674 



in(li<^eiioui; to Tasmania and the costal re- 

 gion of Victoria. At Leongatha, Gipps, 

 Vic, there is a blue-gum stick standing that 

 lias had the lop chopped oflf at a height of 

 97 feet. These forest giants are usually 

 fallen about twenty feet from the gi-ound, 

 and the axed scarp is frequently large 

 enough to permit a man reclining in it. 

 Like all pollen from the eucalypti, that 

 from the blue gum is creamy in color. It is 

 needless to say the nitrogenous content va- 

 ries with each species. The slits in the an- 

 thers that liberate the pollen grains ai'e 

 slioAvn in the sketch. 



YFJ.LOW-nOX (e. arKLLIODORA). 



From mel (honey), and odor — scent; 

 therefore "honey-scented box." It is in- 

 digenous to the whole of the eastern states, 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



and is a most popular honey-tree. It blooms 

 profusely every second year in early sum- 

 mer, and yields practically no pollen. For 

 tliis reason, bees in pure yellow-box forest 

 die for want of protein, notwithstanding 

 the abundance of honey, which is pale in 

 color, exceedingly dense, and of delicious 

 tlavor. A yield of 350 lbs. per colony is not 

 considered very remarkable. The honey re- 

 mains liquid almost indefinitely. Where the 

 llats and swamps grow river red gum (E. 

 rosirata) the rising land is generally clothed 

 witli yollow-box, so that the honey crop is 

 a composite one. Women folks clamor for 

 the liard heavy limber for stovewood. In 

 Australia it is used for poles and railway 

 sleei.ers. The details in the drawing are 

 \ai-iously enlarged. The openings in the 

 aniher permit the pollen grains to issue. 

 The nectar surface is depicted in the section 

 of the flower. 



RED-BOX (e. POLYANTHEMOS.) 



Pohj, many, and anthemos, flowers. 



OPEflCtlLllM 



SECTIOfI OF 

 FLOWER 



—YelloW-Box — 



