AUSTKALIAN HONEY PLANTS 241 



3rd, Stringybark" trees with soft thick long-fibred bark 

 from the ground to the top-most branch; 4th, "Ironbark" 

 trees with dark, hard, short-fibred bark, deeply furrowed, 

 e.g. (E. sideroxylon) . 



Now if all the Eucalypts could be placed under the 

 above heads it would be fairly satisfactory, but there are 

 such a number of variations due to hybridisation, differ- 

 ences owing to geological formation and climatic 

 influences, that the trees appear to be a demonstration 

 of botanical gradation. As an example, on dry gravelly 

 formation the "Manna" gum {E. viminalis) has a trunk 

 covered with hard brittle bark, almost black in colour, 

 with top branches white and clean. Along river banks 

 and in deep-shaded, wet forest gullies the trunk is white, 

 smooth and clean ; as a natural corollary the tree becomes 

 "White" gum. The buds in both instances are arranged 

 in the characteristic mannei' — e.g. disposed mostly in 

 threes somewhat after the pattern of the broad arrow. 



However, these variations are most confusing to the 

 apiarist and also to the student of Botany. It will be 

 noticed that the specific name — the only true one — is 

 given in every case. Bushmen, and likewise bee-farmers, 

 often complain of the free use of Latin, but a little con- 

 sideration will show- the necessity of having a name that 

 means the same to the Italian botanist and the English 

 scientific lecturer in an Australian University. It would 

 not be much trouble for an apiarist to ascertain the 

 specific denomination of every Eucalypt in his district. 

 The author has had considerable experience in the Aus- 

 tralian bush and this has — together with extensive 

 correspondence — helped considerably in forming a fairly 

 accurate idea of the chief supplies. 



WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 



The crop of honey in the Western State is gathered 

 from the "Yate" tree (E. cornuta) ; "York" gum {E. 

 loxophleba) ; Western Australian "White" gum 

 tree (E. redunca), locally known as "Wandoo"; 



