1901 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



709 



soon in full bloom, while other leaves and 

 buds are forming above. Each spike is cover- 

 ed vpith little white flowers, and the blooming 

 continues for several months. Bees are al- 

 ways busy upon the blossoms from early 

 morning until evening, proving the shrub to 

 be a prolific source for nectar. 



!♦ appears to the Rambler that great oppor- 

 tunities are being neglected in this country, 

 and especially in Central California, where 

 trees and shrubs can be profitably grown for 

 uses aside from honey. 



There are large areas of alkali land. This 

 land can be purchased for about $2 50 per 

 acre. The eucalyptus will grow upon it, and 

 I am not sure but tree lucerne will also do 

 well. The idea is to purchase a large acreage, 



veronica, and kindred growth, upon the moun- 

 tains and in the canyons of i--outhern Califor- 

 nia is of vital interest to bee-keepers and to 

 all interested in irrigation. Conserve and ex- 

 tend the forests upon the uplands, and you 

 add to the water supply for the valleys. 



These are matters too large for individ- 

 ual effort ; and I am looking for the time to 

 arrive when the government will step in and 

 do the planting. Many of these mountains 

 are now set apart as government reservations, 

 and they are in charge of rangers who spend 

 their time, as the name signifies, ranging over 

 miles of mountain and canyon. Set them to 

 planting trees upon the waste places, and their 

 value will be much enhanced. 



Since writing the above there comes to hand, 



FORESTRY STATION APIARY. 



one or more sections, and plant to eucalyptus. 

 And here we come to another feature that has 

 received but little attention : Eucalyptus is 

 usually grown in California for shade or for 

 wood. The bee-keeper planting for honey se- 

 cretion could easily select those varieties not 

 only for use as fuel but for timber, and in 

 building there are varieties that take a high 

 polish, and can be used for the manufacture 

 of furniture. In fact, there are many uses if 

 the proper variety is planted, and this plant- 

 ing for industrial purposes is in its veriest in- 

 fancy. 



The excuse that the profits are not immedi- 

 ate will not hold good with this tree. It is of 

 rapid growth, as I have demonstrated recently, 

 and can be cut for wood and profit as soon aft- 

 er planting as a revenue can be secured from 

 the planting of the orange, peach, or other 

 fruit-trees. 



The planting of eucalyptus, tree lucerne, 



very opportunely, news of interest in this line. 

 The Secretary of the Interior is taking steps 

 to organize a government forestry bureau, and 

 establish a system of reforestization of waste 

 lands. It seems to me that bee-keepers should 

 be wide awake enough to have a representa- 

 tive in this bureau. It is for tree-planting in 

 the East as well as in the West. 



"We have a representative man in Washing- 

 ton, Mr. Frank Benton, and he is in position 

 where he can exert a lasting benefit to bee- 

 keepers. I am in hopes the editors of our 

 bee-papers will think this of enough impor- 

 tance to cast their influence where it will do 

 good. 



Returning to the subject. Forestry Station, 

 we find near it a neat apiary of about 100 col- 

 onies ; and, thoug'-. it belongs to private par- 

 ties, I have termed it the Station apiary. By 

 referring to the photo it will be noted that it 

 is in a forest of sycamore-trees ; and the su- 



