THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 12

THE APIARY.

By J. A.

The weather during most of the week ending October 13 has been very favourable for honey-gathering, and as three of our principal honey-yieiders are in full bloom—the fuchsia, kowhai, and turpentine tree (Pittosporum eugenoides) —the bees have been doing good work. We stood for a few minutes yesterday below a kowhai that was just a mass of golden bloom. It was crowded with busy workers pushing their way out of sight into the flowers in their search for nectar. The tree" was yielding nectar in abundance, as was evidenced by the fact that to shake a brancn brought down a shower. Besides the bees there were a number of humble bees, flies, and black moths, all looking for a share, and also a tui. It is wonderful how tan.e the tuis are at this time of year. This particular one on a tree not 20ft h : £h paid no heed to us standing watching Ji.m as he systematically went frcm branch to branch sipping the nectar from the flowers. To the writer, for the last 20 or more years, it has always been an interesting sight to see the first clover blossoms. These we gathered to-day (October 13) for 1911. Though the spring cannot be regarded as by any means an early one. still these blossoms are earlier than usual. ' The sight of them stirs up tho beekeeper. THE HIVE ON THE SCALES.

As most of our readers know, it is the custom at Oakle.gh Apiary to keep a hive o.i the scales all summer through. We regard it as the pulse of the apiary.. When we wish to know what is doing over the apiary a reference to this hive indicates it at once We would. regard it as a favour if any beekeepers doing the same would let us have the record.- It would be interesting if such a record could be got for most of the bse districts of Otauro and Southland. We do not, however, want it to be abnormal. What we would like is that a fair average colony should be chosen for the purpose, and treated just as the others are treated. Most beekeepers would find it an education as to season and source of supply. At Oakleigh we have just started our record as from October 7. The total weight of the colony wae 551 b. Of this the cover and bottom board (the brick which keops on the cover beinrr weighed also) represented 281 b, and as a super of dry combs weighs 171 b, that leaves as the weight of bees, brood, pollen, and honey just 101 b. We shall give the record in this column as the season advances. The hive on scale record to October 13 is 31b. The queen is increasing her laying very rapidly. If this colony, or, for that matter, almost any colony in the apiary, were to be shut in for, say, a fortnight by unfavourable weather, it would still require feeding. We, however, hope that such will not be the ease.

Before passing on we would eay for the sake of anyone interested tha* the loss of weight on this colony from March to October 7 was 251b.' That does not seem to indicate that 251 b is enough for a colony to winter on. No additional feed was at any time given to this colony, and as it still had about 41b or 51b left, it must "have had nearly 30lb to start with. Our feeling in this matter is that we would like our colonies to have 401 bof honey in the brood-nest in March.

What is a fair day's work for a colony of bees? The answer to this ouestion do-" pends upon two things—first, the population of the hive, and second the honey flow. In October, when an average colony does not contain more probably than 31b or 41b of bees, and when the flow is restricted, an increase of from ilb to lib in the weight of a colony may be regarded as very satisfactory. Later in the season, as the population increases and longer days with higher temperature and more nectar in the field gives them a better opportunity, they have been known to gather ove;r 201 b per day for several days in succession. The best we have had hero was 451 b in three daye, the best day giving 161 b. Fairly good work for a strong colony during clover bloom is from 41b to 101 b per day. YOU'LL APPRECIATE THIS. There are a good many young men holdine salaried Dositions who would like to go into business for themselves, but are afraid to let go of the "sure thing." While I am not in sympathy with "prize fighting," yet, having left a salaried position to take up the work of publishing the Review, I couldn't help but appreciate the following clipping sent me" by my sister : James J. Corbstt found one of his friend in the throes of thought the other day. The friend was contemplating giving up a fat salaried position to take an independent chance. Whenever he thought of the profits ahead if he made good as a business man he glowed like an oil lamp. Whenever he thought of resigning that sure envelope at the end of the week he became solid ice to the midriff.

"When I first began boxing in California," said Oorbett, "mv father up-d to lecture me. 'Stick to the job in the bank, Jimmy, b'y,' said he. 'lt's the fine salary you do be getting there, and a,s long as you live you can kape that fine job at the desk. Remember, "a rolling etone gathers no moss." ' "But I kept on fighting." Corbctt said. "And father kent on panning me. Finally I fought with John L. Sullivan, and you know what happened. When I got home I carelessly peeled a thousand dollar bill off a roll as big as a cabbage and tossed it over to dad.

"'Just a little pipe money for you, father,' I said. 'Part of what I made in my last fight.' Father's grin began at the corners and kept on expanding. His eyes twinkled.

" 'Ah, Jimmie, b'y,' said he, 'it's the roving bee that gets the honey.' " —Beekeepers' Review.