ENORMOUS CROPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22390, 9 April 1936, Page 20

ENORMOUS CROPS

Beekeeping in Australia has its compensations. Enormous crops are sometimes gathered. Australia has the hiost remarkable nectar-bearing flora in the world, its wealth of eucalypts providing a honey-producer's paradise. Unfortunately, very little of the honey is marketable outside tho Commonwealth, and this restricts production and returns. Messrs. Goddard and Wyndham, of "Godwyn," state that in the 1924-25 season, with a spring count of 84 colonies, they took .'jO tons, and increased to 299 colonies Such a result would be impossible in New Zealand, where the flow is mostly from pastures. A case of a big crop was referred to by Mr. H. Geddes, of Rotorua, in giving evidence in Auckland before the Commission of Agriculture in February. Ho stated that his brother secured a ojie-ton crop of honey from three colonies in Canterbury some years ago. A beekeeper in New South Wales who breeds queens, calls them "half-ton-ners," and quotes a honey producer. L.H.T., of Kelso, who wrote that, of tho queens ho bought, two had done exceptionally well, one coloiiy producing 9001b. of honey and another 10501b., the - latter being equal to the amount extracted from 21 tiupers of solid combs of honey (Langstroth 10-frame size hives)..