28 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. 



Xlie Report of tlie Committee on tbe 

 Cliapniau Honey-Plaut. 



The Coraraittee appointed by the North Ameri- 

 can Bee-Keepers* Society at the annual meeting 

 held in Detroit, Mich., in December, l8-<5, to 

 investigate the merits of the honey-bearing plant 

 now lieing cultivated by Mr. Hiram Chapman, of 

 VerBailles, N. Y., met at that place on July 28 ; one 

 member of the committee, Mr. Manum, of Bristol, 

 Vt., was not able to be present, but as each mem- 

 ber of the Committee was furnished with a suffi- 

 cient number of plants to afford opportunity for 

 observing their growth and habits, and also to 

 gain some information concerning the value of 

 the plant as a honey-producer, a letter from Mr. 

 Manum, in which he gives the result of his experi- 

 ence and observation, is herewith appended. 



Tiiid plant, which Mr. Beal, of the Michigan 

 Agricultural College, and Mr. Scribner, Assistant 

 Botanist of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, tells us is Echinops SphcerocephaluSt is 

 an imported perennial, native in Central France, 

 and like all of the family to which it belongs, very 

 rich in honey. This plant will probably be 

 popularly known in this country as the " Chapman 

 Honey-Plant,*' so named on account of Mr. 

 Chapman being first to cultivate it, and beingflrst 

 to bring it to the notice of those engaged in bee- 

 keeping. 



We found three acres of the plant in bloom, the 

 height of the mature plant being from 3 to 4^ 

 feet, and each root bears from 5 to 15 round balls 

 or heads from l inch to IJi Inches in diameter. 

 These heads stand upright, and tlie entire surface 

 Is covered with small, white flowers bearing bluish 

 stamens. The stalks and leavesso nearly resemble 

 those of the common thistle that, were it not for 

 the head, the difference would not be easily 

 noticed. There is, however, in this particular, a 

 very marked difference, the appearance of the 

 head being aptly described by its botanical name, 

 which signifies round-headed and in appearance 

 like a hedge-hog. 



Tlie flowerets on the top of the head open first, 

 then tiiey open later along the sides of the ball, 

 continuing in the order of nature around the 

 entire surface of the sphere. Near the stem the 

 last flowerets open, after the blossoms on the top 

 of the heads liave disappeared and the seed 

 capsules of the first blossoms have hardened. 



Unlike the thistle, the seeds are provided with 

 no balloon by which they may be borne by the 

 wind. The seed is in weight and appearance very 

 like a small grain of rye, is enclosed in a capsule, 

 and falls directly to the ground if not seasonably 

 gathered, not spreading more than oats if left to 

 fall without harvesting. 



From the time of the appearance of the bloom 

 upcm the tops of individual heads, until the fading 

 of the last blossoms upon the lower part of the 

 head near to the stalk, is about 8 days, the 

 continuance of the blooming depending upon the 

 nature of the soil and the season ; but the heads or 

 buds sent out from each individual shoot and 

 forming each individual cluster, vary in degree 

 and size, so that the natural term of blooming and 

 honey-bearing may be safely reckoned at from 20 

 to 30 days. The term of blooming may also be 

 prolonged to a considerable extent by cutting 

 back a portion of the plants, and the facility with 

 which the honey harvest may be thus prolonged 

 constituesan important feature when estimating 

 the valure of this plant. The plant is hardy, easily 

 propagated, perennial, and appears to flourish in 

 all kinds of soil, and there is no danger of its 

 becoming a pest or noxious weed. It does not 

 bloom until the second season, and as it does not 

 spread in seeding, its extirpation would be easily 

 accomplished. 



Its seed may be scattered in waste places, or it 

 may be sown in drills or hills like onion seed. It 

 seems to be characteristic of the plant to root out 

 all other vegetation, and take possession of the 

 soil. No weeds, and but very little grass was seen 

 growing in the three-acre plot observed. (A ten- 

 acre field sown broad-cast, and harrowed in like 

 rye, has also made a vigorous growth, and seems 

 to be taking possession of the soil in opposition to 



quack-grass and weeds.) As to the value of tbe 

 plant to the honey-producer, there appears to be 

 no room for doubt, whether quantity or quality, or 

 both, be considered. Within reach of Mr. 

 Chapman's apiary no other resources were 

 accessible for honey-gathering, the severe and 

 prolonged drouth having destroyed all other 

 honey-yielding blossora8,and yet in some instances 

 the bees were making an excellent showing in the 

 hives. No definite conclusion could be reached as 

 to the probable returns in pounds of honey from a 

 given area. That the returns would be satisfactory 

 was evidenced by the fact that the entire area 

 was " alive with bees," and they visited the flowers 

 from daylight until dark, and sometimes 8 or 10 

 bees were upon a single head at one time. Mr. 

 Hubbard, wiio cultivated some of these plants, 

 obtained from Mr. Chapman, reported that he had 

 counted the number of visits made by bees to a 

 single head from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. He reported the 

 number as being 2,135, actual count. 



In order that the Committee might have some 

 idea of the quantity of nectar secreted in the 

 flowers of a single head, the day before our 

 arrival, Mr. Chapman had wrapped a thin paper 

 about a head, the half of which was in full-bloom' 

 and tied the paper around the stem with tape, 

 thus preventing the bees from appropriating the 

 nectar for 24 hours. Upon removing the paper on 

 the forenoon of the day of our visit, the flowerets 

 were found to be dripping with nectar, and the 

 drops sparkled in the morning sun. Each of us 

 have made similar tests with like results since 

 that time. We cheerfully and confidently recom" 

 mend this plant to the bee-keepers of North 

 America, as a most valuable acquisition to the list 

 of bee-forage plants. 



We believe that a trial of the plant will, better 

 than any other words of approval from us, publish 

 its own commendation. 



Respectfully submitted, 



1.. C. ROOT, A. I. ROOT, N. W. McLAIN. 



Mr. Manum, another member of the Committee, 

 reports as follows : 



Bristol, vt., Oct. 7, 1886. 



MR. L. C. ROOT, Chairman of the Committee on 

 the Chapman Honey-Plant — D^ar Sir: As I 

 failed to put in an appearance when the Committee 

 met at Mr. Hiram Chapman's, in July last, it is 

 not only due to you, but to Mr. Cliapman and tbe 

 Convention as well, that I make a short report of 

 my experience with the Chapman Honey-Plant. 

 50 roots of which Mr. C. so kindly sent me last 

 spring. The plants thrived well through the 

 summer under moderate cultivation, and planted 

 on light, sandy soil. I did not take extra pains 

 with them as I wished to test their hardiness. The 

 plants commenced to bloom on July 14, and 

 continued to bloom until Aug. 21, making 30 days 

 that they continued in bloom, and from the first 

 day of their blooming until the last the little 

 flower-balls were covered with bees every day, 

 from early morning until dark, rain or shine. (We 

 had no very heavy rains during this period), the 

 bees constantly going and coming. I have counted 

 16 bees on one ball at one time, all sucking the 

 sweet nectar from the richly-laden flowers of the 

 Chapman Honey-Plant. 



At Mr. C's request 1 covered three of the balls 

 with tissue paper and two with muslin. On the 

 following day there were several bee-keepers 

 here. I removed the paper from the balls, lo and 

 behold, the flowers were flUed, yes, covered, as it 

 were, with honey. We found by bidding the hand 

 tinder one of the balls, and jarring it, tlie honey 

 dropped in the hand enough to make several 

 drops. In a moment a bee lit on one of the 

 uncovered balls and never moved until its sac was 

 filled, and it flew away. On timing them, I found 

 that five bees filled themselves and flew away in 2 

 minutes and 20 seconds from the time the first bee 

 lit on the plant. Tlie two balls that were covered 

 with muslin were now uncovered, but the honey 

 seemed to have evaporated, as there was but little 

 visible, although I had noticed bees alight on the 

 muslin and try to suck the honey through the 

 cloth. This fact was conclusive to me that the 

 bees could smell the honey through the cloth. 



I find that by cutting back the plants in June, 

 they will bloom later in tlie season. This would 

 be of advantage, perhaps, to those who are 

 favored with an abundance of buckwheat for 

 their bees to work on during August, as by cutting 

 it back it would then commence to bloom the last 

 of August, thereby aff"ording good pasturage for 

 bees in September. 



In conclusion I must say that I am very well 

 pleased with the plant, judging from this first 

 year's trial, and I venture to say that the time is 

 not far distant wnen it will be extensively culti- 

 vated fur its honey-producing qualities. I expect 

 to plant an acre next spring. Were it possible for 

 me to meet with you at the Convention, I would 

 move a vote of thanks to Mr. C. for having 

 introduced this valuable plant. It is valuable not 

 only to bee-keepers, but to the florist as well, 

 because it is a very beautiful plant, and so very 

 rare withal. I remain yours truly, 



A. E. Manum. 



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GonTention Notices. 



ly The Northeastern Ohio, Northern Pa. and 

 Western New York Bee-Keepers' Association wiN 

 hold its 8th annual convention in Chapman's 

 Opera House, at Andover. »'., on Wednesdav and 

 Thursday. Jan. 19 and 1^0,1887. First-class hotel 

 accommodations are offered at $l per day to those 

 attending tbe convention. A eeneral invitation is 

 extended to all. M. E. Mason, Sec. 



ly The Wisconsin State Bee-Keepers' ApsocI- 

 ation meets at the Capitol in Madi-on, Wis., on 

 Thurday, Feb. 3, 1887, at 9 a.m. All progressive 

 bee-iieepera are earnestly invited to attend, and 

 supply-dealers are requested to exhibit their best 

 implements and inventions. The State Atrricultu- 

 ral convention will be in session at the same time, 

 commenciiKT on Feb. 1 and closing on Feb. 4, which 

 will bean additional inducement for many to at- 

 tend. Hotel rates are from $1 to $3 per day. Re- 

 turn tickets will very probably be given over the 

 principal railroads at reduced rales. 



F. Wilcox, See. 



More Preniiutns.— Mr. L. J. Diehl, of 

 Butler, Ind., offers a colony of Italian bees 

 as a present to the person sending to this 

 oflBce the largest club of subscribers for 

 1887. The subscriptions may be sent in at 

 any time before the first of May at our regu- 

 lar club rates, and additions made as de- 

 sired, but it must be stated that you are 

 working for that premium, so that we can 

 keep account of the subscriptions. 



As a premium to tbe second largest club 

 we will send my mail, postpaid, a copy of 

 the '* Farm Account Book," worth $3. The 

 postage is 20 cents. 



