BEEKEEPING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16760, 9 June 1920, Page 8

BEEKEEPING.

. (By “Tainui.”) Just a reminder to my readers of tho Winter Show which opens on Wednesday next. Wo hope to have a good competition this year. Do not be late with exhibits, as the show committee have decided'not to allow exhibits to go into competition which are not staged by I.L a.m. Last year tho jedging was nearly completed when aa exhibitor fom Bell Block turned up with an exhibit, delaying the judging for more than an hour. Any such exhibits this year will be staged after tin* judging with a “late” tichet attached. VALUE OF ITALIANS. 1 Dr. Blackley, who is Italianising his apiary, is making some interesting discoveries as to tho relative value of tho various varieties as honey gatherers. So far as the observations go, -the blacks do more work in the early part of the season, and by about November aie in the hotter, condition. After this period the yellows begin to forge ahead, overtaking the blacks..in. the autumn, and consequently going into wintef quarters in much the better condition. “Of course,” the doctor naively adds, “tho Italian is an out and out robber, and it may be that robbery is the key to the small stores of the blacks and the rich ones of the .yellows in the autumn. It will ho interesting to know if any of my readers have noticed any- difference in tho earning capacity of their bees, particularly those who have “yellows or hybrids with their blacks. Mr. Beale informed mo some time ago that some of his black bees had done quite as well as his Italians. REGISTRATION. Most of my readers will have received a registration notice by this time and will be wondering why, when they are 1 already registered. The Apiary Department have kindly forwarded me a copy of tho Gazette notice re the matter. I quote regulation 3 for general information “Every heo-keoper shall, on or before the 15th day Of August, 1917, and ir. the month of June in the year 1930, and in every third year thereafter, make application to tho Director of Apiaries, Horticultural Division of Agriculti re, in or to the effect of the form, in tho schedule hereto, for the registration of his apiary, provided that in the event of (a) any apiary being established, or (b) any apiary being transferred from one beekeeper to another. .... Subsequent to the .gazetting of these regulations, application for the registration o£ such apiary must bo made as directed within 31 days after such establishment of transfer has been effected. Three forms of application for registration of-an apiary shall bo obtainable, free of charge, from the director or from any district agent or apiary instructor of tho Department of Agriculture and Commerce.” My readers will note that these regulations mean that all beekeepers have to re-register this month, and any beekeeper who docs not comply with tho regulations will he liable to the penalties attached, viz., a fine of £5. Messrs. Beale and Sandford are the local district agents to whom applications for forms .should bo made.