230 THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 



when the supply is exhausted for the day ; which 

 is another sidelight on honey-bee economics. 



To follow the bees through their honey-harvesting 

 season is to review nearly the whole year's natural 

 growth and life. In southern England the earliest 

 nectar is drawn from the willows, which come into 

 flower with late March, but hold back their sweets 

 until the first spate of fine hot weather comes flood- 

 ing in the track of the chilly northern gales. Of 

 willow-honey there may be much or little, accord- 

 ing to the night-temperatures. Generally it goes 

 by fits and starts. For a day or two here and 

 there the trees may be crowded with bees, or they 

 may be deserted for weeks together. Whenever 

 the sun shines, indeed, the trees that stand up like 

 torches of gold in the misty purple of budding 

 woods, are always full of the singing multi- 

 tude ; but these are only the pollen-gatherers. 

 The nectar- bearing willows are far less showy. 

 Their catkins are small, tight- girt tassels of green, 

 and when a warm night has brought them into 

 profit, they attract all the noisy minstrels for miles 

 round. Bee-keepers generally seem to leave the 

 willows out of their calculations as a source of 

 honey, but in riverside districts, and in favourable 

 seasons, they are not to be overlooked. It some- 

 times happens that April comes in with a succes- 

 sion of mild sunny days and warm nights, and then 

 the hives may suddenly overflow with willow- 

 honey. When the yellow catkins fade out of sight, 

 the willows are aot to fade out of memory ; and it 



