58 PASTURAGE. 



which prove most attractive to them are those 

 with spotted leaves. 



From the partiality of these natural chemists 

 for the spotted leaves of the vetch and bean, I 

 suspect that the spotting originates from disease, 

 which causes those leaves to throw out a honeyed 

 secretion. In this opinion I am strengthened by 

 what Mr. Hubbard has stated, in a paper pre- 

 sented to the Society of Arts for 1799, respecting 

 papilionaceous plants. "It is not," says he, "from 

 the flower, but a small leaf, with a black spot on 

 it, which, in warm weather, keeps constantly 

 oozing, that the bees gather their honey." Mr. 

 Hubbard also assures us in the same paper that 

 the tare (Ervum hirsutum et tetraspermuni) is 

 highly useful to bees ; and that several acres, sown 

 near his apiary, otherwise badly situated, rendered 

 it very productive. 



Turnips, mustard, and all the cabbage tribe are 

 also important auxiliaries ; their culture is strongly 

 recommended by Wildman, as affording spring food 

 to the bees. In the autumn afield of buckwheat be- 

 comes a very valuable resource for them, from its 

 prolonged succession of bloom. Buckwheat flowers 

 in bunches, which contain ripe seeds in one part, 

 while blossoms are but just opening in another. 

 Huber has given his testimony in favour of this 

 black grain, and Worlidge says that he has known 

 the bees of a very large apiary fill the combs with 



