be surpassed. 



O. H. Townsend. 



Hubbardston, Mich. 



_ 'Mrs. Isabella U. Lee, of Lonoke, Ark., 

 has land situated in an excellent district tor 

 frnit and bee-culture and wants an experi- 

 enced man to settle there, and start an 

 apiary. If any such are thinking of anew 

 location, a correspondence miyht be of 

 mutual advantage. 



