50 SOURCES OF NECTAR 



In Florida several other species of importance are brought 

 to the bee-keeper's attention. They are not all confined to 

 Florida, but may be found more or less abundantly throughout 

 the Gulf States. 



The list sounds strange to the bee-keeper of the l^orth, for 

 few of the names mentioned as important are familiar to his 

 ears. 



Tupelo or gum extends some distance to the north of Florida, 

 but it is mentioned as one of the most valuable sources of nectar 

 in that State. Palmetto and saw palmetto are peculiar to Florida. 



The Florida honey flora is composed to a surprising extent 

 of trees ; magnolia, mangrove, titi, orange and many others are 

 either trees or shrubs. 



Honey Sources of Wide Distribution. — It is hardly within 

 the scope of a work of this kind to consider in detail the resources 

 of each section separately. There are, however, a large number 

 of plants of wide distribution which are important yielders of 

 honey or pollen, or both, over such wide areas as to merit further 

 consideration. 



During the height of the season, pollen is usually present 

 in such quantities from so many plants, that those which yield 

 pollen alone are of little interest. Those plants which yield 

 pollen very early in the season, however, are second in importance 

 only to the best honey sources. So valuable is an abundance of 

 pollen early in spring for brood rearing, that it is very important 

 that the apiary be within easy reach of pollen-bearing plants at 

 this season. 



Honey-dew is a secretion from small insects known as aphids. 

 There has been much discussion concerning the origin of this 

 product in the past, some holding that it was not only an insect 

 secretion, but a plant secretion as well. The fact that drops of 

 honey-dew are sometimes to be seen on the leaves of trees when 

 no aphis is to be found probably gave rise to this impression. 

 It is now quite generally agreed that honey-dew comes only 



