The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-06-29

!. also several other species OF ast
o which, | have no doubt, yield honey
] We have also the elder, which
blooms in this latitude in the month
t of June, just about the time clover
/, begins to fail. It's honey-yieldlng
9 property is not very regular, Dut
whenever the season is favorable we
> have great increase in the weight
E of our hives. The blackberry, which
is known all over the United States,
growing in neglected fields, along the
fences, on the borders of woods and
wherever too much moisture and
shade do not interfere with 1t,
blooms for a considerable time, and
affords early pasture to the bees.
The raspberry is spoken very highly
of as honey-yielding plant, but not
being acquainted with it in that
light, l cannot say much. MIR.
Quinby says that, "bees, for several
weeks. are allowed to partake of this
exquisite beverage; it is secreted at
all hours and in all kinds of wealth,
en- & Even white clover, i'm
portant as it. is in furnishing the
/. greatest part of the stores, would be |
neglected at this season if the rasp.
berry only yielded full supply.
Clover begins to bloom with the
raspberry,land continues longer"
AWhen mustard is cultivated, bees
will. thriyeEwell and gather good
amount Of honey:of rather strong
taste, but good.
The Golden Rod is one Of our tall
honey-yielding plants. 1t is very
abundant here and grows luxuriantly
all along our bitches and in our un.
cultivated. fields. We have many
species Of this plaps; it blooms from
August to October. l can also speak
of the wild Astus as atfording, in
some seasons, an immense quantity
of honey, furnishing succession of
flowers for several weeks, at about
the same time as the Golden Rod. 1t
is seen growing wild on our road
sides and along the borders of our
fields. The two varieties Of Smart. |
weed or Pepper Grass that we have
here are excellent pasturage and they
yield very white, honey. They bloom
from September to November. The
Pittosporum, Ligustrum Viburnum,
etc., which are in nearly all our flow.
er.gardens generally yield honey.
The Corn and Melon will yield
large amount of pollen, and though
many doubt their honey-ylelding
properties, I have seen my hives gain
two and three pounds a day while
the bees were working on these
plants.
l may add to. the above list, the
following plants which are said to
yield honey and pollen The Maple,
Strawberry, Catnip, Sage, Eupatori-
ums, Buckwheat, Grapevine, Wild
Plum, Sumach, Eastwood, Arrow
wood, ETC.,
There are probably very many
flowers yielding honey, OF whose
value am unacquainted.
cannot say much in regard to
cultivating plants as an artificial
pasturage tor our bees. 1 quote the
following from Mr.. A. J. Root, edi-
tor OF Gleoni,ogS IN Bee Culture:
''lf one has the money, and can
afford the risk of a failure, it is a
fine thing to make some accurate ex.
periments, and 1t may be that a farm
oil one or two hundred acres Judi.
ciously stocked with honey-bearing
plants, trees and grain, could be a
success financially. 1t has been much
talked about but none, so lar as we
know, have ever put the idea in prac
tice. To beginners, we would say
Plant and sow ali you can that will
S be sure to pay, aside from the honey
e crop, and then, if that is success
q you will be so much ahead; but be
ware OF investing much in seeds tina
. are tor plants producing honey, anC
n nothing else in value"
S There is a source from which bee
v gather large amount of honey, bu
as | never saw 1t, cannot say muc
in regard to it. 1t is the Honey.dew
e Some say that it is a secretion of
h certain plant Ice, and others preten,
u that it is real dew. This has bee
the subject of great deal of COL
|. troversy in our bee journals. But