Nov. 26, 1903. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



761 



great areas of timber have been burned to the ground. I 

 fully believe that could our people be made to realize the im- 

 portance of this matter of a greatly increased forest area in 

 our State, we should have a general movement all along the 

 line towards wise and extensive planting of trees. 



Among the trees most desirable in California, stands 

 pre-eminent the various species of eucalyptus. There 

 are said to be ISO species of this genus of tree. They come 

 from Australia, a region very similar to California. In 

 such arid regions trees must become deep-rooted to live 

 at all, and because of this deep rooting they will of neces- 

 sity grow very rapidly, and will be fortified against the 

 drouth that is sure to come with each year. For safety's 

 sake, then, no tree should take precedence in such regions 

 as California, Arizona and Nevada, of these fine, rapid-grow- 

 ing eucalypts. I am happy to say that our people are real- 

 izing the truth of this statement, as is shown by the rapid 

 increase in the planting of these trees. The trees are not 

 only attractive in form, foliage and blossom, but they are, I 

 think, without exception, valuable for honey. 



There is an interesting fact about the blossoming of 

 these trees. Of course, in their native Australia, they blos- 

 som in the spring, which is our autumn. As they are trans- 

 planted to our State, on the opposite side of the equator, they 

 are much perplexed. It is a struggle which shall most in- 

 fluence — their old habit and heredity, or their new environ- 

 ment. Thus, their time of bloom is very varied, and the 

 time of bloom will change with the years. At present we 

 can find eucalyptus in bloom during several months of the 

 year. It is wise, then, in selecting eucalypts for tree-plant- 

 ing to plant a variety, that we may extend the time of bloom 

 as much as may be. It is also wise, at the same time, to 

 secure such trees as are valuable for timber, posts, piles, 

 etc.; such trees as grow rapidly and will stand greatest ex- 

 tremes of heat and cold, and also trees that are desirable 

 for beauty. I will proceed to give a few trees that are to be 

 heartily recommended : 



Eucalyptus citriodora is a tree that is specially com- 

 mended as a honey-tree. It is a profuse bloomer, and very 

 attractive to the bees. The leaves are very fragrant. It is 

 very graceful, and thus is to be recommended for its beauty. 

 It has the one objection of being rather impatient of frost. 

 It kills down here at Claremont when young, but when well 

 started seems hardy. The wood is like hickory, and thus 

 will always have a value in the market. 



E. rostrata is the well-known red-gum. It is graceful, 

 grows rapidly, and makes a fine roadside tree. It is said to 

 be the best money-getter in Australia of any of the euca- 

 lypts. It attains a height of a hundred feet. It grows well 

 under quite a variety of climate, enduring a climate of from 

 15 degrees F. to 115 degrees F. The timber is valuable for 

 many purposes, being hard and strong. It is used in our 

 States extensively for fuel and posts. It ranks high as a 

 honey-producer both in America and Australia. I doubt if 

 any tree is more desirable for roadside planting in Califor- 

 nia and Arizona. 



E. rudis is a favorite in the Fresno region. It also will 

 stand a wide range of climate. The limber of this tree is 

 also first-class, and it stands among the best for honey. 



E. coryocalyx is the well-known sugar-gum. This reaches 

 one hundred feet, and in Australia is said to attain a diame- 

 ter of six feet. The bark is smooth and a buffy white, 

 though the twigs are quite red. It stands our California 

 temperature well, and, like the other trees mentioned above, 

 resists the drouth to a surprising degree. It is more valu- 

 able for many purposes than is the common blue-gum, as 

 the timber is very durable, and lasts a long time when set for 

 posts. It blooms profusely, and is excellent as a honey-tree. 



E. tereticornis is very similar to the rostrata, and is 

 often known as redwood. I hardly know which is the more 

 desirable for planting, and can cheerfully recommend both. 



E. sideroxylon is very attractive to me. It has the 

 grace of the American elm, while the narrow leaves make 

 it especially beautiful. It is called, in Australia, the " red 

 iron-bark." It stands our Claremont climate well. Its 

 colored blossoms make it peculiarly attractive, and for this 

 alone I should plant this tree, as also the still more beauti- 

 ful and showy E. ficifolia, which has very showy red blos- 

 soms. The timber, while not as valuable, perhaps, as that 

 of some others, is also much used for posts and in the arts — 

 anywhere where strength and durability is required. 



The other eucalypts that are specially valuable for 

 honey are: E. calophylla. E. hemiphloia, E. leucoxylon, E. 

 longifolia, E. melliodora, E. pilularis, and E. polyanthemos. 

 All of these are worthy a trial in many parts of the warmer 

 regions of California. I have often been asked by the bee- 

 keepers of California to K've a list of the eucalypts desirable 



for roadside planting, and for more extensive planting, 

 with honey especially in view. I believe the foregoing may 

 be of service, and I am sure can be relied upon. 



Los Angeles Co., Calif. 



( 



Nasty's Afterthoughts 





' Old Reliable " seen through New and Unreliable Glasses. 

 By E. E. Hasty, Sta. B Rural, Toledo, Ohio. 



GETTING BEES OUT OF SUPERS AND OFF COMBS. 



Mclntyre seems to be a mine of wisdom on several 

 points of interest besides the cold knife. A dash of Cyprian 

 blood makes 'em a trifle hot, but it does 'em good, and he 

 grins and bears it. Disinclined to so much waiting as bee- 

 escapes require ; so he goes at 'em in the older orthodox 

 ways — smoker and wet manila brush. (At my yard I would 

 sooner completely take the combs with brush and smoker 

 than put the escape in place — say nothing about the wait- 

 ing.) If his brush was not wet, I suppose his " Cyps " 

 would be hanging on one to each fiber. Giving each colony 

 its own combs back, too much fuss. Same here. Late in 

 the season I think an important gain in giving alien combs. 

 They consider them plunder, and go at them sharper to 

 clean them up. But that makes too much rumpus in the 

 yard — and I get some fussing in another way — hold the 

 supers empty till eventide, and then put the combs in. As 

 to brush, I use a hen's wing, dry. Bees hang on sometimes, 

 but not often. I'm disinclined to use two brushes on the 

 same comb ; and the wholesale "sweep-em" seems hardly 

 adapted to get the bees out that cling a-top the bottom-bar. 

 Possibly those who use it make it do so, after a fashion. 

 Page 647. 



BREEDING NON-SWARMERS. 



And Mclntyre thinks he could breed bees that would be 

 non-swarmers — but they would be poor bees on the main 

 question. Rather unique idea. But he's in line with the 

 rest of us when he finds his bees fair non-swarmers one 

 season, and terrors to swarm another season. Page 647. 



HONEY SENSITIVE TO ODORS. 



J. S. Harbison says honey is as sensitive to bad odors as 

 butter, lots and lots of it half ruined by smoke. If he's 

 right, the shallow super and get-the-bees-all-out-with-smoke 

 folks have a severe backset. Rather seems to me that he is 

 giving us " the truth, and more than the truth." You see 

 an inspector might lay to smoke a purely floral bitter he 

 succeeded in tasting in the honey. Page 647. 



FLORAL BACTERIA — ORIGIN OF MICROBES. 



J. E. Johnson says some of the higher forms of bacteria 

 have actual flowers. Surprising! News to some of us — but 

 not necessarily false on that account. But his question, 

 whether any microbes originate spontaneously — well, at 

 present I fear that must stand as a "fool-question." Pres- 

 ent scientific feeling is, I believe, that a new bacterium 

 might come to us from the planetary spaces, but not origi- 

 nate chemically. Interesting to see that Prof. Burrill, origi- 

 nal discoverer of the pear-blight germ, thinks it possible 

 that it might travel in fog. Page 648. 



SULPHUR AND P.\RALYSIS. 



Make every bee wade through sulphur to get into the 

 hive — there's an easy and simple remedial method for you — 

 providing sulphur will actually cure paralysis. Credit to 

 Mrs. Artie Bowen. Page 649. 



CROSS BEES GETTING HELP. 



Sister Wilson, you say, " Fancy a cross bee letting up to 

 go and get some other bee to do the slinging." Quite sure I 

 have seen just that— and you will, if you watch out care- 

 fully enough. And when she succeeds in getting several to 

 come, sometimes all together they will make a wild dash for 

 reinforcements. Has happened (apparently) in case of a 

 horse or cow tied several rods away, that this repeated rush 

 for reinforcements has worked until half the colony went 

 out and actually killed the poor beast. If you experiment, 

 choose a hot day when bees are idle, somewhat cross, but 

 not very. Put on your veil and take a hoe, and begin hoe- 



