56 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTTJEE. 



early for bees to obtain full benefit of its bounty, stands a 

 great cluster of fragrant, snowy bloom for from 10 days to 

 a fortnight, said to yield when weather conditions are favor- 

 able, though usually only at intervals of several years, a 

 large amount of honey. 



Sumac, broadly distributed, an amber or dark product, 

 with a strong and fruity flavor which is temptiug to many. 



Apple, and other tree fruit bloom, light amber honey of a 

 very fine flavor when well ripened by the bees. 



Raspberry, a white and extremely finely flavored honey 

 produced in considerable quantities in northern Michigan, 

 and less freely elsewhere along the northern border, from 

 the wild raspberry, which covers large areas of cut-over 

 timberlands. 



Milkweed, highly esteemed and produced in considerable 

 quantities in Hmited locahties in Michigan and other States 

 where this well-known wayside plant grows in abundance. 



Blueberry and huckleberry, a dark honey carrying the 

 flavor of the fruit and greatly prized in the favored locahties 

 where obtainable. 



WESTERN HONEYS. 



Alfalfa, the second most important source of honey, 

 known of ancient days as the ''best fodder" and rapidly 

 gaining in this country the respect and place due its worth, 

 yields nectar freely in the region of its principal growth, be- 

 yond one hundredth meridian of west longitude and through- 

 out the western Mountain and Pacific Coast States. It is 

 occasionally reported as yielding nectar in some eastern 

 sections. This is usually a white honey except in the south- 

 western tier of States, where it darkens to amber, with a 

 distinctive spicy or minty flavor, but with a tendency to 

 granulate (crystallize and become semisoUd). Owing to its 

 high quahty and extremely heavy production throughout 

 the western irrigated regions, it is an important honey 

 commercially. 



Sweet clover, a native legume and a very close relative of 

 alfalfa, which in the early stages of growth it resembles 

 closely, is of next importance, the honey being similar in 

 appearance, but of a superior flavor, and with a lesser tend- 

 ency to granulate. The plant grows wild in dense masses 



