MANUAL OF THE APIAUr. 225 



In the south of Michigan, and thence southward to Ken- 

 tucky, and even beyond, the Judas tree, or red-bud, Cercis 

 canadensis (Fig. 75), is not only' worthy 'of cultivation as a 

 honey plant, but is also very attractive, and well deserving 

 of attention for its ornamental qualities alone. This blooms 

 from March to May, according to the latitude. 



The poplars — not the tulip — also bloom in April, and are 

 freely visited by the bees. The wood is immaculate, and is 

 used for toothpicks. Why not use it for honey-boxps ? 



MAT PLANTS. 



In May we have the grand sugar maple, Acer saccharinum 

 (Pig. 73), incomparable for beauty, also all our various fruit 

 trees, peach, cherry, plum, apple, etc., in fact all the Bosacese 



Fig. 76. — American Wistaria. 



family. Our beautifur American Wistaria, Wistaria frutes- 

 cens (Fig. 76), the very ornamental climber, or the still more 

 lovely Chinese Wistaria, Wistaria sinensis (Fig. 77), which 

 has longer racemes than the native, and often blossonis twice 

 in the season. These are the woody twiners for the apiarist. 

 The barberry, too, Berbefis vulgaris (Fig. 78), comes after 

 fruit blossoms, and is thronged with bees in search of nectar 



