AUSTRALIAN HONEy PLANTS 245 



tessellaris. According to Messrs. Smith and Baker, of 

 Sydney, in their genealogical chart depicting the evolution 

 of the species, this type is probably the original one. The 

 "Blue" gum {E. globulus) is regarded as the most 

 recently developed, while the "Forest Eed" gum {E. 

 tereticornis) occupies a position half way between the two. 



NEW ZEALAND. 



The conditions that promote honey secretion in the 

 Volcanic Islands closely approximate those existing in 

 Tasmania, England, and America. The countries men- 

 tioned are typical clover honey-producing lands and this 

 accounts for the popularity of the New Zealand sweet 

 on the London market. The clover honey of the Islands 

 is identical with that of Europe. Of course there are a 

 great many native plants that yield nectar abundantly 

 such as the Hakea and "Eewa Eewa," to which the 

 reader is referred. The articles on clover are specially 

 applicable to New Zealand as are also those on Gorse, 

 Cape Weed, Dandelions, Thistles and other ground flora, 

 "Flax," native to New Zealand yields pollen and honey 

 in profusion. A drink of nectar may be obtained by 

 humans from the flowers. 



HONEY FROM EUCALYPTS. 



While all the Australian States are favoured by the 

 Eucalypts, the honey from each species is quite distinc- 

 tive in colour, and flavour. The colour ranges from the 

 dark vandyke brown of the common "Stringybark" to 

 the pale tints (almost water white) of the honey from 

 "Yellow" box and "Eed" gum. Even the same species 

 under differing climatic conditions vary so much from the 

 typical form as to justify the creation of a separately 

 named variety. 



The "Eed" gum of North Gippsland {E. tereticornis) 

 probably came from the other side of the range where the 

 common "Eed" gum {E. rostrata) abounds along the 

 river flats and creek banks. "Gippsland Eed" gum is 



