BEE MANUAL. 983 
Australian Bee Journal, about one species known here in New 
Zealand as common wattle, says: 
‘‘The botanical name of the acacia referred to by T. J. M., in 
‘Notes about Bee Forage’ (Part I.), is Acacia lophantha. I can fully 
endorse all he says about the usefulness of this tree as a honey pro- 
ducer ; but in South Australia it is objectionable, because of its rank 
growth and very unpleasant smell. At the end of the second part of 
his ‘ Notes on Bee Forage,’ T. J. M. remarks that none of the red or 
blue gums in his neighbourhood are more than seven or eight years 
old, and scarcely any have as yet commenced to bear blossoms. This 
is an objection to most of the eucalypti; it is so long before they 
flower, and when they do, little honey appears to be secreted until 
the trees attain a large size. Hucalyptus carophylla (the red gum of 
Western Australia) is an exception, and is a tree that I would like to 
bring under the notice of all bee-keepers throughout Australia and 
New Zealand. According to Miiller, this tree, in its native land, 
grows to a height of 150 feet, with stems occasionally ten feet in dia- 
meter. It is the most ornamental gum I have seen; the foliage is 
denser and more horizontal than that of any other species we know of, 
and the tree is readily distinguished by its large seed-pods. Around 
Adelaide it does very well, comes into flower a few years after planting, 
and offers a fine pasturage for bees. In some instances the foliage is 
almost hidden by the large masses of beautiful white blossom. The 
tree remains in bloom several months, and during that time it is always 
crowded with bees. I have never known a season when this gum did 
not flower.” 
VICTORIA. 
As regards this colony, Mr. David Gloss informs me that the 
chief sources of honey supply in the cool districts are white 
clover and thistles, and in the hot districts eucalypti, or gum 
trees ; and that in several hot districts, which are also treeless, 
bees have generally died out when introduced. Another cor- 
respondent praises the acacias, black wattle and coast wattle, 
as invaluable for bee forage. 
QUEENSLAND. 
Mr. Chas. Fullwood says, with regard to Queensland : 
“Our principal source of honey is the various species of eucalypti, 
which afford supplies the greater portion of the year, as they bloom 
during all the months from August to April and May, and, in fact, 
some bloom during the winter months, when the bees gather, through 
the warmer hours of the day, a small amount of honey. What is most 
popularly known as ‘tea tree’ here is just now (June) going out of 
blossom ; this supplies a large amount of honey of rather high colour 
and rank sweet flavour, which it to a large extent loses while ripening, 
but which is easily detected when first gathered. 
