'3 
Xo. 3 grows on low elevations and thrives best in small shel- 
tered canyons. It is a Southern California dry-land plant and is 
not found to any extent above 2500 feet. It thrives best at about 
1000 feet. 
No. 4, the black sage, grows all the way from San Francisco 
south at an elevation ranging from sea level to 3000 feet. It is 
by far the best honev plant native to California. It is a dry- 
land plant. The honey is white and mild. 
No .5 is the most widely distributed honey plant in California. 
It is found from Siskyou to San Diego and from the sands of the 
beach to the snow line. From the nature of the seed you can see 
that it would not be a desirable plant on sheep ranges and it is 
possible that it is by the seeds sticking to the wool of the sheep 
that this plant has become scattered so widely. The roots are 
perennial and hardy. The nectar is amber and of good flavor 
with a decided horehound taste. 
Xo. 6 is called the wild alfalfa. It is the only one of the lot 
that I am sending you that is of any value as a forage plant. It 
is eaten by sheep and cattle when other forage is scarce. It is 
found most abundantlv in Southern California and in the San 
Jacinto Mountains. It thrives from sea level to 4000 feet, but 
furnishes the most nectar at about 2500 feet. 
In addition to these seeds that I am sending you, I would sug- 
gest that you obtain the seed of Melilotus alba. It is a moist 
land* plant, but good for both forage and nectar. Another plant 
which grows wild and abundant here is Hosackia. a legume, and 
a good forage plant. It yields no honey at all here, but I am 
confident that under different conditions it would yield nectar. I 
will send you a few roots of Lipia repens within a few weeks. 
The seeds should all be sown at the beginning of the rainy 
season, if you have one, and I suggest that they be sown in plots 
so that if any undesirable plants should have accidentally been 
gathered' they can be rooted out in the plot. Care was taken to 
keep out all foreign seed, but some may have crept in as I was 
not able to gather them all myself. 
These are some of the principal honev plants of California 
and I anticipate that they will benefit you. I will be glad to do 
anything I can to assist you and the apicultural industry in Ha- 
waii at any time. 
Very truly yours, 
(Signed) T. M. Rankin, 
Special Agent in Apiculture. 
