HONEY PLANTS 147 



most unlimited quantities. The dande- 

 lion, that lowly source of "spring greens," 

 cursed by the lovers of trim lawns, fur- 

 nishes pollen in abundance and often at a 

 time when the bees are needing this ad- 

 junct to their nursery menu. Without 

 pollen brood rearing in the hive would 

 have to cease so it is quite as important 

 that the bees have access to it as that they 

 later have access to a source of nectar. 



The bloom on the fruit trees is by far 

 the most important source of the early 

 spring honey and some years it is so lav- 

 ish that the bees store more than they wUl 

 need. We have often been able to remove 

 a small surplus of pure apple honey and 

 found it to be of good quality though a 

 trifle darker than the best clover. Usu- 

 ally it is mixed with the honey from 

 plums, peaches and other tree fruits and 

 the resulting blend, to my notion at least, 

 is not so good as pure apple. All of the 

 honey from the fruit bloom, however, has 

 a delightful aroma — better in the nose 



