BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
It often happens that the crop will be a failure in one location, while but a few miles away it would be possible to gather a surplus by moving the bees. As an example, at Hamilton, Illinois, in 1919, the clover crop was a failure and the bees were on the point of requiring feed at the time when the clover harvest should be coming in. By moving their bees from fifteen to forty miles, the Dadants were able to harvest about forty thousand pounds of honey, instead of feeding to carry their bees through the winter.
It has become the practice of many California beekeepers to secure more than one crop by moving their bees several times during the season. Following the harvest from one source, the bees are moved by truck to other fields. Thus it is sometimes possible to use the same apiaries to harvest two or three good crops in a single season.
In like manner a well-known California queen breeder has found it possible to greatly increase his output by moving his queen-rearing yards to new fields when the nectar supply bad ceased in his own location.
The variation in the supply of nectar in different localities is extremely great. A few locations will support several hundred colonies in one yard. Other locations will hardly support twenty colonies profitably. A careful study of the flora within reach is most important to the bekeeper. One who fully understands his location can adapt his system to his conditions and succeed where failure would otherwise result. John W. Cash, of north Georgia, had about eight hundred colonies of bees in a section where thirty colonies would overstock any single location. By establishing a large number of apiaries in widely scattered situations, he was able to secure a surprising uniformity of yield. For a period of several years he never secured less than 56 pounds average of surplus per colony. At the same time his highest average was 80 pounds per colony.
The combination of plants which yield surplus honey with those which yield pollen and those which furnish some nectar during the periods between the flows, together with climatic conditions, determine the value of a location for heckeeping. It does not require much skill to secure a crop of honey in a location where every condition is favorable, but the man who is fully acquainted with the flora will discount the crops of the hit-and-uniss apiarist even there. In the poor locality it takes a thorough knowledge of the sources of honey and pollen, together with expert beekeeping to succeed.
**LOCO WEED (Astragalus). Also called Rattle Weed or Buffalo Bean.**
There are several species of **Astragalus,** common to the Rocky Mountain region, from Manitoba south to Texas, and west to California. The loco weeds are herbs with odd-pinnate leaves, and spikes or racemes of purple, white, or pale yellow flowers.
Several varieties are poisonous and are the source of heavy losses among the stockmen of the plains and mountain regions. Honey from loco is reported principally from Colorado, where it is mentioned as blooming with horsemint, in May and June. It is to be found mostly in the foot hills and the yield is not dependable. The honey is reported as of light color and good flavor.
##### LOCUST (Robinia pseudo-acacia)
The black locus, or false acacia, is a native tree from Pennsylvania to Iowa and southward. However, it has been widely introduced into other States, thus greatly extending its range. It is now to be found in many places from New England and Canada southward. It is reported as producing a surplus of honey in parts of California, and is listed among the honey plants of Texas.
The wood is desirable for posts, railroad ties and other purposes requiring durability. Large plantations are often set for utility purposes, so that in some localities the beckeeper may readily expect a surplus from this source. Borers are a serious menace to the life of this tree, and whole plantations of locusts are sometimes injured by the insects, which kill the branches and sometimes the bodies of the trees, causing them to sprout again from the root.
According to Lovell the honey is water-white, of heavy body and mild flavor. Figure 88 shows the blososons and leaves. The flowers, it will be noted, much resemble those of the garden pea.
In some localities the tree is known as white or yellow locust.
Figure 88: Blosons of black locusit, or false acacia.
**LOGWOOD (Haematoxylon campechianum).**
The logwood is an important tree common to the West Indies and Central America, but probably does not occur within the United States. It is the principal source of vegetable dyes, most of which have been displaced by chemical products.
It grows in dense forests over large areas and in Jamaica is regarded as the principal source of honey. When conditions are favorable enormous crops of honey are harvested, single colonies sometimes gathering several hundred pounds. Since the forests are often miles in extent, large apariaries can be supported in a single location. The plant usually blooms twice during the year, once in November and the second time near the holiday period. That weather conditions affect the flow from logwood as readily as that of other plants will be seen by the following quotations from American Bee Journal of June 8, 1985:
"I noticed ministakable evidences of an almost universal bloom, and about ten days later it came out in all its glory. It was truly a magnificent sight, and although the house was about 50 feet from the apiary, the roar of the bees passing to and fro was a sound to make glad the heart of any beckeeper. I went down to the apiary one morning about to o'clock, and if I live to be 100 years old, I never expect to see a more stirring scene in any apiary than I looked upon in that yard of 250 colonies. * * * They kept up this pace (or four days; but, alas, it rained that Saturday night, and the next morning the logwood blossons were as brown as though they had been burnt, and the flow was over. Six thousand pounds for the four days was the record."
The honey does not sell readily in American markets in competition with our mild-flavored clover and alfalfa produce. We quote further:
"Prices we received ran from a fraction below 2 cents per pound for dark to a small fraction below 3 cents for the best, which was one of the finest samples on the island."
((See also Brazil.)
**LOMBARDY STAR THISTLE, see Centaurea.**
**LOQUAT (Eriobotrya japonica).**
The loquat (Fig. 89) is a Japanese fruit of evergreen habit and fragment white flowers which has been introduced into parts of California. The tree is cultivated for ornament and for its edible fruit, which resembles a small yellow pear. It blooms in winter in California and is said to be an excellent honey plant.
**LOOSESTRIFE, see Purple Loosestrife.**
**LOUISIANA--Honey Sources of.**
Louisiana has a large variety of sources of nectar, with no one plant of special importance, in all parts of the State. Fruit bloom and forest trees furnish early nectar and pollen. In the northwest part of the State, near Shreveport, alfalfa is reported as a source of surplus. Hollywood, locust, tupelo, blackberry, asters and cotton are among the sources commonlyreported. There are many minor plants which yield nectar and some in surplus quantity in limited localities. Much remains to be learned concerning the honey flora of this State.
Willow yields honey in such abundance that much honey is stored from it at times. White clover also yields, but is seldom important. Senna, horsemint, goldenrod and Spanish needle yield some honey in the fall.
**LUCERNE, see Alfafla.**
**LUPINE (Lupinus).**
There are many species of lupines which are common, especially in the plains region and west to the Pacific Coast. Some are of no value to the bees, while others are good honey plants. Richter lists **Lupinus affinus** as a source of nectar in California.
The blue lupine or bluchonnet **(Lupinus subcarnosus)** is widely distributed over southern and western Texas, fairly covering large areas when in bloom. The blooming period comes in March or April and the author heard many reports of this plant, as an important source of early honey when visiting Texas. Some claim it yields only pollen. Scholl lists it as a source of honey,
In Colorado, bemen regard some lupines as good honey plants, also.
**LYTHRUM, see Loosestrife.**
**M**
**MADRONA (Arbutus menziesii). THE ARBUTE TREE.**
Jepson describes the madrona tree as evergreen with glossy, leathery leaves, widely branching, 20 to 125 feet high; bark polished, crimson or terra cotta, on old trunks dark brown, and fissured into small scales. Const ranges of California, oak hills, etc. Grows on high ridges, mountain slopes and in gravelly valleys.
According to Richter it yields both nectar and pollen from the flowers.
**MAGNOLIA or BULL BAY TREE (Magnolia grandiflora).**
The magnolia is native to moist soils from North Carolina to Florida and west to Texas. It is the largest feaved tree of the evergreens. It is a magnificent tree when uncrowded and is a favorite shade tree in the South. The thick, leathery leaves persist over winter until the new ones have appeared. The flowers are large and showy and the blooming period is from spring till midsummer.
The sweet bay **(Magnolia virginiana),** known also as Laurel magnolia, swamp laurel and beaver tree, grows in swamps from Massachusetts to southern Florida and west to Arkansas and Texas. In Texas it is reported as yielding very dark honey of poor flavor.
Magnolia is not often mentioned as important, though an occasional report of surplus in the South is received. One bekeeper reports that in Mississippi the honey is so dark and strong as to be unpalatable.
"We had three days of cool, damp, cloudy weather last year in August. During that time 1 visited my magnolia apiary, and on approaching it I heard the heavy roar of bees. I first thought that wholesale robbing was in full force, and I soon saw that they were gathering honey, and on looking at the alighting boards I saw particles of unnidia blooms. This told the tale. I went a few rods into the swamp, which was decorised with the large, rich uagnolia blooms. I examined a bloom and there was the nectar visible, and all the bees had to do was to alight, fill themselves and return. The weather soon clearedoff and the magnolia honey was no more. Those three days of damp, cool and cloudy weather saved many old style gums from being turned bottom up, in the spring, in this section."--J. J. Wilder, Cordele, Georgia. American Bee Journal, Feb. 15, 1906.
**MAGUEY, see Century Plant.**
**MAHOGANY GUM, see Eucalyptus.**
**MAINE--The Honey Flora of.**
A large number of plants produce both pollen and nectar, but in Maine comparatively few yield a surplus of honey--the most important being white clover, alike clover, fruit bloom, raspberry, fireweed and goldenrod.
Aster **(Aster).** The asters are of some value in this State, and in late fall bees may be seen frequently on the flowers. **Aster paniculatus** appears to be the most important. In some localities in the Middle States the ground is white with the blossoms of field asters. Pure honey, white or perhaps sometimes light amber. It is gathered so late that often it may not be fully ripened.
Apple **(Pyrus malus).** Yields a small surplus occasionally in this State. Honey of fine quality, light amber with aromatic flavor.
Basswood **(Tilia americana).** So rare in this State as to be of little importance.
Blackberry **(Rubus).** Yields little nectar in the Northern States; but a surplus is reported in Georgia and California.
Boneset **(Eupatorium perfoliatum).** Visited by insects in large numbers, but not common enough to yield a surplus.
Buckwheat **(Fagopyrum esculentum).** Not extensively grown in Maine, but fields of it are cultivated in many localities. A dark, purplish honey.
Button-bush **(Cephalanthus occidentalis).** Common in swamps, but not important.
Canada Thistle **(Crisium arvense).** Not very important in this State, but more common westward. Honey light and well flavored.
Carrot **(Daucus Carota).** Naturalized from Europe, common in fields.
Clover, white **(Trifolium repens).** A fine white honey of delicious flavor. Alsike clover **(T. hybridum) is an equally good honey plant, honey similar. Both are abundant in Maine, especially northward. In dry seasons bees are able to gather nectar from red clover, a bumblebee flower.
Cucumber **(Cucumis sativus).** A good honey plant in the neighborhood of pickle factories. Honey with flavor of the fruit, but improves with age.
Currant **(Ribes).** The various species of currants and gooseberries, both wild and cultivated, are of some importance.
Dandelion **(Taraxicum officinal).** More valuable for pollen than nectar in this State. Honey golden yellow, thick, strong-flavored, crystallizing in a few weeks.
Goldenrod **(Solidago).** A most valuable honey plant in New England. In southern Maine it never fails to give a large surplus, the main dependence of the beekeeper for winter stores. Honey golden yellow, fine flavored, candying with a coarse grain in a few months. **Solidago graminifolia** and **S. rugosa** are the most important species in this State.
Heartsease **(Polygonum persicaria).** This plant, so valuable in Illinois and Nebraska, is of no importance in Maine; a bee is rarely seen on the flowers.
Horse-chestnut **(Aesculus Hippocastanum).** Not common, bees gather both nectar and pollen. Bumblebee flowers.
Locust, black **(Robinia pseudo-acacia).** Yields a surplus of white honey further south, but not abundant in Maine. Often cultivated.
Maple **(Acer saccharum).** The rock maple blooms in spring before the leaves appear and the flowers are visited by bees in great numbers. The red maple also yields nectar.
Milkweed **(Asclepis syriaca).** Where the milkweed is abundant it is a great help to the beckeeper. In Michigan it is increasing, and perhaps also in Maine. The honey is excellent, with a fruity flavor.
Mayweed **(Anthemis cotula).** Common by the roadside, a bitter honey, apparently not important in this State.
Mustard **(Brassica).** Very abundant in grain fields, where the flowers often present an unbroken sheet of yellow. Probably never yields a surplus in Maine.
Pear **(Pyrus communis.)** Not of much importance, but has been known to yield nectar very freely under suitable conditions.
Plums and cherries **(Prunus).** All the species secrete nectar. The choke-cherry, which is common in thickets, attracts many insects.
Raspberry **(Rubus idaeus, variety aculeatisimus).** One of the best honey plants, where the forest has been lumbered. A splendid honey of finest flavor, suggestive of the berry,
Sumac **(Rhus typhina).** This common shrub has the stamminate and pistillate flowers on different individual plants; not common enough in Maine to yield a surplus. Honey bright amber, with a bitter flavor at first, which later disappears.
Sweet clover **(Melitous alba).** Does not grow well on the clay soil of this State; requires a limestone soil.
Willow **(Salix).** Valuable in spring for both pollen and nectar, a great help in building up the colonies and bridging over backward springs. The pussy willlow **(Salix discolor)** is most important. It could be planted to advantage in useless wet land.
Willow-herb **(Epilobium angustifolium).** Also called greweed, since it springs up abundantly on land which has been burned over. As excellent honey plant; honey water-white; flowers red purple.=John H. Lovell, Bulletin of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Vol. xvii, No. 4.
MAIZE, see Indian Corn.
MALLOW **(Malva).** Several lists of honey plants contain some mention of the mallows. The bees visit the flowers for both nectar and pollen, but the author can find no record to indicate that they are anywhere important.
**MANCHINEEL (Hippocampane mancinella).**
The manchinel is an evergreen tree common to the beaches and marshes of southern Florida and the Keys; also found in the Bahamas and Tropical America. It is very poisonous, and Britton credits it with being the most poisonous of our American trees. He states that the milky juice was used by the Caribs to poison their arrows.
It yields nectar abundantly some seasons and is the source of surplus honey. According to E. G. Baldwin, it blooms with pigeon cherry and with dogwood, and the late O, O, Poppleton was the only man to attempt to harvest a crop from the tree, growing as they do on the Keys, where not easily accessible. He credits Poppleton with a yield of 28,000 pounds from the three together in 19th.--Gleanings, April 1, 1911.
**MANGROVE, see Black Mangrove.**
**MANITOBA--Honey Sources of.**
In eastern Manitoba the blueberry yields some surplus. The main sources of nectar for the Province are white clover, alsike, fireweed, snowberry, perennial sow thisle, Canada thisile, wolfberry, mustard, goldenrod, aster and numerous prairie and weed plants. To these are added willows and maples as sources of early nectar,--F, W. L. Sladeu.
**MANZANITA or BEARBERRY (Arctostaphylos).**
Figure 90 shows the blossoms and leaves of the manzanita, which is seldom heard of as a honey plant east of California. The following information is copied from Richter's "Honey Plants of California":
**"Arctostaphylos, manzanita, bearberry, Throughout coast ranges, Sierra Nevada foothills and San Bernardino Mountains (2,000 to 9,000 feet), November to February.**
"The honey is amber and of excellent flavor, much like manzanita itself (Colusa County); pollen. San Diego County reports a white honey from the manzanita. One of the most important honey plants to induce bees to early breeding. In some parts of Monterey, Colusa and Eldorado Contics, a 20 to 40 pound surplus is obtained, and on very warm days (Monterey County) nectar can be shaken from the bloom. A beekeeper from Applegate reports it to be his best honey yielder."
The **Arctostaphylos uva ursi, bearberry or bear grape, according to Gray, occurs on the rocks and bare hills from New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Missouri and far north and westward. It is also said to be common in Europe and Asia. It is recorded in the local lists of plants of Connecticut and Ontario, although, probably because nowhere abundant, it is not known as a source of honey. Although Richter's list does not give the species from which their honey is secured, it is probably **A. manzanita or A. tomentosa, or other species peculiar to the West Coast.**
The leaves of the eastern species are much used in medicine. It is said to be an astringent tonic, used in diseases of the liver.
**MAPLE (Acer).**
Almost all of the early pollen and nectar comes from trees, and most of the trees bloom early. The maples are mostly large trees confined to North America and temperate regions of the old world. Two species are commonly planted for shade and ornament--the sugar maple or hard maple **(Acer saccharium)** and the red maple or soft maple **(Acer rubrum).** The photographs show the blossoms of the soft maple. (Fig. 91.)
Maple lumber is commonly used in the manufacture of furniture, flooring and fushings. The blossoms come very early, when especially valuable in building up colonies for the main honey flow. If the bees were as numerous as later, the nectar stored from maple blossoms would make a creditable yield. Mr, C. L. Pinney, of Iowa, reports that one year his scale live showed a gain of from one to two pounds daily from soft maple, when the ground was still covered with snow.
If it were possible to have colonies come through the winter with as many bees as they have at the beginning of winter, beckeeping would be a bonanza. Instead of having one or two flows, there would be first a flow from maple and willow, followed by one from dandelion and fruit bloom, ahead of the big clover flow. However, the beekeeper whose apiary is situated near plenty of such trees as willow, maple, elm and box-elder is fortunate, indeed, for the bees get a splendid stimulation very early, and should be in prime condition for business when clover comes on.
The big-leaf maple of the Pacific Coast **(Acer macrophyllum), alsoknown as Oregon maple, California maple, water maple or white maple, is reported as of special importance in Oregon and British Columbia, its yield is usually cut short by rains. It is found in the Sierra Nevada and coast ranges of mountains in California, north to southern Alaska. (See also Box-elder).
**MARIGOLD (Gaillardia pulehella).**
There are several species of **Gaillardia** common to a wide scope of country. This particular species ranges from Louisiana west to New Mexico and Arizona. It is the source of large quantities of yellow honey is Texas, where it is highly regarded as a honey plant. It is reported as yielding surplus occasionally as far south as Brownsville, though not frequently.
Scholl lists it as "a main source of surplus; honey dark amber and of good quality. May and June." (See also Spanish needle.)
Figure 91: At left stosinate liposomes and at right pistillate blossoms of red music.
Both yield nectar.
**MARJORAM (Origanum vulgare).**
The marjoram is an European plant, cultivated in gardens, which has become naturalized along roadsides in the Atlantic Coast States. According to Lovell, it is a favorite of honeybees; not sufficiently common to be of much value.
**MARRUBIUM, see Hoarhound.**
**MARYLAND--Honey Sources of.**
Willows, maples, fruit blossoms and dandclion furnish nectar and pollen for spring brood rearing. Tulip-poplar is probably the most important source of surplus where the bees are prepared to gather it. Coming so early, few beekeepers have their colonies ready for this flow. Clover, lscust, sumac, holly, laurel, clethra, heartsease, Spanish needle, asters and goldenrod are valuable. Tupelo and black-gum are also to be found in the State. There is a long list of minor sources similar to those listed for New Jersey.
**MASSACHUSETTS--Honey Flora of.**
White clover, found in nearly all quarters of the State.
Asike clover, Under favorable conditions it yields not only a good quality of nectar but large quantities of it.
Red clover, The second flowering is somewhat accessible to bees.
Sweet clover. Two species, neither abundant in Massachusetts,
Goldenrod and asters. Rank close to clovers in nectar production.
Fruit bloom. Apple, pear, cherry, plum, peach, etc., source of early stores, upon which the colonies build up for the clover harvest. The body is heavy, the color clear and light and the flow comes with a rush, which insures handsome sections; but best of all is the exquisite aroma of the apple blossom, which places fruit bloom honey in a class by itself.
Linden or hasswood. Doubtless the most valuable tree honey plant in Massachusetts.
Buckwheat. Reported from all counties in Massachusetts.
Wild raspberry and blackberry. The nectar flow is of long duration, beginning after fruit bloom has ceased.
Several species of sumac are important honey sources which are greatly underestimated.
Locust. A valuable forage for bees. Reported as sporadic in yield.
Maple. Probably of less importance as a honey plant than the units, strawberry and milkweed.
Clethora. Known also as black alder and sweet pepper bush. A valuable honey secreting plant, largely confined to a belt paralleling the eastern coast.
Wilkweed. Where milkweed occurs in large quantities it is a valuable honey plant. Reported as important from Berkshire County.
Wild cherry, knotweed, dandclion, strawberry, chestnut, mints, gillover-the-ground and mustard also reported occasionally as valuable.
Willow and skunk cabbage valuable for early pollen as well as some nectar,=Burton N. Gates. Bulletin 129, Mass. Ag. Ex. Sta.
**MAT GRASS, see Carpet Grass.**
**MATRIMONY VINE (Lyeium vulgare).**
Matrimony vine is a low, spiny shrub, with very long. lithe and almost climbing branches. It came originally from the Mediterranean region and was very generally planted for ornament about American homes a generation ago. It is very persistent, and has run wild about many deserted home sites. The small flowers clustered in the axis of the leaves are very attractive to the bees, and, where sufficiently common, the plant is probably of considerable importance.
**MAYWEED (Anthemis Cotula).**