ASTER OR STARWORT 69 
The plant is peculiar in that the nectar is not secreted by the 
flower proper, but by a gland at the base of the petiole. The 
season of flow lasts for several weeks in midsummer. 
As it comes for the most part after the close of the honey 
harvest, the partridge pea in the northern States serves princi- 
pally to keep the bees occupied until later flowers bloom in suffi- 
cient quantity to provide a real honey flow. 
The quality of honey stored from this source is said to be 
poor. 
Aster or Starwort.—There are said to be about 125 species 
of asters in North America, and also many species in Europe, 
Asia, and South America. These plants then must be familiar 
to the bee-keepers in all temperate regions of the world. Some 
species grow in open, shady woodlands, while others delight in 
the open sunlight of the prairies. They range in height from 
eighteen inches, or less, to eight feet. As a rule, the plants are 
many-flowered, as will be seen by Fig. 35. A plant with a small 
number of flowers was chosen in an attempt to secure greater 
detail. Sometimes hundreds of blossoms occur on one plant. 
They range in color from white to blue and dark purple. 
Blue is perhaps the most common color. They have a tendency 
in some cases to become weeds, but are easily destroyed by culti- 
vation, and are not often regarded as serious. The bloom in the 
northern Mississippi Valley States comes very late, lasting until 
killing frosts. In some years bees are found still working on 
these plants in November. 
The asters, like the golden rods, are attractive to a large 
variety of insect life, many different species seeking them in 
addition to the bees. 
The white-rayed flowers are said to be the most honey pro- 
ducers, some species, apparently, not yielding any nectar. The 
value of asters as honey plants is a little uncertain. While they 
yield considerable surplus in many localities, the honey makes 
very poor winter stores, and many reports show heavy losses 
from wintering bees on aster honey. The honey is said to be 
