THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3444, 16 March 1920, Page 9

THE APIARY.

By J. A

The apiary season of 1919-1920 may now be considered as quit© closed—that is, in so far as the gathering of surplus is concerned. There will, however, be a considerable abount of extracting to do, and that rather difficult work, the taking off of honey after the honey flow has ceased. It is then that the bees get nippy and eager to pounce on every unprotected comb. Where the Porter bee escape is in use a good deal' of the difficulty can be avoided, as running the bees out of the super by this means enables the beekeeper to lift off the supers in one act and wheel them into the honeyhouso without interference by the bees. We have never adopted the escape method, so cannot speak from experience, but have no doubt that it works all right, unless there should be brood in the top, when, of course, it would be useless, as the bees would not leave the brood. In the late season we used carbolic cloths, and found them very helpful," more especially in keeping away the robbers. If this means be not used robbers will sometimes take possession, and the_ wnole apiary get into such a state of excitement that the beekeeper had better stop until quietness is restored. Then, when he resumes operations, let him take such precautions as will prevent a recurrence of the excitement. Such periods of excitement are a test in so far.as weak or queenless colonies are concerned, and it is not unusual for some of these to be robbed out. _ There is another difficulty in late extracting, and that is the invasion of the honey house by the bees. We have had lots of new cracks and openings pointed out to us by visiting robbers, and when they failed to find any other opening, then down the chimney they would come. The moral of all this is to secure a beeproof honey house. It will pay in comfort and in many other ways and to work in the taking off of honey in such way as to excite in as small a measure as possible the cupidity of the bees. THE FACTORY SYSTEM JN BLENDING AND PACKING HONEY. Wo have just received our March copy of the New Zealand Beekeepers' Journal, and confess to disappointment that an article we had sent on this question had either been crowded out or late in arriving. We mention it only because at a beekeepers' meeting in the south we had promised that this article would likely appear in the March number. _ The same subject is dealt with in an article in this column in the Witness of three weeks ago, and, we hope, will form one of the main points of discussion at the H.P.A. directors' meeting on the 17th inst., and also at the National Executive meetinsr on the 16th. We are looking forward with great interest to these meetings, and hope that much good may result to our industry from them. So far as we are able to gauge, the feeling amongst beekeepers, jt is urgent that the factory system should get as early a trial as possible, and we think some disappointment will result when it is known that nothing can be done this season, and that only a trial effort is likely to be made next season. "Prove all things; choose that which is good" is good advice, but we would like the proving to be somewhat quicker than in this case. HURTING THE MARKET BY CARELESS SHIPPING. The loss from careless shipping each year costs the producer thousands of dollars.

This waste ft so entirely needless that rid one can think of any possible excuse. The plain faot is that the gambling spirit in many producers causes them ; to attempt saving a few cents on cans and containers, while taking chances on a good many dollars' worth of honey. Buyers in foreign countries as well as our own are feeling the effect of our poori shipping. This we can ill afford when exports have so decided an effect on the honey markets. la foreign shipments even greater care must be taken than in home shipments. It has been claimed that not a single importer in Italy has been making any profit' on the importation of American honey. If foreign importers are to purchase our honey from choice instead of as a last resort, we shall bo obliged to make radical changes In our methods of shipping. Every year quantities of honey are received at Medina in poor condition. In some cases the honey has been, removed from the hives beforo being . sufficiently ripened, and has accordingly fermented on the road, oozing from the cans and running all over the car floor. In rare instances, cans arrive in veneer jackets that are fit only for kindling wood on arrival. At other times the cases are too light oc too large. Recently a oarload arrived in very pool condition. In almost no time Root's beea had located the car, and soon the air was filled with millions of angry, hissing bees, frightening the passers-by, stinging tha horses, and causing great excitement generally. The ."Root fire company was called! out. Some of the men refused to work, bui soon two men were on toy of the car and others on the ground, with the hose playing all about. The trouble subsided to some extent, but it was necessary to keep up the performance the rest of the day. Not until night did the bees allow the honey to be removed from the car. During all that time the honey was oozing from every crack and crevice. On opening the ca» the cases and cans were found in the most astonishing confusion. Later we learned that the car had been overloaded, and thai contents had to bo transferred at Cincinnati to another car. The honey had been; leaking so that, during the process of transferring, the bees started robbing, and the freightmen in their frantic exoitement threw the cases in like cordwood—endwise, sidewise, crosswise, and any way to get there. After these cases had jammed this way and that on their trip to Medina, ona may possibly imagine their condition om arrival.

Now, that carload represented over 10,OOOdol worth of honey. Doubtless nominally the railroad will make good the loss. In reality it will come from the pockets of the beekeepers. In this country the largest part of the honey is now shipped m 601 b cans, and, if suitably packed, this is a good method. Bulged or rusty cans should never be used. Nor should anyone tolerate a round can, for if ..knocked over, they are soon battered to pieces. Moreover, the cans should fitf the cases, leaving no space for chucking. On the arrival of carloads of honey, on© will sometimes notice instances in which, the cover has been nailed to the case, driving the nail straight into the can. Thai hole being at the top, the trouble is perhaps not in evidence until en route; or, in some case*, the nail doubtless does not at first penetrate the can, but by constant rubbing finally causes the can to spring a leak. Good results are obtained when two* square 601 - cans are shipped in strong l wooden cases having the ends' and middle partition of gin stuff.' Any cases lighter than this are too frail. In the West some have tried, using 15gal steel drums. These are especially good for export shipment, and it is claimed that they are practically indestructible. Most beekeepers doubtless know thttfc there has recently been a proposal by the Interstate Commerce Commission to raisa the rate on honey. This is exactly what) could be expected while the "present carelessness prevails. The beekeeper usually comforts himself with the thought that the railroads will stand all loss in transit. But in order to stand this loss, the railroads arc compelled to put their freight rates high enough to bear the loss and still leave a' margin of profit; which, plainly stated, means that the beekeepers and not the railroad company will ultimately pay the bill. It is impossible to keep down freight* rates when beekeepers show an utter disregard of safety in packing. General freight rates are already high enough without an additional increase on honey; Last fall freight rates increased. 25 per cent., and now late developments indicate that another rise of from 15 to 45 ner cent, will be made within the next month or so. The tjme has apparently come when beekeepers will be compelled, not only individually, to be more careful in packing, but also collectively to look into the container! proposition.—Gleanings.