78 BEE PASTUEAGE. 



bite off little particles, and pack them on their thighs, be- 

 fore they rise on the wing. As soon as a load is obtained, 

 they immediately return to the hive, each bee bringing 

 several loads in a day. Honey, as it is collected, is depo- 

 sited in the abdomen, and kept out of sight until stored in 

 the hive. 



The time that bees commence their labors in the spring 

 does not by any means govern the time of swarming ; this 

 depends upon the weather through April and May. 



FLOWERS THAT YIELD THE PIKST POLLEN. 



The first material gathered from flowers is pollen. 

 Common or Candle Alder, {Alnus serrulata) and Skunk 

 Cabbage, {Symplooarpus fcetidus,) yield the first supply. 

 In this latitude (42'^) their time of flowering varies from 

 March 10th to April 20th. The amount of pollen they 

 afiford is also variable. Cold freezing weather frequently 

 destroys a great portion of the flowers after they are out. 

 The staminate flowers of the alder are nearly perfected 

 the previous season, and a few warm days in spring will 

 develop them before any leaves appear. When the weather 

 continues fine, great quantities of pollen are secured. Our 

 swamps produce several kinds of willows (Salix) that put 

 out their blossoms very irregularly. Some of these bushes 

 are a month earlier than 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 a much more sure de- 

 pendence than the alder ; a turn of cold weather can not 

 at any time destroy more than a small proportion of the 

 flowers. The Aspen, {Populus tremuloides) which comes 

 next, 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 Maple, {Acer ruhrum,) that suits 

 them better, but this, like some others, is often lost by 

 freezing. 



