10 Jan., 1917.] 



Bee-keeping in Victoria. 



39 



The Saw Banksia {lianksia serrata). 

 Fig. 59. 



A bushy tree confined to the east of Victoria. The leaves are oblong, 

 lance-shaped, pointed or blunt, regularly and deeply toothed, 3 to 6 

 inches long, ^ to I inch wide, leathery and flat, hoary or rarely white 

 underneath. 



Flower spikes oblong, cylindrical, very thick, 3 to 6 inches long. 

 Fruiting cone matted, hairy; seed capsules very prominent, thick, and 

 hard, about 1 inch broad. 



Wood, purplish, mahogany coloured, useful for furniture. 



The Saw (or Red) Bauksia flowers in December and January. 



No authentic information as to its value to the l>eekeeper is, up to 

 the present, available, and the writer would be grateful to any one who, 



Fig. 60. 



after identifying this Banksia from the illustration and description here 

 given, would kindly forward information as to quantity and character 

 of honey produced by this tree, and whether pollen producing or not, so 

 that these details may h& included when later the present series of articles 

 are published in book form. 



The Desert Banksia (Banksia omata). 

 Fig. 60. 



A shrub, 5 to 6 feet high, found in the north-west and south-west of 

 Victoria, generally in sandy or desert country, and known to the bee- 

 keepers of the western districts as " Banksia," without any distinctive 

 term, the Silver Banksia in a like manner being termed " Honeysuckle." 



