BEE KEEPING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 June 1924, Page 7

BEE KEEPING

POSSIBILITIES OF WESTLAND

(By Telegraph.—Special t,o The Moil.)

CHRISTCHURCH. This Dav

At a general meeting of the Canterbury branch of the National Beekeepers’ Association an address on the possibilities of beekeeping in Westland was given by Mr ,L Murdock, of Ross. Mr Murdoch said virgin forest was the best country from the point of view of beekeeping. He had started in 1912 with eight box hives and he now had seventy. An average of 2001 b per colony was quite possible on the coast. Fuschia. was the earliest plant and honey began to come in in August. Blackberry gave first grade honey and lawyers konini, rata and ribbonwood were all nectar secreting trees. There was ample room for more beekeepers in Westland, which he thought would rival California in the production and quality of its honey. Mr G. H. Sargent, Government apiary instructor, stated that disease was troublesome >n Westland owing to the nresence of so many colonies of bees in the bush. Tn recent veavs some improvement had been effected and further vigilance was necessary to stamp out disease.