30 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



one or two little patches in an old field. But 

 now, in some of the old clearings on the edge of 

 Forked Deer Kiver bottom, we have as good 

 a stand of it, as perhaps could be found in any 

 pasture in New York or Pennsylvania. It is 

 principally distributed through the agency of 

 cattle and high water; and it can now be found 

 very thick along all of the road sides and banks 

 of streams, and even extending into the thick 

 woods. I have been told recently that the 

 bottoms along Hatchie River are being over- 

 grown with it, in the same way. My bees are 

 now working on it finely, and I hope that it 

 will carry them through July. 



Barbekry, or Hockberry, bloomed May 1 ; 

 ceased May 15. 



Black Gum, bloomed May 2 ; ceased May 9. 



Blackberries, bloomed May 2 ; ceased May 

 30. 



These latter grow everywhere in the greatest 

 profusion, and yield the most delicately flavored 

 honey that we have. I am sorry to say that 

 the growth threatens to appropriate a large 

 portion of our soil. The cattle avoid it; the 

 farmers give way to it ; Mr. Nig scratches his 

 head and declines a contest ; but the bees " go 

 in" with a will. Mr. Editor, I too have a 

 honey-emptying machine of my own construc- 

 tion, and can appreciate the delight of 

 "Novice." From a strong prejudice against 

 beekeeping, my "better half" has been con- 

 verted into an enthusiastic apiarian. Need I 

 add, that delicious honey, and the aroma from 

 the honey-emptying machine during the black- 

 berry harvest, won her over. 



Locust, bloomed May 3 : ceased May 20. 



Poplar, bloomed May 3 ; ceased June 5. 



West Tennessee is the home of the poplar. 

 Here it attains its greatest size. I know of one 

 tree that is nine feet in diameter. It is a favor- 

 ite amusement of the little negroes to knock 

 down the blossoms and suck the honey they 

 contain. 



Holly, bloomed May 10 ; ceased May 28. 



This is a splendid honey plant, but does not 

 last long. It grows only in the bottoms, along 

 the banks of creeks and rivers. Bees resort to 

 it in great numbers, during the whole period ot 

 its blooming. 



Persimmon, bloomed May 24 ; ceased June 

 10. 



Wild Grapes, bloomed May 26 ; ceased 

 June 30. 



The latter is another splendid honey plant 

 with us, not excelled even by the poplar. It 

 is very abundant, growing everywhere. In- 

 deed, it would be a very difficult matter to find 

 a spot in any of the thick woods of West Ten- 

 nessee, that is not adorned by the rank foliage 

 oftlie Vitis Lahrusca. 



Catnip, bloomed May 22 ; ceased June 25. 



I have been very favorably impressed with 

 catnip as a bee plant ; and think that a little 

 labor expended in its propogation, would be 

 well rewarded. A few bunches set upon the 

 top of some old worn out hill, would soon cover 

 the whole hill-side, as it spreads rapidly. 



Muscadine, bloomed June 12 ; ceased June 



15. 



Elder, bloomed June 10 ; ceased July 10. 



Chestnut, bloomed June 15 ; ceased June 

 27. 



Pondweed, bloomed June 23 ; still bloom- 

 ing. 



Sumac, bloomed June 25 ; still blooming. 



Corn Blossoms, bloomed July 5; still bloom- 

 ing. 



There are three periods during which I have 

 seen bees carry in pollen more abundantlj' than 

 at any other time during the year, viz : during 

 the blooming of the red maple, in February ; 

 from corn blossoms, in July ; and, again, from 

 the golden rod, in October. 



Honey Dew. Showers of honey dew fell on 

 the 28th of May, and on the 8th and the 18th of 

 June. I have '^een it crystalized on poplar 

 leaves. Chestnut leaves have been glued to- 

 gether with it. It has been very abundant also 

 on the white oak, and on the rough leaves of 

 the hickory. Too much of it, this year, to be 

 the production of the insects. What do you 

 say of it, Mr. Editor.* 



If you think it will be interesting to the 

 readers of the Bee Journal, I will continue 

 my notes on the bee pasturage of West Ten- 

 nessee, and report again at The close of the 

 season. 



Yours, with bee love, 



S. W. Cole. 



Andrew Chapel, Tenn., July 10, 1869. 



*Our impression, from observations we have 

 had opportunities to make, is that what are cal- 

 led honey dews originate from three different 

 sources, and differ accordingly in quality. That 

 which is most common in the Southern section 

 of the Middle States, is of atmospheric origin ; 

 is usually very abundant when it occurs ; is 

 eagerly gathered by the bees ; and yields a hon- 

 ey scarcel}'^ to be distinguished in taste, color, 

 or consistence, from that gathered from the 

 blossoms of plants. It is always serviceable 

 and never injurious to the bees. Another kind, 

 less abundant in quantity and of more rare oc- 

 currence, is of vegetable origin, being an exu- 

 dation on the leaves and in the axillae of various 

 plants, dependant probably on certain states of 

 the atmosphere. It is darker than tlie former, 

 somewhat viscid, and of less agreeable taste, 

 though constituting a pretty good article. It is 

 gathered somewhat less eagerly by the bees and 

 is not injurious to them, or is not produced and 

 stored in sufficient quantity to become so. The 

 third kind, usually, when it occurs more abun- 

 dant than the second, is more restricted in its 

 range. It is the product of aphides, and its pro- 

 duction is dependant on states of the atmos- 

 phere favoring the rapid multiplicatiou of those 

 insects. As it usually occurs when the nectar of 

 flowers is scarce, it is more freely gathered and 

 stored by the bees. It is an ill-tasted, rather 

 innutritous substance, having a strong tendency 

 to decomposition. When stored in a hive in 

 such quantity as to make it the main depen- 

 dence of the bees iu winter, is apt to produce 

 debihty ; and dysentery will follow if the bees 

 are long confined by stress of weather. 



