AUSTEALIAN HONEY PLANTS 233 



symmetrical clusters of creamy white flowers papilion- 

 aceous in shape and gives a great flow of pale honey 

 delicatel}" flavoured, and also a quantity of cadmium- 

 coloured pollen. It is a handsome tree, and the scent 

 combined with the humming of the bees is sufficient to 

 awaken the apiarist on a sunny summer morning. 



American Honey-Plants. Some years ago the author 

 had a number of honey-plants — introductions from 

 the United States of America — growing near the apiary. 

 Several varieties of Grolden rod (Solidago), also the Tulip 

 tree {Liriodendron tulipifera), Borage (Borago officina- 

 lis), Buckwheat {Fagopyrum), and the Maple {Acer). 

 The Judas-tree (Cercis Canadensis) along with the 

 Borage made the best show, and the Spider plant (Cleovie 

 pungens) was the greatest failure; it had neither honey, 

 pollen, nor beauty. Generally they could not be compared 

 with the natives of the Australian bush as honey-plants. 

 This will also show that while a plant indigenous to a 

 country may be a sure yielder of honey, transported to 

 another clime it may not be ' ' worth a rap, ' ' although the 

 Eucalypts grown in California yield splendid crops of 

 honey much appreciated by our cousins overseas. The 

 Buckwheat would pay handsomely if grown for grain ; it 

 is a splendid crop for feeding pigs and is grown — to a 

 limited extent — for that purpose in Gippsland, Victoria. 



Bottle Brushes (Callistemons). A numerous family 

 all yielding honey. Though natives, they seldom yield 

 honey in sufficient quantity to make a show in the 

 honey-supers. 



Bauera (Wiry), (Bauera rubioides). Native honey- 

 plants bearing beautiful blossoms fit to grace any garden. 

 There is also another variety, but the florists appear to 

 be very backward in placing them before the public. 



Banana {Musa sapientum and Musa CavendisJiii). 

 One a native of Fiji and the other grown extensively in 

 Queensland. Latterly the cultivation of this plant in the 

 State mentioned has been somewhat neglected, owing to 

 the superiority of the flavour of the Fijian product. It 

 yields a light-coloured honey in fair quantity. 



