HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 53 



NECTAR SOURCES FOR SURPLUS HONEY. 



The principal sources of surplus honey, that is, honey 

 which is removed from the hive by the beekeeper for his 

 own disposition, in contradistinction to that consumed by 

 the bees, are shown in Table XV. 



It is to be observed that the clovers, including alfalfa and 

 sweet clover, belonging to the great family of the Legu- 

 minosse, are the most important source of the country's 

 honey, these alone furnishing 34.9 per cent of the entire 

 supply, besides the larger component (probably 8 per cent) 

 of the 13.3 per cent additional of blended, or mixed honey. 

 Of the clovers, the most important is the small, low growing 

 white clover of the lawns and fields, credited with 19.6 per 

 cent of the total supply. Next in importance is alfalfa, 

 furnishing 7.7 per cent, and its near relative, sweet clover, 

 furnishing 6.2 per cent. Alsike, 1.4 per cent, has probably 

 been reported in some cases as white clover, blooming at 

 the same time and producing the same type of honey. 

 Red clover is mentioned occasionally, as in dry seasons 

 when the corolla tubes are short enough for the bees to 

 reach the nectar, its profuse secretion is utihzed. This and 

 crimson clover, a source of nectar in a few southeastern 

 States, are included under white clover, as are aU reports of 

 clover simply, without further designation, as the honey 

 from all these excepting sweet clover and alfalfa, is almost 

 identical, and in common practice is handled as white 

 clover honey. 



Among the trees, the heaviest producer is the basswood, 

 credited with 3.5 per cent pure, and with white clover as a 

 blend amounting to 4.0 per cent additional. The tulip poplar 

 furnishes 2.8 percent, and the sourwood 1.6 per cent, the last, 

 however, often being given credit for honey actually derived 

 from other sources. The tupelo and other gums, 3.1 per cent, 

 and the holly, 1.1 per cent, are boimtiful producers in 

 limited Southern areas. For heavy yields the orange and 

 other citrus trees are notable, and orange honey, 2 per cent, is 

 of importance commercially. No other tree is credited with 

 as much as 1 per cent of the total, although in many sections 

 black locust is important in an occasional season. Among 

 tree shrubs and bushes, the moimtain sages, 2.3 per cent, 



