33 



BEES. 



The honey crop last year was nearly 1,000 tons, and 

 the production of wax, about fifteen tons, with a total 

 value of about $65,000. The present investment in api- 

 culture is about $200,000, and there are 20,000 colonies 

 of bees. In certain places the industry could be further 

 developed, but for the most part, the rights for bee pas- 

 turage are already taken. Our honey plants are numer- 

 ous and productive, and the honey flow, while not strictly 

 continuous the year round, may best be stated as coming 

 in two seasons. Algaroba, wiliwili, lantana, nasturtium, 

 lehua, and many other flowering trees furnish honey to- 

 gether with a great variety of herbaceous plants. 



FORAGE PLANTS. 



In the agricultural diversification, which has been 

 taking place in Hawaii for the past few years, too little 

 attention has been given to forage plants, with the result 

 that large quantities of hay and grain are annually im- 

 ported at exceedingly high prices as compared with those 

 on the mainland. We have excellent conditions, how- 

 ever, for growing all sorts of forage plants and an active 

 movement is now taking place in that direction. 



Alfalfa seems no more difficult to get started here than 

 on the mainland. The plant does not grow as tall, and 

 the yie^ld per cutting is not as high as in the best alfalfa 

 regions of the mainland; but the stems are fine and 

 growth is very rapid. Where water is supplied for irri- 

 gation, or where the rainfall is sufficient without irriga- 

 tion, from ten to thirteen crops per year may be cut. On 

 one of the large dairy farms near Honolulu a cutting is 

 made once per month the year round. On account of the 

 fact that alfalfa can be had green every month, there 

 is less necessity for making hay of this crop than on the 

 mainland. A good quality, of alfalfa hay, however, is 

 cured in several localities. 



Cow peas grow vigorously and furnish an abundant 

 green forage and seed for cattle and hogs. This plant is 

 particularly susceptible to the attacks of plant-lice as 

 compared with other legumes. It serves, however, as a 

 good cover crop in orchards, rubber and coffee planta- 

 tions. 



Jack beans produce an immense quantity of green 

 forage, which has been found v<iry effective in dairy 



