PRINCIPAL SOURCES. 379 



All the varieties of willow abound in both pollen and 

 honey, and their early blossoming gives them a special 

 value. 



" First the gray willow's glossy pearls they steal, 

 Or rob the hazel of its golden meal, 

 While the gay crocus and the violet blue. 

 Yield to their flexible trunks ambrosial dew." — Evans. 



The sugar-maple (Acer saccharinus) yields a large supply 

 of delicious honey, and its blossoms, hanging in graceful 

 fringes, will be alive with bees. 



In some sections, the wild gooseberry is a valuable help 

 to the bees, as it blossoms very early, and they work eagerly 

 on it. 



Of the fruit trees, the apricot, peach, plum, cherry and 

 pear, are great favorites ; but none furnishes so much honey 

 as the apple. 



The dandelion, whose blossoms furnish poUefl and honey, 

 when the yield from the fruit trees is nearly over, is worthy 

 of rank among honey-producing plants. 



Fig. 121. 

 BLOSSOM OF TULIP TKEE. 



The tulip tree (^Liriodendron) (Fig. 121), is one of the 



