90 
BEE PASTURAGE. 
out, even before any leaves appear. When the weather 
continues fine, great quantities of farina are secured. 
The time that bees commence their labors does not 
govern the time of swarming by any means ; this 
matter depends on the weather through April and 
May. These remarks apply particularly to this sec- 
tion, Greene County, New York, in latitude about 42 
degrees. In other places many different trees, shrubs, 
and herbs, may be found yielding honey and pollen 
that scarcely exist here, producing far different results. 
Our swamps produce several varieties of willow, 
(salix,) that put out their blossoms very irregularly. 
Some of these bushes are a month earlier than 
others, and some of the buds on the same bush are a 
week or two later than the rest. These also afiord 
only pollen, but are much more dependence than alder, 
as a turn of cold weather cannot at any time destroy 
more than a small part. Next comes the aspen, ( Popu - 
las Tremuloides ) ; of this we have more than is neces- 
sary for any purpose ; it is not a particular favorite 
with the bees, as but few, comparatively, visit it. It 
is followed very soon by an abundance of the red ma- 
ple ( Acer JRubrum), that suits them better, but this, 
like the others, is often lost by freezing. The first 
honey obtained of any account is from the golden 
willow (Salix Vitellina .); it yields no pollen, and is sel- 
dom injured by frost. Gooseberries, currants, cherries, 
pear and peach trees, add a share of both honey and 
pollen. Sugar maple {Acer Saccharinum ) now throws 
out its ten thousand silken tassels, beautiful as gold. 
Strawberries modestly open their petals in invitation, 
