94 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



that renders it an especial favorite with many epi- 

 cures ; but will not sell quite so readily in market as 

 the clover honey, to those unacquainted with it, 

 owing to its color. 



Large quantities of honey are also gathered from 

 the tulip or poplar, where it abounds. This is a very 

 white and good honey. The linden, or bass-wood, 

 is also very productive in honey, which is of a light 

 yellow, inclining to straw color. Many other kinds 

 of flowers produce honey, but not generally in such 

 quantities as to enter largely into market in this 

 region. 



In California, we find the cephalanthus, or butter 

 bush, yields the largest quantity and finest quality 

 of honey (particularly in the Sacramento and Tulare 

 Valleys), which is very excellent, thick and of the 

 finest flavor; in color it is very slightly reddish, or 

 between that and straw color. This variety of 

 honey commands the highest price in the California 

 markets. Honey gathered from the common black 

 mustard is the next in importance, both in quantity 

 and quality. In some parts of California, this is the 

 main dependence for market honey. This is true of 

 the San Jose and some other valleys, where the 

 cephalanthus is scarce. Honey gathered from mus- 

 tard is of a light color, between white and straw 

 color; its flavor is not so agreeable as some other 

 varieties, being slightly pungent, yet it is a very fair 

 marketable article, of rather light texture. 



It is said that honey gathered from poisonous 

 plants or trees, which abound in some places, has a 



