29 



yagiiez. The bees have been observed working this plant while 

 the guama was in bloom. 



Grosellas. — This is another one of our honey plants which 

 should be mentioned. It is a small bush and blossoms duringMarch. 

 The bees work this plant in great numbers. My attention was 

 first brought to the grosellas by the noise of the bees working the 

 blossoms. The plant loses all its leaves during the winter months 

 and then the blossoms appear before the leaves. 



ififiTMeW^Zo.— This is a forest tree and the bees work it to a 

 great extent. It blossoms. over an extended period and gives the 

 bees much pasture to work upon. 



Guara. —Very common in coffee plantations. Blossoms are 

 borne in clusters the same as mango and moca. This plant has 

 a very long blossoming period. 



OTHER HONEY PLANTS. 



Avocado. — 



Quava. — Pollen and honey. 



Mango. — Honey and probably some pollen. The bloom runs 

 over a very long period. 



Pomarosa.— This is found in great numbers in the forests. 



Tamarind. — 



Wild sweet potato. —Of the vines the wild sweet potato seems 

 to be a favorite; the bees go down into the blossoms coming out 

 with their backs covered with a white pollen. 



There are a great many ground flowers found in the pastures 

 and even in the coffee plantations. One which should be mention- 

 ed is -a very troublesome weed called the "Wandering Jew." 

 This plant grows everywhere— in the cane, in gardens, and in the 

 Coffee. The bees have been observed working this plant and 

 leaving the bloSsoms with large pellets of pollen on their legs. 



^There are about three months in the spring — April, May, and 

 the first part of June, when there is a continuous flow of honey. 

 Daring this season there is an abundance of small shrubs, vines 

 and ground flowers blooming, which in themselves make a heavy 

 honey flow. At the same time there is usually a bloom of either 

 orange, guama or coffee. 



The notes on the foregoing honey plants have been taken 

 around Mayagtiez. The periods of blossoming vary slightly in 

 different sections of the island. 



The abundance of bloom depends on the amount of rainfall; 

 therefore, in selecting a location for an apiary this should be 

 taken into consideration. 



INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES. 



ANTS AND COCKROACHES. 



Ants maii^times become troublesome in weak hives and 

 nuclei', _ h\Jit~Tn \ ^triphg"^lpnies the "bge yv y rll uoL p e rm it them to 

 enter. When ants become troublesome around, an apiary, they 



