THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 15

THE APIARY.

By J. A

“ What is the best way to make and keep colonies strong so as to get the fullest result for the season?” This was a question which Mr J. Allan, the president, sought to answer in a paper read at the annual conference of the Beekeepers’ Association. Mr Allan said:

“This is a question purposely made wide so as to give room for a full discussion — on© that will cover as much of the work of the apiary as possible. I make no pretence to give a full reply; it would be impossible, as the reply suitable in _ one district would probably not be suitable in another. I shall, however, endeavour to touch those points that are of nearly universal application. I divide the subject under four headings, and as the treatment must cover the whole year, I cad them after the seasons—Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. I begin with the AUTUMN TREATMENT. “Autumn is the beginning of the beekeepers’ year, and* as a rule the treatment given then will leave its mark on the whole year. -What, then, is best? Granted that the colony is in normal condition, the question here is principally one of stores. The advice usually given is to leave from 251 b to 301 b of honey, and most people believe that they are doing that; but somehow this question —the vital one for the year’s work •—is left to guesswork, and I am free to say that not one in a dozen knows nearer than a guess what his hives contain. No apiary should be without its set of scales, and no hive should be closed down for winter until tho beekeeper knows absolutely what it contains. The standard 10-frame hive, containing 10 empty combs, usually weighs about 181 b. If it contains a colony of bees weighing, say, 4!b, then the total weight without stores is 221 b. If to this is added 301 b of stores, then the total weight is 521 b. Now, if tho ordinary run of beekeepers will weigh up their hives, they will bo astonished how far short they are of this ideal. My method of procedure in this connection is as follows : —ln the last round for extracting a quantity of combs of well-scaled stores is put aside. These are used to replace combs that contain little or no stores, and are used •when the closing-up • round of tho apiary is made, and by this means tho colonies arc made as heavy as circumstances will allow. The next operation is to put the semes on to the barrow arid wdicel in behind each colony in turn. The cover is removed and the hive-body and all it contains is lifted on to the scales, the weight taken, and re ■ glstered on the hive. When this is done a list is made showing tho number of hives of each weight. In ordinary circumstances the variation will be a surprise, and will probably run from 251 b to 651 b, which jatter ■Vyeight is about as heavy as you can get them, and means about 401 b of stores. “If the beekeeper decides on, say, 451 b es a minimum weight, then all of and above that weight are done with. lie then has the option of feeding up tho remainder or uniting so as to get them up to weight. What I want to accentuate in all this is that guesswork in this connection is folly. Jt is better to be sure than sorry. If you don’t believe this —well, put your hives on the scales and that will teach you. Now, as t 6 WINTER TREATMENT. “ This consists mainly in comfort for the bees. Our climate, fortunately, makes the yyinter problem easy. Wo need no cellar nor vet double casing. A close-fitting mat of sacking and a watertight cover is about all that is necessary. Mostly I use two of these mats, but that is principally because the added now one is placed on top of the bn© that it supersedes, which has been holed by the bees. It is left there because some, day it will be wanted for smoker fuel, and there is none better., SPRING TREATMENT. “My practice is to make my first examination as early as possible, usually about the middle or end of August. In doing it J remove an outside comb, push tho others byer till I come to brood, and) then examine the brood combs. In apiaries whore foulbrood has once existed a close watch « necessary, and if infection has taken place fii winter I want to know of it as early as possible. Tho fact that brood is there establishes the fact that the colony is queen tight. Usually there will be two or three Eueenless colonies. Their only value to me i their stores, which will usually bd almost

intact, and can bo used to help other colonics. My second round is towards the end. of September. [Northern beekeepers will please note that 1 am writing Southland experience.] This round is principally necessary to make sure that they have sufficient stores. When warm spring weather comes the stores molt like snow of a dyke. If I might focus the first_ success of the year in management, it consists in having enough stores in the hive in the autumn so that in spring brood-roaring can go on in face of storms and in spite of them. Any colonies showing dangerously light before the end of October are fed with a good supply of two of sugar to one of water syrup. From November 1 the stylo of feeding is changed. In normal years in Southland the bees are not self-supporting until about December 1, so the month of November is the opportunity to stimulate, and so for a whole month on every day on which the bees cannot get nectar outside, half a pint of thin syrup is given inside, thus keeping up a steadily-nresperous condition. When the population is beginning to crush, and before any preparation for swarming takes ’ place, a super of good brood combs is given without any excluder. The immediate effect of this is to relievo the brood-nest of any surplus nectar that is coming in, and so give room for the queen, and as soon as sufficient stores nave been stored in the super, the queen wrll extend into it. SUMMER TREATMENT. “ The efforts of the beekeeper must now bo directed towards the prevention of swarming, I rely' on two tnmgs. One is plenty of room, and the other good ventilation. In throe or four weeks after the super was given—say about Christmas week or perhaps a little earlier —there is again danger of crush. [Note. —In Southland we do not usually get a good flow till Now Year’s Day has passed.] It will be found that much the greatest weight is in the super, and 1 hat the best of the brood is there also. Now. we shake the queen down into the lower story, put on an excluder, and then an empty super of combs, and lastly the old super with its brood. This completely severs the queen from her old super brood, and confines her to what was her original brood nest, now more than likely giving her ample room. The empty super above the excluder gives room for the incoming nectar. About seven nr eight days later the top brood combs will require looking over for queen-cells. We now have a three-story colony. The queen, confined to 10 frames in the bottom story, has plenty of room, the added super is empty, and the top super, though well filled, is hatching brood rapidly; and as the queen is confined below, the empty cells arc also available for nectar. What more can he done? Two blocks can bo placed under the front corners to raise the front from lin to 2in, and so save ventilation. Then there is nothing for it but as it is needed to either give another super or to keep the extractor going. “ Now, what, if in spite of such treatment. there are still swarms? My answer is just to hive the swarms on the old stand on foundation, put on an excluder, and put the supers off the old colony on to the swarm. Remove the' old brood-nest to a new location, and then do what you like With it, so long as you do not permit it to send out a east. lit is allowing virgins to get out with casts from the old colony that is the bane of success. The prime swarm with practically the whole working force of the old colony will not lose much by the change. Now, I think, though I have tried to be as concise as possible, that I have reached the true limit; but I hone that a good discussion may result in giving useful hints that will be helpful to beekeepers generally." 1

BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON. June 2

The fifth annual conference of the National Beekeepers’ Association was opened to-day by the Hon. R. H. Rhodes. The Prime Minister, ho said, was unable to be present, but Mr Massey had asked him to express his good wishes for the industry, and say that he recognised its importance. rie would give careful consideration to any resolutions the conference might pass. It was interesting to note that 11,200 people were engaged in beekeeping in Now Zealand, representing 72,340 hives. The export business was now on. a sound footing. Investigation showed there was no adulteration ot honey in the dominion. Tile ' balance-sheet, which was adopted, showed a deficit of £22 as between the assets and liabilities.

The conference adopted the following resolutions :—(1) That this association urge that the registration of apiaries be brought into force at the earliest possible moment; (2) that honey bo carried on the railways at the same rates as butter; (3) that Bluff be gazetted as a grading depot.

The incoming executive was recommended to seek information from the National Beekeepers’ Association of America regarding its legal defence fund, and to report on the scheme to the next conference ; and that in the meantime the executive be empowered to take such steps as it considered necessary in the event of any case arising.

In the evening the conference discussed the methods of keeping colonies strong, and the sizes of hives that would yield the best results.

WELLINGTON, June 4. The Beekeepers’ Conference was concluded to-day. The following resolution was carried: “ That a deputation bring under the notice of the Prime Minister the work that the association has dono in helping tho honey industry, that it has decided to become a properly constituted and registered society, that it is hampered in its work by lack of funds, and therefore bespeaks assistance.’’ Tho following motions wore also carried: “ That this conference urgres upon the Minister of Public Health the advisability of amending the regulations under the Sale of Foods and Drugs Act so that the water contents of honey shah not exceed 20 per cent.” "That it bs an Instruction to the incoming executive to communicate to all Agricultural and Pastoral Societies, with a view to the adoption by them of a, standard schedule for honey exhibits, and that a model schedule bo submitted to them on something like these lines i. 61b liquid honey in commercial jars or tins, 61b granulated honey in similar packages, one case of honey ready for export, 61b of beeswax as it comes from the mould, two bottles of honey vinegar l in white bottles, onp fullsize Hoffmann frame of honey, and a halfsize do—the whole to be the products of the exhibitors/' “That the Government be advised of the

urgent necessity of the appointment of two more apiary inspectors.”

The following officers were elected; President, Mr J. S. Cottcrell (To Aroha); vice-president, Mr J. llentoul (Cheviot); executive —Messrs A. C. Askew (Manakau), R. J. H. Nicholas (Hawora), W. E. Barker (Peel (Forest), and W. B. Bray (Banks Peninsula); secretary, Mr Stewart Wright (Dunedin).

A general meeting of shareholders in the New Zealand Co-operative Honey Producers’ Association was hold to-day, Mr W. H. Gilling presiding. The following directors were elected: —Messrs W. E. Barker (Peel Forest), B. D. Ward (Christchurch), J. S. Cotterell (Thames). G. W. Brickell (Dunedin), E. J. Pink (Ohau), and J. N. B. Nicholas (Hawera). Mr H. W. Gilling remains a director, not having resign cd. A resolution was carried altering the articles of association in several particulars. One new provision is that for the election of directors the dominion is to be divided into the following provincial districts: —Taranaki, Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, North Canterbury, and South Canterbury. Another allows the capital of the company to bo increased by £3OOO by the creation of 1500 new shares of £2 each. Such shares may be issued upon such terms as the directors think fit. This resolution is to bo confirmed at a subsequent meeting.