The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-20
FOOD FOB xHE sxEs.
Value Of Fireweed. which Blooms When
Other Flowers Are Withersd-
PoRY ToWrsryD Nov Il 1904


Other Flowers Are Withersd.
PoEr TOWNSEND, Nov ls, 1894.
To TEE Eprros: have been expert
menting with the honey bee the past five
years. started In with two colonies and
now have thirty-hve, and. as . conse-
quence, have been noticing the various
honey plants in our section. The best
wild plants appear to be the Epitobium
aagxstifoiiuns. or frswsed, and the Spsrea,
or sweet meadow herb. These plants fur
nish the busy workers sustsnancs after the
early summer flowers, such ~ white
clover, disappear in consequence OF the
dry weather. From those familiar with
our coast Indians learned that il was the
custom Of this race OF redskins to make
freweed-that they have been known to
very strong and durable.
Having discovered its excellent quality
A. \ superior honey plant the past fall.
communicated the fact to the Amerscdn
Bee Journal of Chicago, offering to send
seeds to all applicants. The past two
months have been busy ones to me, mail.
ing the seed Of the fireweed to all parts of
the Union. l have not been q successful
sibIy not knowing how 10 treat 1t, although
/ have discovered In 1t very strong E Der
and have made some strong thread. Ny
experiments have been noticed by the
agricultural department at Washington,
As the Enclosed correspondence explains.
If any of your readers can give Mr.. Dodge
any information as TO the Asclepids incar-
acta | would be pleased to have them do so.
With thirty or forty years experience
In bee keeping, l hesitate not in saying
shat Western Washington is as good, if
not superior, TO any other. We have no
disease here, no moth of consequence,
and the profits can be made equal to any
other section. Our climate is so mild that
they can winter all right on their summer
stands without removals great gain--yet
j always add an extra box over the colony
itself. leaving an opening for egrsss and
ingress. This tends to keep out the damp
uess incident to the rainy season, lasting
from November to the following April.
The first year or two my stands we're
sometimes afflicted with mlldew or mould
ing, but after using the above precautions
had no troubie. r. FL. BAiIIssKR.
WAsHTxeroS CIrY, Nov. 3, 1894.
Mr.. r. H. BaIIingr. Mr.. Benton has
handed me your letter of the 10Th ult..
with clipping in relation TO fireweed fiber.
am pleased 10 see the article and will
look up the specimens referred to in the
National Museum. At the same time 1t
will hardly pay, in my opinion, TO cult
vate this noer plant as there are many
other species which are ~ easily cult
waited and which will give stronger and
better fiber. On this account / did not
even include the species in my recent re-
port on the "Unenltivaisd Bass Fiosrs of
the United States" copy Of which {.
mailed you
Have You ever experiuented with z,cls-
ytas t'.earRGta tswamp milkweed)r This
species gives the best Eber OF any Of the
uaeuitiyated fiber plants, although, con-
ssdsEing that We can always produce aAx
and hemp, ! do not know az il would be
profitable TO cultivate commercially even
this species
ara working On descriptive catalogue
Of the Eesr plants of the world, and hare
already incIndsd the freseed. Can YOU
send me specimens OF stalks aud iberf II
yeu can do 50 shsy will be preserved in the
museum With credit 20 you for the dona-
uon. And any further statements regard
ing history Of the plant which you mar
Be able 20 furnish vii bs very glad 10
use in she new work. giving you due
credit Of course. should wish the stalks
in fnl length. 20 the number Of twenty
ave or more 81 least ara respectfully.
CaAKLKs RIcHARps DonsR
Special Asent In Chsrgs Of Fiber Invssti-
gsiiona
The nreweed tEpilobiss.) grows every
where around Seattle. Ii 10 the coarse
weed that blooms from July 10 September
under tia Earning sEa On newly-clearea
laae. The Eovsr 10 pIak red, ana the leaf
resembles that Of the willow. TIE plant
- rot 50 vaiusbls for its Cher as the esx.
snd EAx gross sell ca Puget sound. The
kps1cesa- = found from the Atlantis 20
sas PacI1c. and is value "a honey plass
q vel established
The Dangerous Fepaitss
Cellar G.zssss
IL IL sad thai Rspreseasssive-siscs Neal
CAeesan 10 q Eaa Of cor..1s<ahEs tntssls-