BEEKEEPING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16590, 12 November 1919, Page 6

BEEKEEPING.

(By “Tainui.”) To-day Mr. Jacobsen, senior inspector of apiaries, will arrive, in New Plymouth and on Thursday will give a demonstration at Mr. F. \V. Foreman's apiary, Tikorangi, at 2 p.m. All hoc- ; keepers should make an effort to attend ! either this demonstration or tho one, j 'to be hold at Inglewood on the 27th i hist., as these are tho only chances j they will have this year of seeing Mr. I Jacobson.- owing to his large district, [ taking him away for a long period. Anyone wanting his services or advice should write the Agricultural Depart- | ment, New Plymouth, or the secretary | of tho local Beekeeping Association. They will find that, the inspector is only too willing to help anyone, both with assistance and advice. The vagaries of the weather arc having a bad effect on the bees near the coast; further inland tho bees are doing fairly well. There is a fair amount of clover about, but there will be no honey gathered from it until there is a decided rise in tho average temperature. Tho shortage of sugar is causing somo worry to beekeepers who have to feed. Several hives have succumbed to starvation during tho past week. News reaches me of several swarms; they too will die unless a change takes place very soon. At ono of our demonstrations held lately a question; was asked as to the number of bees in a swarm. It is impossible to estimate the mimer unless they can bo weighed. It is generally agreed that when the bees are in a normal condition there are about 5000 to a. pound weight, when loaded with honey, as when swarming, there are about 4500. An ordinary swarm weighs about 51b., therefore there would bo about 22,000 in it. The day of the black bee seems to be palling. I hear that several local beekeepers are sending for Italian : queens from both north and south breeding establishments, while one informs mo that he is likely to send to Australia for some, ,and another is in touch with Rorts, U.S.A., re getting I half a dozen of their stock. It is certainly an object lesson to see the sple.ndid hives of bees which are mustered by Italians. Each demonstration proves' that in all districts they j are superior so far as numbers arc concerned. Ono cannot but notice tho change which is taking place in tho weather during the spring months, and onr old friend Mr. Hopkins thus delivers himself in his notes for last month in tho “Fruit-grower”:— “In former times wo always looked upon October as the great advancing month, commencing during tho first week, but there has been a great change since then. October instead of being the delightful month it used to bo, is more often boisterous and stormy, and anything but conducive to swarming.’’