Regional Differences within the United States 211 



sources. If the crops of sage honey were uniformly heavy, 

 this would be an ideal region for comb-honey production, 

 for sage honey is mild in flavor, water-white and does not 

 easily granulate. However, successful comb-honey pro- 

 duction necessitates a rapid flow, which often fails to appear 

 in this region and most of the honey is extracted. Here too 

 there are many professional beekeepers, although a consid- 

 erable number are not modern in their methods of manipu- 

 lation and equipment. 



In addition to the geographical limits ascribed to these 

 main regions, other localities situated outside the prescribed 

 boundaries might well be included with certain of the gen- 

 eral regions in discussing the type of flow. For example, 

 California, north of the sage region, is comparable with the 

 South, and along the Pacific coast to the north there are 

 locaUties which belong to the white clover region. 



Restricted regions. 



In addition to the more general divisions named, there 

 are other localities with special advantages for the beekeeper, 

 but more limited in extent, which lie within the boundaries 

 of the main divisions. As previously mentioned, the south- 

 eastern region is virtually composed of a ntmiber of such 

 restricted regions. The list here given will be recognized 

 as incomplete and is intended merely as a suggestion. Many 

 more restricted regions will be recognized from the discus- 

 sion of the sources of nectar. Among the more important 

 limited regions may be mentioned those in which the fol- 

 lowing plants secrete nectar. 



(1) Buckwheat. — The honey of this plant is dark and of 

 strong flavor, suitable chiefly for manufacturing purposes. 

 The variation in the secretion of nectar from buckwheat 

 has been mentioned. 



(2) Sumac. ■ — Valuable locally in New England. Another 

 species of the same genus yields a surplus in limited areas 

 in Georgia. 



(3) Spanish needle (numerous species). — Heavy yielders 



