Towards the southern portion of the country the thick forests 
and extensive plains can provide food for millions of bee-hives, 
so that it is safe to state that Chile has just begun to be engaged 
in this industry, and that there is a very extensive field there to 
develop this important branch of agriculture. 
The market price of honey fluctuates between $9.00 and $12.00 
(Chile currency) per 100 pounds, while that of wax is more or 
less from $70.00 to $80.00 per 100 pounds. Germany receives 
large quantities of this honey, say three-fourths of the total pro¬ 
duction. England comes next. 
Fruit Trees in Chile* 
Almost any species of tree characteristic of the sub-tropic, tem¬ 
perate and cold zones, thrives well and rapidly in Chile. The 
climate is so favorable that those which shed their leaves are 
without foliage during only three months of the year. Another 
advantage for the planter is that a large portion of the lowlands 
are well irrigated, and this greatly facilitates the growing of fruit 
trees. To corroborate this statement it suffices to point out the 
large fields in the southern district that are covered with wild apple 
trees. This tree grows wild there owing to the favorable natural 
conditions of the country, this being perhaps the only place in 
the entire world where apples grow wild. 
Peaches, plums, pears, apples, figs, oranges, lemons, cherries, 
etc., produced in Chile are of an excellent quality, although the 
trees receive but very little attention aside from an occasional 
irrigation during the dry season. 
The rapid development of fruit trees in Chile is really remark¬ 
able, and it is not of rare occurrence to see peach trees beginning 
to bear fruit from the third year, and by the time they are five 
or six years old they have attained considerable development. 
The vegetation is so vigorous that the trees are not seriously 
affected by certain diseases as would be the case in other countries 
under the same conditions, and where the affected trees finally 
die within a short time. 
On the other hand, the fruit-drying industry in Chile is favored 
to a great extent by the hot and dry summers of the north and 
16 
