248 THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 



They were wintering perfectly, and no loss was sustained in this 

 cellar, but all came out very strong and healthy. Why the differ- 

 ence? The stores were all good, so the difference could not be laid 

 to their winter food, it was the ventilator, or perhaps we better 

 say because they had no ventilator, just a hole through the ceiling 

 large enough so it could be opened as wide as thought best, or con- 

 tracted at will, the attic keeping the cellar dark. After a little ex- 

 perience, this opening is not changed during winter at all. Simple, 

 but how important. 



Palmetto Bloom 



There are two varieties of Palmetto, that yield honey in Flor- 

 ida, one is the Scrub Palmetto, the other the Cabbage Palmetto. 

 The former begins bloom about in the southern portions of the 

 State, about two weeks ahead of us, in the vicinity of New Smyrna. 

 This year it began around Bradentown, and that locality about the 

 10th of May, here, about the 23d. To be exact, we noted the bees 

 humming on the early opening bloom at the Wilson yard, near Oak 

 Hill, at noon of Saturday, May 22d. In about a week more they will 

 be showing whether it is going to yield well or not. All Winter 

 past the rains have been magnificent, and never before have we 

 seen the stalks of bloom, the racemes, so large, so many in number 

 nor so promising generally. It looks like a "Palmetto honey year." 

 But Palmetto honey is of all honeys the least to be counted on ; for 

 the bloom is so evanescent and fickle. Too much heat withers and 

 dries it; too much rain, blights and mildews it. Weather must be 

 just right, or all the bloom of the State will yield not enough for a 

 good meal ! Oddly enough, those portions of the scrub that are 

 burned over by the cattle men one year, are the best for honey the 

 following year; if not burned at all it becomes so thickly choked 

 with undergrowth that the blossoms shortly mildew and blight. 



Last year the forest fires were unusually terrific and wide- 

 spread; consequently this year there is an unusually large area 

 available for bee pasturage. We hope for good things, naturally 

 enough. Later reports will tell what the final outcome is. Bees 

 generally along the East Coast are in fine condition for a good yield, 

 strong and powerful, and a good flow of a few weeks will fill two or 

 three full depth supers so quickly that one wonders where it all 

 comes from. We might add, that, when taken pure, there is no 

 honey anywhere that excels the honey from the scrub palmetto. 

 It is yellow, lemon color, light lemon ; the body is thick, rich and 

 heavy; the aroma fine and taste superb. While the bouquet, as it 



