THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 1 March 1921, Page 7

THE APIARY.

By

J. A.

During the last week or 10 days there has been premonitory symptoms of the closing of the honey season. To-day (22nd) has however, brought a decided change, and we wdf ho W < a B Y e U P *} ope ' l,at further surplus seison of l Q? e r d thl ? season - The honey “outli 19 ? X • in T y be re = ai 'ded as closed. ComaL V haS been a S° od sea «on. Uiops as a rule are more than average men T lie’™ b<?e ? , d °PL by commercial , ln , way of building un apiariesvh,'f- beginners have had f good onnor tumlv to start their apiaries and to realise UI a southland honey flow. At our Roslvn Bush apiary we have been unable to arrange .for a . f a!e hive this season and we f ,i misse d it as a record and indication of the progress of the season. There can b O . no doubt that a scale hive f 7 rsr .sf-s - is a very interesting record of whit bees are doing from day to day. WORK OF THE WEEK ffather T V°ha,w °7 **”7 * t 0 parations for winter l ° ? labe P re ' will know a very decide.?’ dffU beek . eo P e . rs temper of their W and t w ITT In 7- e time onward be mwh 1 1 1 , fr ° nl tim work amonrrrf ® unpleasant to flow co bUf 1 Cm - Durn, ° ‘he honey is l W b “‘ ii«£ lated as the beekeeper’ « ;!ll ! mampucomfort Nov- u * ued without dis- , x\ow, however all mg” with wet m com^ o t n l, h n^La n 4 ift with the greatest care. I„ ta £: fS WP* rv'“ keep ihe „ J' 11 , 1 be found to vent robbmg, a” wcfl as adcftUl ‘° 7°' of honey supply when the fupnly ™ is growing less. Any carelessness in 7™°°* honey about for them to fiefe u, its sure reward in stings- h,,t dii, “ C this can be avoided, and the bees kent^ 6 fmiff'T "L have fo "" d that no ea iseGs so as th * tion for winter it Is well UVe R colonies are queen right, and where the biood-nests will take it in to nHrl n comb or two from the suner. We like” to combs back, even when we have, little prospect that they will be much required, as the hees then dry them up and may store in them from autumn flmvefs nrH -nd IT h ° f j atl, . eref ! l '°und the hroodf. cd'v'drv V° n ] ,S 1,1 i tbe sl T p i- loft Pert.oUj dry. «e hope this week to finish up our season s work ''oik. and to return as soon tlieieafter as we can to o 1 a n, B n *v in about 251 b per colony ; but we hare increased our apiary hv 50 per cent., and leave it in fine oonuition—clean from foulmood and well_ supplied in stores. At Nelson we will switch off from bees to anplcsbut we hope to get into touch with the -Nelson branch of the National and to hear good accounts of the season un there. We hope later to hear that most of ou r Southan.l beekeepers have had for the season U2l quite satisfactory lettirns