266 



June PlanU. 



The Sa^y Palmetto, Sahle seridata, forms a deuse growth and 

 makes clearing the land no small expense in Florida. The 

 slim trunk creeps along the ground for twenty feet and sends roots 

 beneath for nourishment. The leaves arise from this stem and 

 are from four to six feet long. The clusters of small yellowish- 

 white blossoms are immense in size. The blossoms last from 

 the middle of April till June. The honey is yellow, thick 

 and fine. The fruit of this palm is about twice the size of the 

 Concord grape, and from October till Christmas the oozing 

 nectar keeps the bees at Avork. This is dark honey but very 

 ^ood for stimulative feeding. 



JUNE PLAXT8. 



With June comes the incomparable white or Dutch clover, 

 Trifolium repens (Fig. 134), who.se cliaste and modest bloom 

 betokens the beautiful, luscious, and unrivaled sweets which 



Fig. 1.34. 



W'Tiite or Dutch Clover. 



are hidden in its corolla tube. Also its sister, Alsike or Swed- 

 ish, Trifolium hybrida (Fig. 135), which seems to resemble 

 both the white and red clover. It is a stronger grower than 

 the white, and has a whitish blossom tinged with pink. This 

 forms excellent pasture and hay for cattle, sheep, etc., and 

 may well be sown by the apiarist. It will often pay apiarists 

 to furnish neighboring farmers with seed as an inducement to 

 grow this excellent honey plant. Like white clover, it 



