BEE NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16506, 6 August 1919, Page 8

BEE NOTES.

(By “Tainui.”) With this month ire commence a new season, and it is a good plan to think out our objectives for the season. On line days bottom boards should bo cleaned, and a light inspection of tho hives made. Bicoding will now begin in earnest, and the hive will require plenty of food, a shortage for only one week at-this time of the year means a serious set-back. If there are no stores then breeding is kept down and consequently the hives will be weak because tiio boos that have carried the hivo through tho winter arc dying and if there are no young ones to take their place the “spring dwindling” disease will carry the day, and the bees die out or aro so weak in numbers that it takes all tho summer to recover. giving tho owner no return in tho shape of honey. Syrup, 1 of sugar to 1 of water (boiling water to dissolve the sugar) and feed. New warm milk is good as a food at this time of the year, as it is' stimulating, but it must be kept going. A hivo without store honey will want at least 201 be of sugar given this way. GOVERNMENT APIARIES. Hie following- notes aro from official reports, which may interest my readers who are rc-queening their apiaries :- ■‘The past season was exceptionally unfavourable for queen-rearing, and but little honey was obtained at the main apiary ... . During tho season 47 cadets attended the apiary courses, via., 24 women, 17 returned soldiers, and six others. “Sale of queens: A large number of queens and colonics were sold during tho year, the orders far exceeding the supply, over £2OO worth being refused. It is suggested that for this season no queens sold from Ruakura except those supplied with colonies of bees, but that all orders for queens be sent to Tauraranga for fulfilment. Enakura could continue to supply a limited number of nuclei, but these should be reserved for returned soldiers and cadets.” NORTH ISLAND BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION, A meeting of tho committee will be held on Saturday evening next, the 9th inst at 7.30 p.m. at the Technical College. Business: arrangement of demonstrations during the coming season.