No. 2. The Eucalyptus and the Honey Bee. 33 



until quite late after sunset showing that the supply is 

 continuous. Bee-keepers and others interested in 

 tree planting, should note this and regulate their oper- 

 ations accordingly. 



The fact that it produces a great amount of honey 

 is evident from the numbers of bees and birds that 

 visit it daily. Then coming into bloom as it does in 

 the winter months without any reference to climatic 

 surroundings,and continuing in bloom so long, it would 

 seem that it might be a great acquisition to the re- 

 sources of the apiarist, if more largely planted; par- 

 ticularly would it be so in the dry years when they 

 lose their stands by hundreds from starvation. In fa- 

 vorable seasons when an abundant supply of honey of 

 a better quality is produced, it would be rejected, the 

 same as others of a poorer quality. Bees are good 

 judges of honey and discriminate closely and seldom 

 if ever, collect a poor quality when a better is obtain- 

 able. 



The flower of the eucalyptus, including its honey 

 secreting properties, is quite an interesting study, as I 

 find upon close observation from day to day. The 

 calyx is woody like the cup of an acorn; instead of 

 separating into valves as in ordinary flowers, it di- 

 vides transversly, and the top comes off like the cover 

 of a box; it has no corrolla and the stamens are folded 

 down with the anthers in the base of the style. About 

 maturity they begin to expand and force the lid off 

 from the calyx and the anthers very soon divest them- 

 selves of pollen, but its own stigma is not ready yet 

 to become fertilized. Thus calyx No. i, opens and the 

 bee soon finds its way to the sweets contained upon 

 its disc, which it visits from time to time, and in a few 

 days calyx No. 2 on the same stem shuts its cap, and 

 as soon as the anthers begin to open out, the bee finds 

 its way to a fresh supply of nectar and in so doing be- 

 comes dusted with pollen. By this time the stigma, 

 in blossom No. I, is sufficiently mature to become fer- 

 tilized. The stamens are expanded and the pollen 

 gone, the bee coming from calyx No. 2, dusted with 



