CHOOSING A LOCATION 19 



Honey and Pollen 



A first class place for honey production must be one containing 

 honey plants in sufficient quantity to assure at least one main 

 flow during the year; the best places being those which contain 

 the greatest profusion of plants, and are capable of guaranteeing 

 the largest surplus yield. 



In the white clover regions, of the East and Central West, 

 those places are most sought after which have another main flow 

 besides the clover, because the clover flow is not certain. A bass- 

 wood location or sweet clover, buckwheat, or fall flowers combine 

 well with white clover, while a location containing a number of 

 these would be preferable to one with only two flows. 



Naturally, we might conceive of a location having all of these 

 flowers which would be only of minor importance in honey pro- 

 duction, from the fact that such plants were not in sufficient 

 abundance to make a surplus flow, while another location contain- 

 ing clover alone, might give such enormous crops in good seasons 

 as to overbalance failures of short years. 



In the West, alfalfa and sweet clover make a good combination; 

 in the Pacific belt, sage^i^ sweet clover, alfalfa, bean, orange, and 

 other locations are sought. 



Climatic conditions are a determming factor in nectar secre- 

 tion. Some apparently good clover locations are not of the 

 best because climatic conditions are not good during the period 

 of the honey flow, or the summer becomes so dry that the clover 

 "burns out" and a complete failure follows. Average rainfall 

 and average temperature should be carefully studied. Irrigated 

 districts here have an advantage, for the moisture is in stable 

 quantity and removes one uncertainty from the crop. 



It is not only the main honey flowers which must be considered 

 however, minor honey plants may help greatly in building up 

 the colonies in the early spring. Pollen plants will induce brood 

 rearing, though it is possible to some extent to supplement early 

 pollen artificially. Minor honey plants maj^ also encourage brood 



