APIARY HINTS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 62, 6 December 1930, Page 21

APIARY HINTS

sVork for December (D. 8. Robinson, Apiary Instructor, Department ot Agriculture, Palmerston North.) The stormy weather experienced during the last month has had a very detrimental effect on the bees; little or no nectar coming Into the hives has resulted in the queens not laying up to the usual standard. This and the huge losses of the field bees with the high winds has kept the colonies weak. . ’ • ' . Artificial feeding must still be continued where the. stores-of the hives are at all low, and the beekseiter must do his utmost to even up the strengths of bis hives. This may be done by moving the strongest hives to' the position of the weakest ones and vice versa. Swarming should be controlled, and as this has been delayed In most districts, no doubt will give a certain amount of trouble by the bees attempting to swarm at a later period'While ,the honey flow Is on. If. swarming is allowed at this period a small'amount of surplus honey can only be AlLbolordis infected with disease should be treated at once to allow the Infected colony to build .up for' the main honey flow, and it is well to remember that the safestand cheapest method ot. dealing wKh a hive containing much disease is to destroy it'by fine. One method of doirijr this is as follows: About dusk when all flying bees ; are in the hive, block-up the. entrances of the infected hives, remove roof, and mats and poor about half a pint of benzine over the top of the frames, replace mat and roof. leave hive for'about ten minutes 'when all bees will be found £°A fire may. then' be- lighted and the in'fected material and hive Placed thereon. The'usual precautions should be taken, remembering the Inflammable properties of be When inspecting hives, combs containing a large number of drond cells should be placed on the outside in the hives, o , better still, should be placed “I’°}® /I 1 ® brood nest for surplus honey. If left jn the brood nest the result will be a large number of drones. t Tbis will lower the amount of surplus honey, as one d™ne needs four or five workers to attend to him and.keep him in honey. Keep all hive entrances dear of weeds, low- grass, etc. •• Easy' entrance: and exit from the hives for the bees goes .4 long way to making them docile for working spare supers in readiness for the disease, the Apiaries Act, 1927. Section 8. reads: "Every beekeeper on whose apiary any disease appears snail forthwith take proper steps to cure the same and to prevent Its spread, and shall within seven days after his first becoming aware d the presence of the disease, send written notice thereof to any inspector. Honey Rdcipes. ■ Honey- Nut Sandwiches. —Mix chopped nuts with just enough honey to act as a binder, and use as filling for sandwiches. Honey with' Fruit.—Honey combines well with the natural flavour of most fresh fruits. It i« especially delightful when xrfth steawberrles and raspberries.