112 Texas Department of Ageicultuee. 



minor plants throughout the spring and summer, sumach {Bhiis) 

 and broom-weed (Guttierezia) produce honey in the fall. There are 

 some excellent localities in Central Texas, especially where horsemint, 

 mesquite and cotton can be depended upon in the same locality. 

 During favorable seasons, one of these three main sources will insure 

 a profitable crop. However, it is wise to locate where more than 

 one source can be depended on in case one of them fails. 



East Texas has few large honey plants, but a good many small 

 ones. Fruit growing is of great importance in this part of the 

 State. The orchards, covering thousands of acres, not only make it 

 profitable to keep bees in small numbers for honey production, but 

 for pollenizing fruit blossoms, for which their services are absolutely 

 necessary. In the southern portion of East Texas, bass-wood (Tilia) 

 prevails in the forest districts and yields an abundance of light 

 colored honey. During a favorable season the yield is so great that 

 the bees are unable to store it. The flow is very rapid and of 

 rather short duration. Holly (Ilex), Chinquapin {Casta nea) and 

 other bloomers help out during the season. 



In South Texas, which practically includes the lower coast coun- 

 try east of the Guadalupe Hiver valley, beekeeping is not so profit- 

 able. The rattan vine {Beixheniia) is very abundant, together with 

 other honey yielding vines and plants in some parts, especially in the 

 low places and along the water courses. The honey is dark in color 

 as a rule, although of good flavor. Most of it is shipped in barrels 

 to large bakeries. In a few favored locations bees do well, but im- 

 mense stretches of low lands are without suitable flora for beekeeping. 



West Texas resembles the western part of North Texas, on account 

 of its close proximity thereto. Its level prairies are, however, 

 checkered by river canyons, along which the natural honey yielding 

 flora is abimdant, especially in the southern portion, which extends 

 in a rough line to that section traversed by the Southern Pacific 

 railway, which will be used, for convenience, as a southern boundary 

 of West Texas. In the agricultural districts, alfalfa (Medicago) 

 is reported a main honey source where it is abundantly grown. There 

 are large areas of mesquite, cats-claw (Acacia) and other honey 

 yielders in abundance in and adjacent to the canyons. There are 

 many places not suitable to beekeeping, however; especially in those 

 sections where rainfall is deficient and drouths are long and severe. 



Southwest Texas can well be considered the most important sec- 

 tion for beekeeping, as honey yielding flora is here most abundant. 

 Although a semi-arid region, there are numerous honey-yielding 

 plants and trees, mostly of shrub-like nature. Among these is the 

 mesquite (Prosopis), which covers the prairies. This yields in favor- 

 able years great stores of honey of a very light amber color and of 

 good flavor. There are two distinct and separate, and sometimes 

 three, blooming periods in each year. The first occurs in early April, 

 earlier or later according to the season. This lasts for several weeks. 

 In it pods, or "beans," are formed, so that ripe and immature beans 

 are on the trees when the second blooming period opens in June 

 and July. As a regular yielder this source can be depended upon. 

 The most important source in Southwest Texas, however, is the 

 "huajilla" brush, pronounced, "wa-he-ah" {Acacia herlandiera 



