14 



Clethra. — This is also known as black alder and sweet pepper bush, 

 and is a valuable honey-secreting plant, largely confined to a belt 

 paralleling the eastern coast, where it thrives in profusion. The 

 aroma, a sweet smell, powerful and penetrating, may be perceived a 

 long distance from the bush. Bees work upon it freely, and unques- 

 tionably produce considerable surplus honey, which is of good body 

 and light color. 



These, so far as bee keepers' observations afford, are the most 

 prominent honey j)lants. Of the remaining list — each reported from 

 one to fifteen times — milkweed, Avild cherr}^, knotweed, dandelion, 

 strawberry, chestnut, mints, gill-over-the-ground, and mustard are of 

 most importance. No one of these taken alone is a source of surplus 

 honey in Massachusetts, but all are important in the total yield. The 

 writer has observed, in the spring when fruit trees are in bloom, a 

 jDerceptible effect of dandelion nectar upon the delicate flavor of 

 fruit-bloom honey, producing the characteristic bitterish taste. 



Milkweed. — Where milkweed occurs in large quantities it is a val- 

 uable honey plant. In Berkshire County, Mr. Dewey, of Great Bar- 

 rington, reports that milkweed is an important source of nectar. 



One bee keeper in Hampshire County reports the Tartarian honey- 

 suckle as important and very productive. Sunflowers are valuable 

 but must occur in considerable numbers to make a perceptible differ- 

 ence in the crop. 



Most of these plants are quite as important, so far as the economy 

 of the bee is concerned, for their pollen as for their nectar. For 

 instance, the willow and skunk cabbage, while they are reported as 

 honey plants, are far more important as pollen yielders, because at 

 their season of bloom pollen is scarce. The chestnut and, to a certain 

 extent, the dandelion are more valuable for the pollen which they 

 yield than for the honey. 



THE MORE IMPORTANT IIOXEY TLAXTS IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



Table V. — List of the more importnnt honey plants in Massachusetts. 

 [Arranged according to frequency of report.] 



Name. 



Clovers: 



White ( TrifolUan rrprns) 



Alsike ( 7'. /) i/hridum ) 



Red (T. prninis-e) 



Crimson I 7'. incdriKitum) 



Sweet (Miii/dhi^ alliaiind M. officinalis). 

 Yellow ( T. wjiariuin) '. 



Golden-rods {Solidagu si)i>.). 

 Asteis(.4sier spp.) 



Times 

 reported. 



026 

 37 

 7 

 3 

 3 

 1 



