DEEKEEPING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 145082, 6 September 1916, Page 5

DEEKEEPING.

(By “Tainui.”) In this month's number of tbo Agricultural Journal there is a very good firticle on “ Comb Foundation-raakmg-_ It is well illustrated. The factory is in Hawera and is, I think, the first in New Zealand. The owner made up 301 hs of wax for me last season, a;ul I was quite satisfied with it. lie charged 8d per lb to make tip owners’ wax. OVERHAULING THE HTVES. Several correspondents have asked me about cxaniiuing their hives. My advice is; Watch your hive on a warm fine day. If the bees are busy and are taking in plenty of pollen, then you may be sure thin breeding is going on, and you need not touch the frames. By all means clean the bottom boards, and pare off all the weeds and grass from round the hives, so that the air and sun can keep the lower part of the hive dry. HOW TO PLACE YOUR HIVES. Always place the hive so that the sun can get full play on the entrance, or as nearly facing north as possible, And allow room to stand behind it when you aro at work at it. Bees do not like anyone moving about or blocking the way to the cntinneo of their hives. 1 have an almond tree about eight years old. It is now a mass of bloom. The borrnge is also flowering well. Anyone of my readers or friends are welcome to come and sec it. Von will get an object lesson on the value of certain flowers to the lives. At eight o’clock yesterday morning a neighbour cams in and told mo that my bees were swarming in the almond tree. FEEDING. Now is a good time to lift tho hive and try its weight. If light ucs lift the. cover and son if there aro any honey cells capped over near the top bars. If there is not, then it will he time to begin to feed, or you will lose your bees through the disease known ns “spring dwindling.” I will note the methods of doing this next week.