118 Texas Depaktmbnt op Agriculture. 



atmospheric and soil conditions are not too dry. In the dry parts of 

 the State (West and Southwest Texas) it is hardly advisable to 

 plant sweet clover, except in some of the low and fertile valleys and 

 along streams. It has been found that it grows luxuriantly when 

 drilled in rows and cultivated, but it would hardly pay to do this as 

 a forage crop, as its growth is large and coarse. 



The seed should be obtained in the fall of the year and scattered 

 in waste places and along fence rows and rains will beat it in. It 

 does best in places where grass and weeds do not crowd the little 

 plants out. "When once started it re-seeds itself. Being a perennial, it 

 does not bloom until its second season 's growth. 



Sweet clover honey is of good quality, light in color and of very 

 good flavor. The bees work industriously on the blooms from early 

 until late. 



COTTON VERY IMPORTANT. 



It has been only a comparatively few years since cotton has come 

 into prominence as a valuable honey yielding plant. Previous to 

 that time cotton honey was hardly known. This was due perhaps 

 to the fact that the honey obtained from the cotton plant was at- 

 tributed to some other source. Of later years cotton has come to be 

 known as one of the very best honey yielding plants. Especially is 

 this true where it is grown on rich lands in valleys and river bot- 

 toms, where the growth is a luxuriant one. It gives largest yields 

 under warm, damp atmospheric conditions. On poor soil and sandy 

 land it does not yield nectar plentifully, and in some sections, or un- 

 der certain weather conditions, not at all. In the average season a 

 good yield may be expected from cotton in the black land districts 

 and the river valleys. In favorable conditions it is not excelled by 

 any other nectar yielder in the cotton growing belt. 



The nectar is not produced inside of the cotton blossoms as in 

 other flowers. The nectaries are located under the bracts next to 

 the stem of the blossom, from which the nectar is secreted. There 

 are other nectaries located on the underside of the leaves, one on each 

 of the three main ribs of the leaf. The nectaries can easily be 

 located as small low identations on both blossoms and the leaves. 

 There are three underneath each blossom, and those located on the 

 ribs of the leaves are situated about one-third of the length from the 

 main stem of the leaf. At the proper maturity of both blossoms and 

 young leaves, the nectar may be easily seen in a large drop in each 

 nectary, and is easily gathered by the bees. During favorable con- 

 ditions it is not necessary for the buds or "squares," as these are 

 called, on the cotton plant, to develop into full bloom, but nectar 

 secretion begins before the blossoms open. 



The yield is most abundant in the early morning and decreases as 

 the atmosphere becomes dryer toward the middle of the day. In the 

 afternoon, unless the atmospheric conditions are very dry and hot, 

 the nectar flow begins to increase again. During cloudy days, or 

 when the atmosphere is damp, the yield continues abundantly through- 

 out the entire day. The yield is most plentiful in locations where 

 the cotton makes the most luxuriant growth and, in conjunction 

 therewith, the most favorable atmospheric conditions prevail. It is 



