no EUCAL YPTUS. 



EUCALYPTUS FOR BEE PEED. 



My attention was first called to the value of this genus 

 to bee men by Prof. A. J. Cook, of Claremont. Many of 

 the species are profuse bloomers and are rich in nectar. 

 Besides this valuable characteristic, various of the species 

 flower at seasons when there is a great scarcity of bee 

 feed. In Southern California the different species of Euca- 

 lyptus vary in their times of blooming according to the 

 soils and climates \vhere they are located, and also accord- 

 ing to the character of the seasons. Besides these sources 

 of variability, individual trees often bloom earlier or later 

 than the average of the same species. Taking the sixty 

 species and marked varieties of this genus in Southern 

 California, I have never seen a day that flowers could not 

 be found on some of them. What the value of the Euca- 

 lyptus really is as a honey producer, and especially its 

 value in individual species, is as yet undetermined. Several 

 of the species are certainly important in this regard, suffi- 

 ciently so to cause careful observations on all the species. 

 When we consider the free production of nectar by the 

 Eucalyptus at seasons when there is little or no other 

 resource for bees, and also the claimed medicinal value of 

 honey from Eucalyptus flowers for relieving irritation of 

 the mucous membrane and as a nerve sedative, the pre- 

 sumption is strongly in its favor. Bee men will doubtless 

 find it to their interest to study the species and plant in 

 waste places such sorts as will furnish the best kinds of 



