782 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



products and their value to the bee- 

 keeper. 



Without going into detail of the micro- 

 scopical appearance of the various pol- 

 len-grains, and the process of Nature's 

 chemical laboratory in the production 

 of honey, or the wisdom of purpose in 

 the fertilization of plants, I will men- 

 tion that, though all plants blossom in 

 their seasons, yet the best honey-plants 

 do not at all times yield honey. We all 

 know that during warm weather, with 

 a humid atmosphere, which must obtain 

 during the unfolding of the flower, we 

 have the peculiar conditions necessary 

 for the greatest production of honey ; 

 and the absence of these conditions, but 

 for a few hours, will limit, and some- 

 times entirely suspend, the elaboration 

 of honey for a whole day. As a rule, 

 the flowers which open to-day, are gone, 

 or do not produce honey, to-morrow. 

 Thus, those of us who may be working 

 every bee and every inch of comb for 

 honey, may be found revolving in our 

 minds, on retiring at night, and during 

 our short waking moments, and almost 

 dreaming, even, while we sleep, of the 

 possibilities of to-morrow. 



In the following list of honey-plants 

 the seasons must be considered, as when 

 spring opens early, the weather favor- 

 able, both pollen and honey will be gath- 

 ered earlier, more abundant, and of bet- 

 ter quality ; while In the late, cold and 

 wet springs, there will be little of either 

 collected, and that of inferior quality ; 

 making swarming later, and at a time 

 when we can little afford the division. 



Red elm (Ulmus) furnishes an abun- 

 dance of pollen, and of good quality, and 

 commences to bloom early in January, 

 with a succession of blooms for about a 

 month. Slippery elm blooms the last of 

 February, furnishing rich pollen for 

 about two weeks. 



Wild plum (Prunus) is next to red 

 elm, commencing early in February, 

 about the time the elm ceases ; with a 

 succession of about 15 days, furnishes 

 both honey and pollen. The honey, 

 though, of inferior quality, is eagerly 

 sought by the bees, new honey giving, 

 as it were, new life and vigor to whole 

 colony. 



Peach and pear commence to blossom 

 about the first of March, giving a suc- 

 cession of about 20 days, connecting 

 with the apple, which gives a succession 

 of from 10 to 20 days, owing to the 

 varieties. Fruit trees, generally, yield 

 a fair quality of honey and pollen, the 

 former being sometimes somewhat bit- 

 ter. 



Judas tree or red-bud (cercis) blooms 

 from the first of March to the last of 

 the month, furnishing principally honey, 

 which is of good quality. Early swarms 

 are frequently thrown off from the 

 abundance of this harvest. 



Black haw {Viburmmi prurifolium) . 

 This shrub or small tree blooms about 

 March 20th, with a succession of blos- 

 soms for a month, and some times 

 longer. It" yields honey and pollen. 



Eatan vine (smilax) blooms from April 

 10th to the last of the month ; furnish- 

 ing an inexhaustible quantity, and a 

 very fair quality, of honey. In localities 

 where this vine abounds, our spring 

 yield is from it, and our main swarming 

 is thrown off from the abundance of this 

 crop. 



Black locust and honey locust (robinia) 

 flower in March, commencing about the 

 midddle of the month, and giving a suc- 

 cession of flowers for rather more than 

 20 days ; furnishing both honey and 

 pollen of excellent quality. 



Pepperwood, angelica tree {aralia 

 spinosa, Linn) furnishes both honey and 

 pollen ; honey of inferior quality on 

 account of its pungency. It blooms 

 April 20th, with a succession of from 

 15 to 20 days. It is visited mostly for 

 its poilen, which is abundant. 



Poison ivy {rMis toxicodendron) fur- 

 nishes an abundance of pollen and some 

 honey. It blooms in April, throughout 

 the month. 



(Continued next week.) 



CONYEIVTION DIRECTORY. 



1893. 



Time and place of meeting. 



Oct. 11, 12, 13.— North American (Interna- 

 tional), at Chicago, Ills. 

 J* rank Benton, Sec, Washing-ton, D. C. 



I[^~ In order to have this table complete, 

 Secretaries are requested to forward full 

 particulars of the time and the place of 

 each future meeting. — The Editor. 



North American Bee-Keepers' Association 



President— Dr. C. C. Miller Mareng-o, Ills. 



Vice-Pkes.— J. E. Crane Middlebury, Vt. 



Seciietary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C. 

 Treasurer— George W. York... Chicago, Ills. 



National Bee-Keepers' Union. 



President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich. 

 Gen'l Manager— T. G . Newman, Chicago, 111. 



Read our great offer on page 773. 



