AUSTRALIAN BEE LORE AND 

 BEE CULTURE. 



CHAPTER I. 

 INTRODUCTION OF BEES TO AUSTRALIA. 



As a business to which a man may devote his sole attention, as a 

 subsidiary to farming or fruit-growing, as an addendum, for 

 pocket money for settlers' wives, or as a pastime for persons of 

 leisure in suburban homes, beekeeping has nowadays throughout 

 Australia, so many votaries, that it almost goes without saying 

 some brief account of the inception and growth of apicultiire 

 under the Southern Cross will be appreciated. 



It is a singular fact that, although both in the American 

 continent and our own, indigenous honey producing flora abounds; 

 the most diligent search by the entomologist and other natural- 

 ists, on the discovery of these new lands, was not rewarded by the 

 discovery of any social honey-bee having a commercial value. 

 Certainly there are indigenous bees in America, but the honey- 

 bee was an introduction. In Australia the only s-ocial honey- 

 storing insect in any way resembling the true hive bee is the 

 little so-called native bee, Trigona carhonaria. The native bee 

 of America does not occur here. Our native bee, Trogona, 

 is found in Africa and India, as well as throughout Australia. 

 The honey produced by these native bees is variable in quality, 

 and never equal to that of the hive-bee. It is not so very long 

 ago, however, since "wild" honey was much sought after in our 

 Australian bush as one of the greatest of luxuries. The fact that 

 the Trogona has no sting induced many people who would, in' 

 those days of crude, ruthless- methods have shrunk from an 

 adventure with social honey-bees to wage war against the stores 

 of the "wild bush bees." 



In 1822 the first hive bees were brought to this part of the 

 world (Sydney), by a Captain Wallace, or Willis, in the ship 

 "Isabella," according to Haydon. From the bees thus introduced 

 colonies were propagated and distributed inland. In the Govern- 

 ment Gazette, of 21st June, 1822, there appeared this advertise- 



