Cleveland Dryer Co., Cleveland, Ohio Buckeye Ammoniated Bone Superphosphate.. Cleveland Dryer Co., Cleveland, Ohio Ohio Seed Maker.. C. A. Slayton, Tecumseh..... L. B. Spencer, Holloway.... E. W. Spencer, Petersburg..... Thompson & Edwards, Chicago, Ill... Bone Meal, Pigs Foot Brand.... B. E. Niles, Blissfield...... V. C. Wattles, Battle Creek.... V. C. Wattles, Battle Creek.... Essley & Pinchin, Plainwell... Essley & Pinchin, Plainwell... C. T. Harris, Ypsilanti..... C. T. Harris, Ypsilanti..... C. T. Harris, Ypsilanti...... Bradley Fertilizer Co., Boston, Mass.. Disolved Bone with Potash.......... Manufacturer Bradley Fertilizer Co., Boston, Mass.. B. D. Sea Fowl Guano... Manufacturer. in Michigan for 1890.—Continued. Composition of Fertilizers as Claimed by Manufacturer and as found on Chemical Analysis. Western Reserve Fertilizer Co., Western Reserve Fertilizer........... Mineral Ridge, Ohio.... Northwestern Chemical Co., Mil- Superphosphate........... waukee, Wis... Farmers' Fertilizer Co., Detroit, Farmers' Superphosphate.............- Mich... A. & H. Wilcox, Jackson........... Crane & Son, Adrian... A. & H. Wilcox, Jackson... John Mueller, Warren Office, 28 Woodbridge street, Cleveland Dryer Co., Cleveland, Ammoniated Dissolved Bone... L. B. Spencer, Holloway............. Ohio... in Michigan for 1890-Continued. Composition of Fertilizers as Claimed by Manufacturer and as Found on Chemical Analysis. SPECIAL PLANTING FOR HONEY. By A. J. Cook. Bulletin No. 65, Zoological Department. It is a well-known fact, and as thoroughly appreciated by the thoughtful bee-keeper, that often because of some peculiar condition of the weather, even our best honey plants fail to secrete nectar. In Michigan the years 1888 and 1890, and to less degree 1889, gave excellent illustrations of this fact in respect to white clover. Again, it frequently occurs that a drouth or over-production the previous season, so weakens plants they do not develop to the blossoming stage, or do not produce blossoms. This very season, 1890, gave us almost no basswood bloom. The same truth is illustrated not infrequently by almost all of our nectar-secreting plants. Once more, there are times in every season and region, when there is a dearth of nectar-secreting flowers. In Michigan this period comes about July and August, usually from about July 15 to August 15. At this season, there are neither native honey plants in bloom, nor are there honey plants in cultivation. So at this season the bees are idle, and robbing a common occurrence. For the above reasons bee-keepers are much interested to know if there are plants that will always secrete nectar irrespective of weather; plants that will secrete not simply enough to attract bees, but enough to give a surplus and insure a profit. They are also practically interested in knowing whether or not there are plants that will secrete so liberally that it will pay to grow them for honey alone. It is further a matter of importance to find if there are plants that bloom at the time of the honey-dearth in July and August, and so valuable to grow, either for honey alone or for honey and other purposes. There are always more or less waste places, by road sides, along railways, etc., near by most apiaries. It is important to know if it will pay to utilize such by planting for honey, and if so, to know what to plant. That these are important matters for investigation is clear from the fact that many bee-keepers have spent considerable sums in trying to solve these questions. It is clear, that to arrive at any definite and reliable conclusions, experiments must be tried on a large scale. We must not see simply that bees work on the flowers, but me must get results. We must be assured that the bees actually store, and that in paying quantities. It occurred to me, and to the board of our Michigan experiment station, that this was a very proper subject for investigation at our station, and so for the past two seasons we have devoted about fourteen acres to this purpose. The seasons have been very opportune, as there was an almost total failure in the honey harvest both years, so if any plan adopted was a success, it would have ample chance to prove its excellence. I decided to try the three following honey plants: Rocky Mountain Bee Plant (Cleome integrifolia), Chapman Honey Plant (Echinops spherocephalus), and a foreign mint of the genus Melissa. I hoped |