90 BEE PASTUBAGB. 



out, even before any leaves appear. When the weather 

 continues fine, great quantities of farina are secured. 



The time that bees commence their labors does not 

 govern the time of swarming by any means ; this 

 matter depends on the weather through April and 

 May. These remarks apply particularly to this sec- 

 tion, Greene County, New York, in latitude about 42 

 degrees. In other places many different trees, shrubs, 

 and herbs, may be found yielding honey and pollen 

 that scarcely exist here, producing far different results. 



Our swamps produce several varieties of willow, 

 (salix,) that put out their blossoms very irregularly. 

 Some of these bushes are a month earlier thari 

 others, and some of the buds on the same bush are a 

 ■week or two later than the rest. These also afford 

 only pollen, but are much more dependence than alder, 

 as a turn of cold weather cannot at any time destroy 

 more than a small part. Next comes the aspen, {Popu- 

 lus Tremuloides) ; of this we have more than is neces- 

 sary for any purpose ; it is not a particular favorite 

 with the bees, as but few, comparatively, visit it. It 

 is followed very soon by an abundance of the red ma- 

 ple {Acer Rubrum), that suits them better, but this, 

 like the others, is often lost by freezing. The first 

 honey obtained of any account is from the golden 

 willow {Salix Vitellind) ; it yields no pollen, and is sel- 

 dom injured by frost. Gooseberries, currants, cherries, 

 pear and peach trees, add a share of both honey and 

 pollen. Sugar maple {Acer Sacclmrinurn) now throws 

 out its ten thousand silken tassels, beautiful as gold. 

 Strawberries modestly open their petals in invitation, 



