THOUSAND ANSWERS 39 



the larger hive I got fine crops of beautiful sections, and you can 

 do the same. 



Carniolan bees swarm very readily. 



Catdavr. — Q. From what section is catclaw honey obtained? 

 Is its honey of good flavor? 



A. The catclaw, though found in most southern states, is a 



honey producer especially in Texas. The blossoms come out in 



late spring, the tree being low, bushy and spiny. The honey is 



only fair in flavor as compared to the whiter honeys like alfalfa. 



Catnip. — Q. Is catnip honey fit for table use? It seems to 

 taste very strong. (Iowa.) 



A. Catnip honey has the reputation of being fine for table use. 

 Unless you have catnip in great abundance, and little or noth- 

 ing else yielding at the same time, you can hardly be sure that 

 you have pure catnip honey; and it is possible that the very 

 strong taste comes from some other honey being mixed with the 

 catnip. 



Q. Will catnip sown now, or in the "spring, afford bee-pasture 

 next season? 



A. Catnip is a perennial, continuing permanently when once 

 started. I think you cannot count on bloom the first season, but 

 it will increase in size and strength after the second year. It 

 seems to have a partiality for hedge-rows, but that may be be- 

 cause of the protection, for it grows well in the full blaze of the 

 sun. 



Caucasians. — Q. What color is the Caucasian bee, if the stock 

 is pure? 



A. About the same color as the common black bee. 



Q. What are the physical features that distinguish the Cau- 

 casian bees from the Carniolans? 



A. The main difference in appearance is that the whitish ring 

 is not so distinct in Caucasians as in Carniolans. Carniolans look 

 enough like blacks to make it hard to distinguish them, and Cau- 

 casians look still more like blacks. The rings on the abdomen of 

 Carniolans are whitish; on Caucasians grayish. 



Q. Are the Caucasian bees as gentle and as good honey- 

 gatherers as the Italians? 



A. The Caucasians were heralded as the most gentle of bees. 

 No doubt some of them are, but others are reported -as being no 

 gentler than Italians. Not as much has been said about their 

 gathering ability as their gentleness, and it is hard to say just 



