63 
have known colonies to produce about fifty pounds 
during the continuance of the bloom on buckwheat. 
This is by no means an uncommon occurence, and goes 
to show that this honey harvest is one of great impor- 
tance to the bee-keeper. Buckwheat may be sown 
about a month earlier than usual, to great advantage, 
to furnish pasturage after the close of the clover sea- 
son. It is much easier to cultivate and produce enough 
pasturage, in addition to that from natural sources, to 
supply one hundred colonies of bees, than it is to sup- 
ply pasturage for one hundred head of sheep, and the 
profit on bees will be more than double that on 
sheep. ’ ’ 
Alsike clover ( trifolium hybridum ) or Swedish clover, 
is equal, if not superior to buckwheat, while it pos- 
sesses all of the excellent qualities of the white clover 
for the production of honey, is accessible to the com- 
mon black bee, as well as the Italian, and as food for 
animals is equal to the red clover. 
This variety of clover is a native of Sweden, but is 
now extensively cultivated in many places in this coun- 
try instead of the red. It has pale red flowers, a some- 
what lank stalk, and oval, obtuse leaves, which are 
smaller and of a lighter green than those of red clover. 
The flower head growing from the upper leaf joint, is 
globular, and formed of fragrant blossoms supported 
by stems, These blossoms are at first whitish and up- 
