354 THE BEE keeper's MANUAL. 



and allowed to blossom later in the season, when the bees 

 can find but few sources to gather from. 



For years, 1 have attempted to procure, through botanists, 

 a hybrid or cross between the red and white clover, in order 

 to get sp^methiug with the rich honey-producing properties of 

 the red, and yet with a short blossom into which the honey- 

 bee might insert its probosis. The red clover produces a 

 vast amount of food for the humble-bee, but is of no use at 

 all to the honey-bee. I had hoped to procure a variety 

 which might answer all the purposes of our farmers as a 

 field crop. Quite recently I have ascertained that such a 

 hybrid has been originated in Sweden, and has been impor- 

 ted into this country, by Mr. B. C. Rogers, of Philadelphia. 

 It grows even taller than the red clover, bears many 

 blossoms on a stalk which are small, resembling the white, 

 and is said to be preferred by cattle, to any other kind of 

 grass, while it answers admirably for bees. 



Buckwheat furnishes a most excellent Fall feed for bees ; 

 the honey is not so well-flavored as some other kinds, but 

 it comes at a season when it is highly important to the bees, 

 and they .are often able to fill their hives with a generous 

 supply against Winter. Buckwheat honey is gathered when 

 the dew is upon the blossoms, and instead of being thick, 

 like white clover honey, is often quite thin } the bees sweat 

 out a large portion of it? moisture, bat still they do not ex- 

 haust the whole' of it, and in wet seasons especially, it is 

 liable to sour in the cells. Honey gathered in a dry season, 

 is always thicker, and of course more valuable than that 

 gathered in a wet one, as it contains much less water. Buck- 

 wheat is uncertain in its honey-bearing qualities ; in some 

 seasons, it yields next to none, and hardly a bee will be 

 seen upon a large field, while in others, it furnishes an ex- 

 traordinary supply. The most practical and scientific agri- 



