THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 6

THE APIARY.

By J. A.

A very interesting letter came to hand during the week. It is interesting because of the writer's natural interest in the bees. No one, unless interested in the bees, would try to spread the interest in a community. Then it is interesting because it lets us know where our bee instructors get to sometimes. (The Wataroa River is a long way down the coast.) But it is chiefly interesting because it let us know of hundreds of tons of nectar going to waste. Ihe West Coast is credited with being a very wet place, with a rainfall of from 100 mto 120 in; and that is probably a. mam reason why that country is little known to beekeepers. Most of us do not know that for honey-production a wet climate is safer than a dry one. In Southland the writer had in his early days of beekeeping often wished for a real fine summer to get a bumper crop. When, however, his patience was rewarded and two such seasons came in succession, they proved a great disappointment, and were, in fact, though ideal from a climatic point of view, two of the poorest seasons of his experience. Where there ia an abundance of nectar-pro-ducing flora a fortnight of sunshine in midsummer will often be sufficient time for the bees to roll in a heavy crop. The letter reads as follows:

Dear Sir, —No doubt you will think that I am a long time in replying to your letter of April 3. This war has upset many a plan, saddened many a home, and God only knows when it is going to end. Since last writing you I, too, have had to mourn the loss of _ an only son. On Monday we had a visit from Mr Bowman, which we all appreciated so much that we asked when he was likely to bo round again. I took him to the school, where he spoke to about SO of the elder scholars for nearly an hour, illustrating his remarks with frames of comb, eto., belonging to a hive of bees. Wo then visited those near at hand who were interested in bees, with the result that at 2.30 we met in my small apiary of 24- colonies. Mr Bowman opened several hi»es. and gave a practical demonstration in handling bees. He wears a veil, but no gloves (like yourself); but I think that the bees were on their best behaviour that day, as, although we had half a dozen ladies who had never seen a hive opened, all escaped without one sting. One of the ladies (a newchum) was invited to lift out some frames, and, although the bees were crawling over her hands, she never thought until afterwards tha,t they might haro stung her. This

same lady sent her man to got information so that lie can make her hives and procure frames, foundation, etc. Mr Bowman has been as far south as the Wataroa River, and I quite agree with him when he says that ho believes that there are hundreds of tons of honey going to waste every year on this coast "for the want of men and bees to gather it. I trust that his department will send him back in January, so that ho may see the bees at their best in gathering in the precious nectar. With kindest regards,— Yours truly, John Murdoch, Ross. THE SEASON. In tho Tasman district the bees got fairly to work on gums during the last week. At date of writing (September 1) this is practically tho only source of nectar in the ne.ghbourhood. Round the older-settled districts of Motueka and Riwaka plums are making quite a show, and tho tree lucerne is also in full bloom. This latter seems to be a good honey-yielder, and blooms very early—just rather too early to be very useful, as there is not much bee-fiving weather in August. September will see" the manuka in bloom, as well as the stone fru.ts, and, should the sunshine continue, the bees in this district will be into their best honey-flow. The latest accounts we have had from the south go to show that there the weather is not so favourable as it was earlier, being changeable, with snow on the high land. In September, however, we may hope to find good work being done, especially where the apiaries are within reach of native bush or gum plantations. Now is the time for the beekeeper to be on guard. A very few days of neglect at this season may mean the loss of colonies and hat is, perhaps, worse, the loss of strength in those that remain. _ In his earlier beekeeping days the writer often spent the m.dday hour amongst the bees keeping systematically in touch with them, and there was always something requiring his attention —something that made it pay to make the visit. NO SWARMING, THOUGH THE BEES- IN THE LOCALITY WERE SWARM-MAD. Early in the spring I go through my yards and see that all colonies have plenty of stores —enough to last four weeks. As 6oon as brood rearing starts in earnest I spread the brood in the strongest colonies that I think can take care ot it after it has been spread. Then I select the strongest colonies for comb-honey production and keep building up tho rest for extracted honey. As soon as the strongest colonies begin to be crowded 1 take a 10-frame super, full depth, filled with full sheets of foundation ; remove half of the brood and combs from a strong colony, shove all the brood to the centre oE the hive, leaving the queen below, and fill in the rest of the space with full sheets of foundation. I place the rest of the brood and combs in the centre of tho super and set this on top of the colony With a queen-excluder between. This I usually do about the first of May. In about four weeks all the brood will have hatched in the super. Then I remove it and put two shallow comb-honey supers on the hive. I shake all the bees from, the combs of the super removed, in front of the hive, then carry this super of combs to one of the hives intended for extracted honey. I put two or three combs of brood from this extracted honey colony into the super above, replacing with empty combs below. If there is any tendency to swarm, this treatment certainly stops it. Furthermore, by this means I keep the strongest colonies busy drawing combs for the weakej colonies, while they are building up a working force. By this time the white clover is beginning to yield nectar, and I have all colonies in good shape for the harvest. I have no further trouble with the swarming fever from those that are run for extracted honey; but I have to watch those run. for comb honey and keep the bees provided with plenty of super room. I use full sheets of foundation in the sections and two bait sections for each super. As the weather becomes sultry I raise the hives from the bottom boards with cleats about iin thick, giving plenty of ventilation from below. That is a wonderful help in keeping down the swarming fever. Of course, care must be used not to overdo the ventilation. I have used this plan for two years, and have never had any swarms, in spite of the fact that last year the bees in this locality seemed to be swarm-mad, some colonies swarming as often as four and even five times, and giving no surplus, while I secured an average of 1001 b per colony. I aim to keep ahead of the bees at all times —in other words, to do something before tho swarming fever gets started. I never, cut cells, but at times I give bottom ventilation. If any cells appear I remove two or three frames oi brood and replace with full sheets of foundation, using the brood to make increase or build up weak colonies if I happen to have any at that time. Marion, 111. I>. Phide. [At the conclusion of an experiment a beekeeper should consider whether the_ results are because of, in spite of, or incidental to the manipulation. He should also distinguish between cause and effect—of surrounding circumstances. Success in swarmprevention when all the bees in the locality are "swarm mad" is a feather in any man's cap.—Ed. Gleanings.]