THE SOUTH 49 
available. Coming so soon after the bees are first abroad after 
the long winter, the queens are stimulated to great activity and 
brood rearing begins in earnest. As a result, the hives are soon 
full of young bees, so that the colonies should be in the very best 
condition for the clover harvest. 
Alfalfa Region—The irrigated sections of the arid West may 
be classed as the alfalfa region. While much honey from other 
sources comes to market from west of the Missouri River, alfalfa 
is the main source of dependence. Sweet clover is rapidly ex- 
tending its range in the same territory, so that it is also a very 
important source of nectar. The alfalfa plant seems to be at its 
best in the dry atmosphere of Colorado and surrounding States. 
Given plenty of water by irrigation, the results both in hay and 
in nectar are remarkable. Alfalfa may be said to be “king” in 
the Rocky Mountain States, all the way from Canada to the 
Mexican border. 
From California we hear much of sage, orange, and beans as 
additional sources of honey production. Very little orange honey 
reaches the eastern markets, so that it can hardly be considered 
in speaking of the region as a whole. Sage, in years past, has 
been the source of large quantities of honey shipped east. Of 
late years, alfalfa, even in California as in other western States, 
is coming to be a very dependable source of supply. 
The South.—In Texas are to be found many of the plants 
common to the eastern States, as well as some that are important 
in the arid West. In the irrigated sections of Texas alfalfa is 
an important honey plant. Here are also a number whose names 
are unfamiliar elsewhere, including huajilla, mesquit, and cats- 
claw. 
In the southeastern section, beginning with the Carolinas, 
we still find the clovers and other plants common to the northern 
States mentioned as important in honey production. In addition, 
there are some peculiar to the South which rank even higher in 
the production of honey. Among the most important may be 
mentioned the gallberry and sourwood. 
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