BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2052, 2 December 1869, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

(FROM OUR OWN COKRESI’ONUENT.) Cromwell, Thursday. A new line of reef lias been discovered at Bendigo gully. The stone is very rich. It is a distinct reef, and is below Colclough’s. The ground has been rushed, and eleven new claims haye been taken up on the supposed line of reef. At the Carrick range,, another very rich leader has been found, Samples of plumbago have been sent to town for analysation. Shares are changing hands freely.

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. The weekly meeting of the Council was held this afternoon. Present: Messrs Murisou (in the chair), Garrick, Eccles, and Matthews. The Manager reported that the trout were doing well and looked splendidly. Ha had only lost two during the fortnight. On Wednesday 457 were sent away to Canterbury of those received on account of the Society or that province. He had received a blackbird from Mr A. C. Purdie, not from Mr Begg, as was incorrectly stated in the papers last week. The following letter was read from Mr A. G. Allen of Green Island, under date 25th November : “ I beg respectfully to call your attention to Abbot’s Greek—a stream, in my opinion, well adapted for trout. The water is as clear as crystal, wifh a gravelly bottom, deep pools in several parts, and abundance of feed. The stream passes through Messrs Douglas and Alderson’s, as well as Doig’s and I Brown’s, und contains a considerable quan- | tity of water. Having examined it from near its source {to the iNorthTaieri Hoad, I have no hesitation in stating they would rapidly increase. There is nothing to molest or pollute the stream for a distance of two and a half miles. A fellmongery establishment is situated on the iower portion of the stream, but the trout would not descend so far, there being abundance of room above it. If only about twenty fry were granted by your Society, I would undertake to carefully frotect them, and every resident with whom have spoken upon the subject would do the same. “ There is a subject which has occupied my attention for some years (being entomologically inclined) —viz., tiie possibility of acclimotis ng the humble bee {bombua), for doubtless you are cognisant of the fact that however luxuriantly rod clover (trefolium parten-e ) grows and flourishes in this Colony, and instances have come under my own observation where four cuttings were obtained during the season, no f inner has been able as yet to obtain seed for reproducing the plant, attributing failure to a peculiarity of soil and climate. But the reason is, not any disadvantage in that respect, as that we have not one single insect in the Colony aide to extract the nectar, and distribute the pollen which is essential to fructification. This confirms the experiments and assertions of Darwin and o.her naturalists, that if the humble bee disappeared or became extinct in England and the European Continent, red clover would entirely disappear. With this view I perfectly agree, having paid a good deal of attention to the visitations of the house bee and other insects to fields of red clover iu their futile attempts to penetrate the flpwer. In one instance I have known the plant being produced by artificial innoculation. The seeds obtained in this manner having been sowp, plants were reproduced, fully confirming the necessity pf the humble bee’s manipulation before seed be obtained. “ Now the question arises,—Could the humble bee be introduced ? Would it stand the transportation over fifteen thousand miles of ocean ? On this point I have made frequent enquiries, and I have ascertained that it can at all events be transported on land. It is common both in Scotland and Ireland to confine certain varieties in boxes during the winter, feeding them during the inclement season, From what I could learn, then, I have come to the conclusion there would be no great difficulty in acclimatising and introducing it into this Colony, when not only red clover but also other plants would assuredly be br-nefitted by its manipulation. There are forty British varieties, gpd ip would be another question which would* be the ipost beneficial. “ Farmers expend very considerable sums annually in the purchase of imported seed, red clover being such a valuable adjunct to the dairy; therefore they would hail it as one of the greatest boons if the seed could be produced in the Colony. “Having made these facts known some years ago, through the medium of the Daily Turns, I am confident if the Acclimatisation Society were to propose its introduction, farmers would cheerfully contribute towards defraying the expense. VVith any gentleman accredited by the society to receive subscriptions, I would gladly accompany.” It was resolved that if found a suitable stream, a number of trout should be placed in Abbott’s Creek, and that enquiries should be made as to the best means of obtaining humble bees.