BEE NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1861, 22 July 1887, Page 8

BEE NOTES.

The Australasian Bee Journal is the title of a neat publication, the first number of which has just been issued at Auckland. It is conducted by Mr Hopkins, whose name is so well known in connection with bee. matters in the Northern province as to ensure the journal's favourable reception throughout the colony.

A hive of 5000 bees produces 501b of honey yearly, and multiplies tenfold in five years.

Honey loses its flavour and becomes stale by exposure to the air. It must remain in the hive until it is thoroughly ripened, and when extraoted should be sealed up at once in order to preserve the fine flavour and aroma that make it the luxury that it is.

Langstroth, the noted writer and authority on the subject, says that the essence of all profitable bee-keeping is contained in this golden rule: — "Keep your stocks strong. If you cannot succeed in doing this, the more money you invest hi bees tne heavier will be your losses; while, if your stocks are strong, you will show that you are a bee-master as well as a bee-keeper, and may safely calculate on generous returns from your industrious subjects."

There is considerable depression in the business of bee-keeping in the United States owing to the price being so low through over production as to render bee-keeping no longer profitable, and honey being lower in price than sugar it is being successfully used in the Eastern States for curing hams. It is said that there are some 3,000,000 colonies of bees in the States, which yield annually 120,000,0001b of honey. .

The Columbus Horticultural Society reports an experiment performed by Mr M'Lain of Aurora, 111. In agrapehouse.well ventilated, but bee-proof, he places grapes and other ripe fruits, sound, as well as imperfect. Three colonies of hungry bees, hived on empty oombs were placed within. They visited the fruit in great numbers, and took advantage of every crack or opening or accidental puncture. They never molested sound fruit. If the skin of a grape was broken or burst from over-ripeness, the bees sucked the exposed juices. They did not attempt to break the skin. The experiment was continued 30 days, with 20 sorts of grapes, with the some result. When grapes were punctured with needles, the bees sucked the juioes out only so far as they could reacb.Cauntry Gentleman.