In searching through the beekeeping literature for reports on honey
from golden rods I seldom find the particular species mentioned. There
are numerous reports of honey from goldenrod, but this is as far as the
report usually goes.
“Two colonies of bees taken to a sandy plain forty miles north of
Ottawa, August 25, each gathered, in three weeks, about 40 pounds of
surplus honey from =S. puberula= and =S. squarrosa=. It is estimated
that at least three-fourths of the honey came from =S. puberula=,
which was much more abundant than =S. squarrosa=. The honey is of
a light color and the flavor and aroma are pleasant and distinctly
suggestive of goldenrod.”--Sladen, in 36th report, Ontario, B. K. A.
“You ought to see the bees work on it. They store lots of honey
from it. Last year I had five or six nuclei which did not have
any stores at all on the first of September, but when I went to
feed them for winter I found they had twenty pounds of nice honey
gathered from goldenrod. They all came through the winter in good
condition.”--Kentucky. Gleanings in Bee Culture.
“The goldenrod is one of our main sources for a fall flow. The bees
usually fill one or more supers from it.”--Connecticut. Gleanings in
Bee Culture.
“My bees have gathered lots of goldenrod honey this fall, and at
times the odor has been offensive to the neighbors.”--Vermont.
Gleanings in Bee Culture.
“Smartweed and goldenrod grow here, but do not furnish any honey.
Never saw a bee on them.”--Iowa. American Bee Journal.
GOOSEBERRY (Grossularia).
Gooseberries are native American shrubs with stems covered with sharp
thorns or spines. There are several species widely distributed. They
are very attractive to the bees and are of some importance, especially
where grown in large plantings for market. The wild varieties are
common in open woodlands in nearly every section of the country.
GOLDEN WATTLE, see Acacia.
GOPHER WOOD, see Yellow Wood.
GORSE or FURZE (Ulex europaeus).
Figure 66 is a spiny evergreen shrub with yellow flowers that is common
in Europe, where it is said to be used to some extent for fuel and
fodder. There are few references to it in this country. In California
it is said to bloom during all seasons, although much more freely in
spring. Richter reports it as a very good honey plant on the hills of
Marin County.
[Illustration: Fig. 66. Gorse or furze.]
GRANJENO, see Hackberry.
GRAPE (Vitis).
The grape family is represented by wild species in all parts of the
temperate regions of both hemispheres, and by cultivated species in
nearly all parts of the world. There are about thirty species of wild
grapes, and where sufficiently common they are very attractive to the
bees. In many localities cultivated grapes are grown in large acreage.
The nectar yield is not as abundant as with many plants, but is of
some value where the vines are largely grown. Quantities of pollen
are gathered from this source. At times honeydew is gathered from the
leaves.
Scholl lists the mountain grape (=Vitis monticola=) as giving a fairly
good honey yield and furnishing pollen for early brood rearing. Richter
lists the California wild grape as yielding some honey.