476 JOUKNAL OF THE ROYAL HOKTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Something like 600 tons of honey (1000 in 1908) are exported 

 annually to Europe and the mainland. 



The bee-keepers, when operating on a large scale, usually " rent " 

 the honey obtainable from large tracts, and thus set up " bee rights," 

 which is unusual in other countries. Hawaii, though the largest island 

 of the group, is the least developed as regards bee-culture. 



Formerly the chief source of honey was the Algarroba (Prosopis 

 juliflora), native "Keawe," introduced by Father Bashelot in 1837, 

 and which furnishes not only excellent honey, but fodder in the shape 

 of pods, and wood for fuel. It blooms from March till August. 



Its honey is " water-white " and granulates easily, in spite of the 

 warm climate. 



There are now many other plants which afford honey, amongst 

 them being the Acacia, Eucalyptus , Catalpa, and Logwood trees, fruit 

 trees, pasture, crop, and forage plants, weeds, and ornamental plants. 



But a peculiarity of Hawaiian honey is that two-thirds of it is 

 produced from honey-dew, exuded by the sugar-cane leaf -hopper. Ihis 

 is dark amber in colour and is slightly ropy. In flavour it strongly 

 resembles molasses from the cane juice, and readily imparts its colour 

 and flavour to the pale Algarroba honey. It does not granulate at 

 all. Its chemical composition is quite different from that of floral 

 honey, and it is chiefly used in the baking trade. 



The polarization of the two differs, and when, as often happens, 

 the bees mix them in the comb, the apiarists have trouble in labellmg 

 their product correctly. 



The bees prefer floral nectar to honey-dew, and forsake the latter 

 when the Algarroba begins to bloom.. 



A vegetable honey-dew is produced by the Hau-tree [Paritium 

 tiliaceum) from nectaries on the leaves and calyces ; it is largely used 

 for hedges. 



Although advisable to try and acchmatize other honey-producing 

 plants it should be done with caution, for the Lantana, introduced some 

 years ago as a greenhouse plant, escaped, and, finding the climate 

 congenial, has become a pest, forming dense jungles ten feet liigii 

 and costing $10 an acre to clear away. Its only merit is that it secretes 

 nectar. 



In view of the low price obtained for honey and the expense of, 

 and loss in, transit, the island bee-keepers are anxious to increase their 

 production of wax, which, being light, costs le'ss to carry and reahzes 

 a good price. A method has been recommended, but is yet on its trial. 



No foul brood is known to exist on the islands, and to prevent its 

 possible introduction imported queens should be placed in quarantine 

 and imported honey should have a certificate of origin. In 1908 tbe 

 Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry in Hawaii passed regula- 

 tions for the purpose of preventing the introduction of contagious 

 diseases. — C. H. Tj. 



Bermuda Grass. By Moorhouse, Burlison, and Eatcliff (U.S.A. 

 Exp. Stn. Oklahoma, 18//t Ann. Report, pp. 99-110; 1908-9).— A 



