Texas Beekeeping. 113 



Benth.) It blooms in April and yields nectar, for a period of about 

 two weeks, in such abundance that it is impossible for the bees to 

 gather it in favorable seasons. It is perhaps the most light colored 

 and mild flavored honey produqed in the State; has a most delicate 

 aroma, and has become famous for its excellent quality. "Cats- 

 claw" abounds in this portion of the State and produces excellent 

 honey very early in the season. Mesquite, "huajilla" and "cats- 

 claw" are the three main sources in Southwest Texas. "Cats-claw" 

 blooms so early in some years that late cold weather sometimes cuts 

 off this source to some extent, if not all together. 



Besides these main honey yielders, there are scores of other more 

 or less important honey-yielding and pollen-producing plants and 

 shrubs, as well as trees, that provide more or less forage for the 

 bees almost throughout the year. The main honey flows in this part 

 of the State, however, come during the spring months and are of short 

 duration, but the nectar is produced in such abundance that enor- 

 mous crops are obtained. 



OTHER HONEY PLANTS. 



From the author's extensive collection of about four hundred spe- 

 cies of Texas honey-yielding plants, the following is a list of some 

 that are more or less worthy of remark and not already mentioned. 



The earliest bloomer, important for early brood-rearing, is the 

 mistletoe (Phoradendron) , a parasite on most of our hard- wood trees. 

 It yields pollen, and some honey, in December and January. Triple- 

 leafed barberry {Berleris) is a iDush that blooms next in importance 

 for brood-rearing, yielding immense quantities of pollen in January, 

 February and sometimes as late as March. Then fruit-bloom begins 

 with the plums {Primus) , of which there are many species, both wild 

 and cultivated, followed by pears, peaches and other fruits for sev- 

 eral months in succession. In February and March the oaks (Quer- 

 cus), of many species, also yield much pollen. The willows (SaJix), 

 and the elms {Vlmus), aid much in stimulating brood-rearing. Hoar- 

 hound {Marubium) begins blooming in February, and lasts until 

 summer. This yields an amber honey of a rather nauseating flavor, 

 but which is lost in time. As it is generally mixed with mild honey 

 from other sources, no serious complaint is made against it. 



The trees belonging to the hickory family {Hicoria), to which 

 the pecan and hickory nut belong, and also the walnut {Juglans), 

 yield pollen and some honey; also the cottonwood-trees (Populus). 

 These are followed in March and April by a carpet over the entire 

 open country and prairies of our State flower, commonly known as 

 "blue-bonnet," the blue lupine {Lupinus subcarnosus) , which yields 

 pollen of various colors, from the palest yellow to the deepest red and 

 orange. Redbud (Cercis), otherwise known as Judas-tree, is an- 

 other stimulator early in the season. 



Along regions where light, stony and adobe uplands prevail, what 

 is known as rock-brush (Eysenhardtia) , yields an abundance of ex- 

 cellent honey in April and May. Several species of holly {Ilex) , also 

 bloom during this time. Two species of persimmons {Diospyros), are 

 very coromon in Texas, and yield much honey, especially the black 



