244 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Apkil, 1916. 



BEE-KEEPING IN VICTORIA. 



By F. R. Beuhne, Governni'tit Apiculturist. 



XXV. -THE HONEY FLORA OF VICTORIA (continued). 



{Continued from [Muje 177.) 



The Blood Wood {E ucalyptus corymhosa, Smith). 



(Fig. 45.) 



The Blood Wood is a tree not easily confounded with other species. It 

 attains a maximuni height ot 150 feet, but is often of much lower and 

 sometimes stunted giowth, flowering already when scarcely beyond its 

 early shrubby stage. 



The bark is persistent furrowed, of a reddish colour, inside fibrous, 

 but rather flaky than stringy, outside rough, grey, and turning black. 

 Kark of the upper branches smooth, and often reddish. The tree exudes 

 kino (gum) abundantly, the whole stem being sometimes covered with 

 this reddish blood-like substance, and hence its popuJar name. 



The timber has a deep red fleshy colour, is porous, and has numerous 

 gum veins; it is easy enough worked when fresh, but becomes very hard 

 when dry. It lasts well underground, and is resistant to termites 

 (white ants), and teredo (sea worm). It is used in fencing and for piles 

 and railway sleepers. 



The leaves are scattered on slightly angular branchlets. The leaves 

 vary in size up to 9 inches long and 2 inches broad, of fi.rm consistence, 

 lance-shaped, somewhat curved, or slightly sickle-shaped, paler on the 

 under side, veins very numerous, and very fine, only slightly oblique, 

 the marginal vein close to the edge of the leaf. 



The flower clusters occur in sprays forming a nearly flat top, rarely 

 singly at leaf -shoulders, or lateral on branchlets on slender, slightly 

 compressed or angular stalks, bearing three to nine rather large flowers. 

 Buds nearly 1 inch long with flower cup tapering into the stalklet, and 

 a half-round, short, pointed lid. Fruit about 1 inch long more or less 

 urn-shaped, not angular, three or oftener four celled. 



The Blood Wood is found in Victoria only in the far eastern part, in 

 the vicinity of the Genoa River. 



No Victorian data are available as to its honey-producing value, 

 owing to it not occurring in any present bee-keeping localities. It is, 

 however, considered of some importance by New South Wales apiarists. 



The Candle Bark Gum {Eucalyptus ruhida, Deane and Maiden). 



(Fig. 46.) 



This tree is also known as Flooded Gum, Bastard White Gum, Rib- 

 bony Gum, and Drooping Gum. The name Candle Bark is in reference 

 to the smooth and sometimes frosted or chalky bark of the trunk. 



The bark is perfectly smooth for the most part, the outer layers 

 falling off in ribbons. It frequently shows reddish or plum-coloured 

 patches, hence the specific name, " rubida. " This colouration, which 

 is generally most conspicuous at the end of summer, is, at times, beauti- 

 ful when viewed from a distance, ranging from pale salmon colour to 

 bright crimson and purple. 



