weeks earlier than the white. Right under our office 

 window are some thrifty sweet-clover plants two or 

 three feet high. While the white shows no blossom- 

 buds at all a stock of yellow is in full bloom A. I. 

 R.] 



SWEET CLOVER. 



WHY IS NOT THE YELLOW VARIETY MOKE WIDELY KNOWN? 



The little I have written in GLEANINGS started a 

 small avalanche of letters of inquiry to which I have 

 been trying to do justice. Some of these letters were 

 quite interesting. For instance, I got one from Cali- 

 fornia, in which the writer said: 



Some 25 years ago I was engaged in the hardware and 

 seed business at Paola, Kan., and for some customer I wrote 

 to an eastern seed-house for a little each of the white and 

 yellow Bokhara clover. They were identical in habit, but 

 I thought the yellow contained more nectar, as the bees 

 were almost crazy for it, and it bloomed from early till 

 late. I now conclude that this is the same as sweet clover 

 referred to. Do you know? 



I wonder what became of that yellow sweet clover 

 started so long ago near Paola, Kan. I wonder how 

 it comes that the white sweet clover is known all 

 over and the yellow is not. 



Its great merit was recognized in some quarters 

 years ago. 



A very interesting letter from the late Mrs. L. 

 Harrison was read by Mr. York at the Illinois State 

 Bee-Keepers' convention, held in Chicago in 1896. 

 She said of Melilotus ojficinalis, "This is well known, 

 and gaining in reputation as a forage-plant and for 

 bee-pasture." 



When D. A. Jones, of Canada, attended the sessions 

 of the North American Bee-kepers' Association he 

 advocated the merits of what he called Bokhara clo- 

 ver, first, last, and all the time. Prof. Cook took a 

 plant in his hand that Mr. Jones brought with him, 

 and, standing up smilingly, said, "Look at its root. 

 Its only sweet clover/* So it was: but it was 

 Melilotus officinalis the yellow variety. See Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal, 1897, page 34. Ten years ago! 



15 



