56 BrXLETI^s- 6?5,, r. S. DEP^IETMEXT of AGEICrLTrEE. 
early for bees to obtain full benefit of its bounty, stands a 
great cluster of fragrant, snowy bloom for from 10 days to 
a fortnight, said to yield when weather conditions are favor- 
able, though usually only at intervals of several years, a 
large amount of honey. 
Stimac. broadly distributed, an amber or dark product, 
with a strong and fruity flavor which is tempting to many. 
Apple, and other tree fruit bloom, light amber honey of a 
very fin.e flavor when well ripened by the bees. 
Kaspberry. a white and extremely finely flavored honey 
produced in considerable quantities in northern ^Michigan, 
and less freely elsewhere along the northern border, from 
the wild raspberry, which covers large areas of cut-over 
timberlands. 
Milkweed, highly esteemed and produced in considerable 
quantities in limited locahties in Michigan and other States 
where this well-known wayside plant grows in abundance. 
Blueberry and huckleberry, a dark honey carrying the 
flavor of the fruit and greatly prized in the favored locahties 
where obtainable. 
V,-ESTEK\ HONEY'S. 
Alfalfa, the second most important source of honey, 
known of ancient days as the ''best fodder" and rapidly 
gainmg in this cotmtry the respect and place due its worth, 
yields nectar freely in the region of its principal growth, be- 
yond one hundredth meridian of west longitude and throtigh- 
out the western Moimtain and Paciflc Coast States. It is 
occasionally reported as yielding nectar in some eastern 
sections. This is usually a white honey except in the south- 
western tier of States, where it darkens to amber, with a 
distinctive spicy or minty flavor, but with a tendency to 
granulate (crystallize and become semisolid). Owing to its 
high quahty and extremely heavy production throtighout 
the western irrigated regions, it is an important honey 
commercially. 
Svv'eet clover, a native legume and a very close relative of 
alfalfa, which in the early stages of growth it resembles 
closely, is of next importance, the honey being similar in 
appearance, but of a superior flavor, and with a lesser tend- 
ency to granulate. The plant grows wild in dense masses 
