182 
0 ATSCLAW 
to Nebraska and Kansas, southward to 
Georgia and Texas, and west to Arizona 
and California. 
In 1900 Lippia repens Hort.. was in¬ 
troduced from Italy into California, where 
it now covers thousands of acres. Because 
of its thickly matted growth it is widely 
used for covering lawns and tennis courts. 
Only one or two cuttings are required dur¬ 
ing the summer. It thrives in the poorest 
soils, smothers weeds, requires but little 
water, and looks as well as any grass; but 
during two or three months it turns brown 
and ceases to grow, when its appearance is 
less pleasing. A new growth appears in 
early spring. The small flowers are visited 
by many honeybees and probably the 
honey does not differ from that of the 
common carpet grass. 
Lippia lanceolata Mickx. grows in New 
Jersey, Texas, Mexico, and California, and 
is also valued as a honey plant. 
CATNIP ( Nepeta Cataria L.).—Often 
called catmint. Flowers bilabiate, nearly 
Avhite, spotted with purple. Moses Quinby 
(see Quinby) once said that, if he were to 
grow 7 any plant extensively for the honey 
it produces, that plant would be catnip; 
and very likely he was not far from right. 
But as there has never been any definite 
report from a sufficient field of it to test it 
alone, either as to quality or quantity of 
the honey, there is almost as much doubt 
in regard to it as there was at the time 
Quinby made the statement many years 
ago. Several have cultivated it in small 
patches, and have reported that in a state 
of cultivation it apparently yielded more 
honey than in its wild state, for bees were 
found on it almost constantly, during sev¬ 
eral months in the year, but rarely one 
gets a full load. It has been called the 
“bees’ bar-room,” as they are so constantly 
hanging around it. Yet no, one is pre¬ 
pared to say positively that it would pay 
to cultivate it for honey alone. 
CATSCLAW ( Acacia Greggii, Gray).— 
Known also as paradise flower and devil’s 
claws. The acacia trees are most abundant 
in Australia and Africa; but 16 species 
occur in the southern States, chiefly in 
Texas. Several species are valuable for 
both honey and pollen: A. Greggii Gray 
and A. Berlandieri Benth, are two of the 
most important honey plants of Texas, 
and yield immense quantities of excellent 
honey that ranks with the best white honey 
of the North. Several species of acacia 
are cultivated in California, and yield 
much honey. While possibly it would not 
sell alongside of our clovers, yet in locali¬ 
ties where it is produced it is praised very 
highly for table use, no honey being 
classed higher except that from huajilla. 
See Huajilla. 
Catsclaw leaf, twig, and blossoms; life-size. 
The catsclaw is a bushy tree with low- 
spreading branches, attaining a height of 
anywhere from 15 to 20 feet. It derives 
its name from the bushy and fuzzy blos¬ 
soms suggestive of the furry coat of a cat, 
and the peculiar kind of claws or hooks, 
