. British bee journal & bee-keepers adviser. Bees. 166 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 25, 1916. PRESS CUTTING. BEES AND AZALEA PONTICA. A most interesting natural history fact is recalled to the naturalist and botanist alike by the capture of Trebizond by the Russians. It is this region which has the somewhat evil reputation of being produc- tive of poisoned honey. Tom Moore writes of it thus : " Those bees of Trebizond, Which from the sunniest flowers that glad With their pure smile the garden round, Draw venoms forth that drive men mad ! '' These deleterious properties in the honey a
. British bee journal & bee-keepers adviser. Bees. 166 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 25, 1916. PRESS CUTTING. BEES AND AZALEA PONTICA. A most interesting natural history fact is recalled to the naturalist and botanist alike by the capture of Trebizond by the Russians. It is this region which has the somewhat evil reputation of being produc- tive of poisoned honey. Tom Moore writes of it thus : " Those bees of Trebizond, Which from the sunniest flowers that glad With their pure smile the garden round, Draw venoms forth that drive men mad ! '' These deleterious properties in the honey arise solely from the poisonous nature of the blossoms of the Azalea pontica, from which it is gathered. This beautiful shrub, whose golden flowers give great brilliancy to the mountain slopes around Trebizond, is narcotic and poisonous in all its parts. It is to these properties Xenophon refers in his famous account of the "Retreat of the Ten Thousand" in Asia, after the death of Cyrus, when he tells how his soldiers became stupefied and delirious, as if intoxicated, after partaking of the honey of Trebizond. The bad effects are, however, temporary, though this cannot be said regarding the honey extracted from all flowers. As may well be supposed, the honey of this region is held in much disfavour throughout Asia. It is at this time of the year— the season of flowering—that the Azalea is seen at its best.—W. K. From the Gardener\s Queries reaching this office not later than FIRST POST on MONDAY MORNING will, if possible, be answered in the " Journal" the fol- lowing Thursday. Those arriving later will be held over until the lollowing week. Only SPECIALLY URGENT queries will be replied to by post if a STAMPED addressed envelope is enclosed. All queries must be accompanied by the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for publica- tion, but as a guarantee of good faith. Corre- spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
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