284 MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTRALASIA 



of saw-blade shaped like a triangle. A hole bored through 

 the centre allowed a convenient handle to be riveted on. 

 The honey was allowed to drain from the wax, which 

 was afterwards pressed fairly dry. The frames con- 

 taining only the wired midrib were returned to the bees 

 who built it out again as if it were foundation. Where 

 Tea tree honey is abundant it should be used for feeding 

 bees, though chemists buy it for making into cough 

 mixture. A little makes no material difference to a crop. 

 Tea tree honey has a peculiar flavour of its own, rather 

 unpleasant in the author's opinion. 



Tea tree, (Silky), {Leptospermum myrsinoides) , Very 

 widely distributed over the country of Western Victoria. 



Trumpet flower, {Datura). A winter-flowering garden 

 shrub, the flowers of which are very nectariferous. 



Wild flowers. Spring in the Australian bush is 

 remarkable for the display of papilionaceous flowers, 

 notably the Daviesias, Pultenceas, and Billwynias. (See 

 Wild-hop). 



Woodrush or Small Grasstree, {Xanthorrhoea minor, 

 R. Br.). This plant is at times called " Candlerush, " and 

 not infrequently one may hear it dubbed "Bayonet 

 grass." It grows in a compact tussock and the leaves 

 will cut the hands in a way to be remembered. During 

 early summer it sends up a flower stalk two to three 

 feet high, the top of which for about 8 inches in length 

 is covered with a mass of sessile cream flowers. During 

 the blooming stage the flowers are fairly covered with 

 bees who lose no time in packing away the pale-tinted 

 pollen. This grasstree yields honey, but not sufficient is 

 gathered to determine the quality. 



Wild ^&g&, {Salvia verbenacea). An introduction from 

 Europe to Australia and now helps with a little honey 

 during the dry months of the year. 



Wild Hop, {Daviesia corymbosa), (Smith). This 

 plant has been given the name of Narrow-leaved Bitter- 

 pea by the Plant Names Committee (Professor Ewart, 

 Chairman). This is a plant of striking appearance. Its 

 tall erect stems show a tiny red spot about the size of a 

 pinhead at the base of each leaf about March; these 



