190 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



Here is what Mr. Hart saj'^s — Ed. 

 Review. 



Editor of The American Bee- 

 Keeper, 



My Dear Sir: — The photograph of a 

 spray of orang-e blossoms, received 

 from you by tlie last mail, is the finest 

 that I have yet seen. I think it should 

 go into the American Bee-Keeper, and 

 thus give many, vrho know not even 

 the form thereof, an opportunity to see 

 what a really beautiful flower it is. 



It is a matter of regret that photo- 

 graphic art cannot also catch the deli- 

 cious perfume, and fix it in the pic- 

 ture for the delight of those who live 

 too far away from the orange growing 

 States to allow of their enjoying, to the 

 full measure, this most charming pro- 

 duct of the Sunny South. 



ORANGE BLOOM FURNISHES POLLEN 

 BUT NOT MUCH HONEY. 



This picture will be of special inter- 

 est to bee-keepers, for, as a prolific 

 pollen, and less prolific honey, pro- 

 ducer, the orange blossom is a very 

 important factor in building up our 

 colonies in late February, March and 

 early in April (the period of bloom 

 varying somewhat in different years) 

 and starting them into the season with 

 an abundance of young bees. 



HOW ALL THE SENSES MAY BE RE- 

 GALED IN AN ORANGE GROVE. 



To him who is both a bee-keeper 

 and an orange grower, there are few, 

 if any, more pleasant experiences than 

 that of standing in the midst of the 

 glossy green, rich gold, and silvery 

 white, of his fruit and flower laden 

 trees, in early March, the air redolent 

 with the delicious perfume of the 

 blossoms, and full of music from the 

 busy hum of his bees. Then is the 

 time to pluck and eat of "The Fruit of 

 the Gods, ' ' while at its very best, and 

 thus arrive at the ideal condition of 

 man when every one of the five senses 

 are rationally gratified to an extent 



seldom reached even in life's happiest 

 experiences. 



WHAT ORANGE HONEY LACKS IN 



QUANTITY IS MADE UP IN 



QUALITY. 



As a honey producer, the orange 

 blossom is often over-estimated as to 

 quantity, but never as to quality. Of 

 the latter too much can hardly be said ; 

 for I am sure that pure orange blos- 

 som honey has no superior in any one 

 of the three qualities, color, body or 

 flavor; the essentials that go to the 

 making of a perfect product. It is, in 

 fact, one of Nature's most nearly per- 

 fect productions; and, like most such, 

 quite limited in quantity. While 

 working among the orange trees the 

 bees seem brisk and happy, and re- 

 turn to their hives well-laden with 

 pollen pellets, but their honey sacs, 

 though invariably containing some 

 nectar, are never filled to repletion as 

 when gathering from the saw-palmetto 

 or mangrove bloom. 



PURE, UNMIXED, ORANGE HONEY 

 SELDOM SECURED. 



Owing to many tons of honey being 

 shipped from this State each year un- 

 der the mark of "Orange Blossom 

 Honey," an erroneous impression has 

 gone forth as to the quantity produced, 

 and its true characteristics. As this 

 honey all comes from locations to the 

 north, and outside of the orange 

 growing districts of the State, it is not 

 possible that it could have come from 

 the orange blossom. The explanation 

 offered for the use of the name is that 

 it "is used as a private brand," and 

 not intended to designate the source 

 from which the nectar was gathered. 

 In evidence that it is misleading, I 

 will state that I have repeatedly re- 

 peatedly received orders for "honey 

 from the orange blossom" with the 

 statement that the sender had used one 

 or more barrels of that kind and liked 

 it. I think I am safe in the assertion 

 that a barrel of pure orange blossom 



