Chapter I: IDAHO--Honey Sources of

The principal sources of honey in northern Idaho are fireweed, snowberry, alsike and white clovers. Secondary sources are dandelion, Indian hemp, grindelia and goldenrod.--H. A. Scullen.

In the southern part of the State alfalfa and sweet clover are the source of large quantities of surplus. Minor plants are probably similar to those of Colorado.

ILEX, see Holly, also Gallberry.

INDIAN BEAN, see Catalpa.

INDIAN CORN or MAIZE (Zea mays).

Indian corn is native to North America and was cultivated by the Indians at the time of the discovery of the continent. It has become one of the most important grain crops and is grown in large acreage. It furnishes an abundance of pollen in mid-summer and the bees work upon the tassels so freely as to give rise to a very general impression that it furnishes honey in abundance. At times, aphides are to be found upon the stalk and the bees also get a sweet substance from the axils of the leaves. While on infrequent occasions the bees may get honeydew from Indian corn, its principal value to the beekeeper is as a source of pollen.

“If the weather is favorable for the reproduction of plant lice, we
may always expect them to attack the tassel, making the top leaves
sticky and discolored. I have seen the bees pile on the tassel until
you could scarcely see anything but the bees gathering this honeydew.
The honey thus obtained is dark, but of very fair flavor.”--Wm. R.
Howard, White Rock, Texas. American Bee Journal, page 225. May, 1880.

W. K. Morrison, writing in Gleanings, states as follows regarding corn:

“Corn is not generally set down as a yielder of the nectar sublime,
but in tropical countries it is a very valuable honey plant, showing
the importance of locality, showing also that corn is a native of the
tropics. (Aug. 1, 1905.)

INDIAN CURRANT (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus).

The Indian currant, also known as coral berry or buckbrush, is a widely distributed shrub that furnishes considerable nectar in late summer. It may be found in the woodland borders and open forest from New York, west to the Dakotas, south to Missouri and Arkansas, and from New Jersey south along the mountains to Georgia and Alabama.

The blossoms are very small and inconspicuous (Fig. 80), but where the plant is abundant it is much sought by the bees. In southeastern Iowa, the season of 1914 was a very poor one for the bees, and many colonies required feeding to get them through the winter. In a few localities, where buckbrush abounds, they not only were well prepared for winter, but stored some surplus. The blooming season is July and August in most Northern States, so that the clover harvest is usually nearly over when it comes on. Figure 81 shows the bunches of red berries that hang on the bushes after the leaves have withered and dropped, which will be instantly recognized by anyone familiar with the plant. These berries are often about the only winter food available for small birds when the ground is covered with snow.

The snowberry (=S. racemosus=) (Fig. 82), is a related species with white berries. It occurs from New England west to Nebraska and Dakota, also on the North Pacific Coast. The plant is quite similar to the red-berried species in habit and growth and is also often called buckbrush.

ILLINOIS--Honey Sources of.

There are but few important honey plants in Illinois. It is a clover State. White clover, alsike and sweet clover furnish the principal sources of surplus on the uplands, with heartsease and Spanish needle on the low lands. Maples and willows are important for early spring nectar, followed by fruit bloom and dandelion. There are numerous minor sources which add something to the product of the hive, but the above short list includes the important sources of surplus honey. In a few localities boneset and asters yield some surplus in the fall. Basswood, once important, has disappeared from most of the honey-producing districts, where it formerly produced large surplus. For list of minor plants, see Indiana.

INDIANA--Honey and Pollen Plants of.

Skunk cabbage, March.
Silver maple, March-April.
Red maple, March-April,
Box elder, March-April.
Willow, March-April.
Elm, March-April.
Judas tree, April-May.
Dandelion, April-September.
Crowfoot, April-May.
Sugar maple, April-May.
Fruit trees, April-May.
Ground ivy, May-August.
Currant and gooseberry, May.
Buckeye, May.
Grapevine, May.
Black locust, May.
Honey locust, May-June.
Poplar (tulip-tree), May-June.
Raspberry, May-June.
Blackberry, May-June.
White clover, May-June-July.
Alsike, June-July.
Red clover, June-July.
Sweet clover, June till frost.
Basswood, June or July.
Mustard, June till frost.
Button bush, July.
Teasel, July.
Catnip, July and August.
Cucumber, melons, etc., July-August.
Marsh milkweed, July-August.
Sumac, August.
Boneset, July till frost.
Figwort, July till frost.
Buckwheat, August.
Ironweed, July till frost.
Jewelweed, August-September.
Smartweed, August-September.
Goldenrod, August till frost.
Asters, August till frost.
Marsh sunflower, August till frost.
Spanish needle (=Coreopsis=), August.
Beggarticks, August.

--Second Annual Report, Inspector of Apiaries, Indiana.

INDIAN FIG, see Prickly Pear.

INDIAN HEMP, see Dogbane.

INKBERRY, see Gallberry.

IOWA--Honey Sources of.

Willows and maples furnish first nectar of importance in early spring. This is followed by the blooming of the wild plums and cultivated fruits. Next dandelion blooms in profusion for most of the time intervening between fruit bloom and white clover. White clover is the main source of surplus over the entire State, excepting a few small areas where sweet clover exceeds it in importance. Alsike is important in some sections. On rough lands along streams buckbrush or Indian currant gives surplus in midsummer. Heartsease is valuable on low lands over the State and on higher lands in the vicinity of ploughed fields in wet seasons. Asters, boneset, Spanish needle and numerous other fall flowers add something to the production of the hives, but in few localities can be said to be important. Basswood was once of great value to Iowa beekeepers, but has largely been cut down.

IRONWEED (Vernonia).

There are many species of the ironweeds to be found in many countries. They are common in Asia and Africa, as well as North America. They are common from New England south to Florida and west to Dakota and Texas. Figure 84 shows the flowers of the western ironweed (=Vernonia fasciculata=) and Figure 83 a clump of the common ironweed (=Vernonia Baldwini=). In the middle west they grow very commonly in pastures, and the purple blossoms are very conspicuous in late summer. At times the bees work them very eagerly, but it is doubtful whether they are often of much value as a source of surplus.

IRONWOOD, see Coma, also Titi.

IVYWOOD, see Laurel.

J

JACKASS CLOVER or STINKWEED (Wislizenia refracta).

Jackass clover or stinkweed is a rank scented annual plant with yellow flowers, growing two to six feet high. It is common from Sacramento to Lathrop and southward in the San Joaquin Valley, according to Jepson.--Flora of Middle Western California.

It is an important honey plant in the interior valleys, where it is reported as blooming freely only every other year. The blooming period is from August to December. C. R. Snyder, of Selma, regards it as a main source. He reports as high as 100 pounds of surplus per colony. He usually extracts two or three times from this source in September, and has extracted as late as December. A heavy rain or a frost will stop the flow. The honey is light and of good quality. A sample presented to the author is a light amber with a peculiar flavor, unlike our eastern honey. The flavor reminds one somewhat of butter-scotch candy. It is rather strong, but agreeable.

Richter comments on this plant as follows:

“Honey water white, mild in flavor and of good body; granulates in
three to six months, when it resembles a paste made from powdered
sugar. The very fact that it is spreading so rapidly over the
poor lands of the San Joaquin Valley, and that it produces the
only water-white honey, with the exception of blue-curls, as far
as the writer knows, that is produced in the late fall, has led
to the conclusion that jackass clover will be one of the greatest
honey-producing plants of the State, and may in future rank next to
sage and alfalfa. During the fall of 1909 a Fresno beekeeper reported
that he extracted thirty pounds per colony each week for six weeks
from this source. Another beekeeper of the San Joaquin Valley relates
that during the jackass clover flow the noise was terrific, and that
home-coming bees flew so slowly that they could be picked out of the
air. It was Henry T. Christman, of Colinga, who first became aware of
its value as a honey plant and gave it its present name.”

JASMINE, See Yellow Jasmine.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE, see Sunflower.

JEWEL-WEED or Touch-Me-Not (Impatiens).

The jewel-weed (Fig. 85) is common in wet places and along small streams in shady situations. Some are to be found from Alaska to New England and south to Florida and Louisiana. The plant has an odd hanging blossom, as shown in the picture. It is often called touch-me-not, from the sudden bursting of the seed pod when touched.

It is usually regarded as a bumblebee flower rather than a bee flower, but is reported as a source of honey in both Michigan and Wisconsin, where it is quite common in places.

JOE-PYE WEED, see Boneset.

JOINTED CHARLOCK, see Radish.

JUDAS-TREE, see Red-Bud.

JUNE-BUD, see Red-Bud.

K

KANSAS--Honey Sources of.

Sweet clover probably ranks first as a honey plant in Kansas. It yields surplus honey from east to west in the State and succeeds on high, dry land as well as in the river valleys. In some parts of the State, surplus honey is secured from no other crop. In the Arkansas Valley alfalfa is also important and yields freely. Hoarhound, heartsease and wild sunflowers also yield surplus. White clover is uncertain in most of Kansas and only yields honey occasionally under favorable conditions. The Arkansas Valley is excellent beekeeping territory and the yields there compare favorably with the best elsewhere. The first nectar comes from soft maples in late February or March. Elms furnish early pollen and willows along the streams furnish both nectar and pollen. There are many orchards in Kansas and fruit bloom is important, surplus occasionally being gathered from apple blossoms. Horsemint is important in the southern part of the State, as high as 50 pounds per colony of surplus being reported from this source.

KENTUCKY--Honey Sources of.

H. R. Niswonger, in Circular 69, Extension Division of the College of Agriculture, gives the following as important sources of nectar in Kentucky:

“Fruit trees and bush fruits of considerable importance, sometimes
yielding surplus.

“Crimson clover, very important, coming before white clover.

“Alsike clover, comparing well with the yield from white clover.

“White clover usually yields a heavy surplus.

“Red clover, sometimes worked by bees on second blooming.

“Sweet clover, one of the most important, blooming for four weeks or
more.

“Sour-wood, one of the principal sources in the mountain sections.

“Linden, also important in mountain sections.

“Buckwheat, important, coming when there is a dearth of other plants
in bloom.

“Goldenrod yields an abundance of nectar.

“Aster yields in late autumn, often sufficient to carry the bees
through the winter, sometimes some surplus, also.

“Many forest trees infested with plant lice yield large quantities of
honeydew.”

In addition to the above list the following are taken from a contribution to American Bee Journal by Mr. N. P. Allen, of Smith’s Grove, Kentucky:

“Elm, elder, hazel and willow for early pollen.

“Maples.

“Red-bud or Judas tree.

“Black locust.

“Blackberry and raspberry.

“Poplar (tulip-tree), begins to bloom about the middle of May and
yields more honey than any forest tree.

“Prickly ash and sumac.

“Yellow-wood and coral berry in July.”

KINNIKINICK (Rhus virens).

Kinnikinick is a sumac which grows from the Colorado River to the Rio Grande and westward. The Indians and Mexicans mix the leaves with tobacco and smoke them. It grows in large quantity in the hills some distance north of Uvalde, Texas, and blooms from September till frost, with sufficient rain. Local beekeepers report that as high as sixty pounds of honey per colony is sometimes secured from this source. The honey is said to be green in color, with a rank, strong taste, and does not granulate. The combs are capped very white when the bees are working on kinnikinick. This should not be confused with the species of dogwood which is also commonly called by the same name. There are several species of sumac which are valuable honey plants. (See sumac; also dogwood).

KNAPWEED, see Star Thistle.

KNOCKAWAY or ANAQUA (Ehretia elliptica).

The anaqua is a common tree with small white flowers in open panicles and oval leaves, which is common from New Braunfels, Texas south to the lower Rio Grande. It is commonly reported as a valuable source of nectar by Texas beekeepers.

KNOTWEED, see Heartsease.