76 BEGINNER'S BEE BOOK 



A number of minor crops produce well in 

 limited localities. Wild asters, of many species 

 and of wide distribution, bloom late in the fall 

 and often furnish a crop of honey in seasons 

 when other soui'ces have failed. 



The partridge pea of the roadside is visited 

 freely by the bees in the Northern States, but 

 little is thought of it as a honey plant. In parts 

 of Florida large crops are gathered from it. In 

 some localities wild sunflowers are so abundant 

 that the bees profit wonderfully, and a substan- 

 tial addition is made to the beekeeper's output. 

 Goldenrod is an uncertain yielder in late au- 

 tumn. In some localities it is valued very 

 highly, and is sufficiently abundant to produce 

 a profitable quantity of nectar; in other sec- 

 tions the bees seldom visit it. 



Heartsease or smartweed, also called lady's 

 thumb, is an important source of honey in many 

 places. In extremely wet years, when fields 

 are too wet to plant to the usual crops or when 



