20 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 1 



FIG. 2. 



-A DESKRT HONEY-PLANT. A GIANT TREE CACTUS. 

 MK. W. L. CHAMBERS IN FKONT. 



or a^'coyote. But, to return to the cacti. 

 This forest, as shown in Fig. 3, is prob- 

 ably the largest, both in the number of 

 trees and in its general size, of any in the 

 world. There seems to be no apparent ef- 

 fort to preserve these magnificent specimens. 

 They are mutilated b}' curio-seekers tearing 

 off a piece of the bark. Fig. 1 shows how 

 the trunk of one specimen has been injured. 

 Then, as if the work of civilized man was 



not enough, the Indians mutilate them with 

 their bad aim, throwing stones to knock 

 down the fruit that develops from the flow- 

 ers, of which the bees are so fond. Indeed, 

 there is no way by which this fruit can be 

 gotten but by pelting it down. Taking it 

 all in all, it seems too bad that the general 

 government is not taking more active mea- 

 sures to preserve such magnificent speci- 

 mens of cacti — specimens that take years 



