APIARY NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1933, Page 22 (Supplement)

APIARY NOTES

THE MONTH OF AUGUST. BEES GETTING MORE ACTIVE. (By D. S. Robinson, Apiary Instructor, Palmerston North.) During this month, as the days begin to lengthen, the bees will become more active, and the queen will be found to be laying her eggs in increasing numbers. It is from now on that the stores will need to be carefully watched, for as thp amount of brood increases so will the stores diminish, and this, with the increased activity of the bees will become a Ijeavy drain on the stores in the hive. At present the limited amount of flora available for the bees to work contributes but little nectar to the stores in the hives. An examination of the hives, if undertaken at this period of the year, should ; be brief and only carried out on warm, sunny days, so as to avoid the possibility of chilling any brood that may be present in the combs. Should artificial feeding be necessary, it is best carried out at sun-down to eliminate the chances of robbing by bees from neighbouring hives, and the entrances of all hives fed' should be closed down to a very small aperture. There are many excellent feeders retailed by the vendors of bee-keeping requisites, the prices of which are reasonable, being simple to use and highly efficient. To the beekeeper who wishes to use homemade feeders, the following will be found practical and useful: — Obtain a tin with a “press-on” type of lid that will hold several pounds of syrup. Punch a few holes in the lid. To use this form of feeder, fill the tin quite full of syrup, place the lid on, and take it with an empty super to the hive about to be fed. Then, quietly remove the hive cover and mat, place the empty super in position on the hive, then turn the feeder upside down on top of the frames, wrap sacking around it covering the top of the frames and replace the cover. Bees, under normal conditions, will need 20-251 b. of stores from now till the first honey flow starts. Artificial feed may be made by dissolving No. 1A sugar in hot water in the proportion of two parts sugar to one part of water, to which can be added a very small amount of vinegar, about 2oz. of vinegar to the gallon of syrup (this is to prevent the syrup becoming granulated.) Never feed honey to bees unless you are certain-the honey has been obtained from an apiary absolutely free from disease—foul brood—otherwise the result will be wholesale infection of your hives. Continue with the preparation of frames and hives required for increase during the coming season. Order all material that may be required well in advance. Repair any damaged supers, frames and roofs and repaint all material where necessary. Timely repairs, repainting and care of the apiary appliances help to keep down the cost of production. In making up hives for your bees, he sure to standardise all parts, so that all parts are well fitting and interchaneable. This will save a lot of worry, annoyance and time, when hurriedly preparing a hive to hold an unexpected swarm of bees. * * * * Golden Pudding.

Ingredients: 6oz. breadcrumbs (fine), 4oz. flour, 4oz. suet, 41b. stoned and chopped dates, J teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teacup nuts, 1 teaspoon carbonate soda dissolved in the cup of milk. Method:—Grease mould, line with dates, mix together the flour and breadcrumbs, beat together the egg; add honey, then milk with soda; mix with dry ingredients, half fill mould. Steam 2J hours. Raisins can be . substituted for dates. Serve with whipped cream or custard. # # * * Honey Almond Macaroons. Ingredients: 6ozs. flour, 4ozs. butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon castor sugar, loz. ground almonds, 1 egg. J teaspoon baking powder. Method:— Cream together butter, honey and egg. adding almonds, flour, etc. Work into a stiff dough. Break off small pieces. Roll into small balls, place a split almond in each centre. Place on greased cold trays, baking in slow oven 10 minutes.