THE APIARY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 5, Issue 2, 15 August 1912, Page 151

THE APIARY.

NOTES FOR SEPTEMBER.

F. A. Jacobsen.

At the time this goes to print the rich green leaves of early springand, the opening buds of flowers will form a transformation that all nature-lovers delight to see. The short cold days of winter , will be lengthening gradually, announcing to us that the ripening days of summer are drawing. near. The bees will commence to hum round their hives and go in search of water to help feed the young generation that is being nurtured within, and should there be a lack of stores they will sweep the surrounding country for nectar to assist in feeding their young. If this cannot be found breeding will go ahead only very slowly. If there be . a dearth of stores the beekeeper should feed syrup daily in small quantities, thus leading the bees to think that nectar may be freely gathered, and' inducing them to breed, rapidly. The queen will lay eggs in circles in the brood nest at the rate of perhaps a thousand a day, and they in turn will be cared for by the young bees. The eggs laid in worker cells are identical with those laid in queen cells, and are fed with the same kind of food for three days, when the hatching of the egg takes place. In the . case of the queen thisfood, sometimes called bee-milk, is supplied in large quantities up till the last moment of its larval existence, no other food being given. But it is different in the case of the worker grub ; for not only has its supply of bee-milk been restricted both in quality and quantity, but now —just before the time its ovaries are expected to developa change is made. Small quantities of honey and bee-milk only are fed till the end of its five days’ larval life. As soon as the larva changes into the pupa state the characteristic organs of the. adult worker bee begin to develop. She is equipped for outside work by having pollen-baskets provided on her legs, and her tongue is materially lengthened for the purpose of dipping into flowers for the nectar. She has cells provided under her body, for the purpose of manufacturing wax. An authority states that it takes ten pounds • of. honey to produce one of wax. Above these distinctions. she. becomes ‘ exceedingly active and energetic, and develops an instinctive desire to revel in the frosh air.

The queen is purely an' indoor creature, and after her nuptial flight remains in the hive performing her separate duty. She emerges to the atmosphere at swarming-time only, and heads the thousands of participants in the general discontent until a new location is found. Her whole life is taken up in the struggle to lay as many eggs as the nurse bees can look after and the season will permit, and so keep up the population of the colony. Any queen showing neglect in this respect should be replaced at some convenient time by one more prolific, as the number of bees matured in the spring largely determines the quantity of surplus honey that will be produced. Stimulative Feeding. It is generally understood that bees answer to spring feeding equally well if they have an abundance of stores or not: at least, in my own mind lam assured on this point. However, weak stocks are generally the only ones fed, and now is the time to look through the apiary and determine which is weak and which is strong. Do not disturb weak stocks too much, and when you start feeding it is advisable to continue to do so in small quantities until a little nectar is being gathered. The object is to deceive the bees into thinking a honey-flow is on, and under these conditions they breed rapidly, thus furnishing the hive with a large force of bees. Large, strong colonies are required for successful bee-culture. A suitable syrup is made with about two-thirds of water and one-third of sugar. Honey from an unknown source should never be used, as it may contain spores of foul-brood, and at all times cane-sugar is preferable. It is best to feed in the evening to guard against robbing. Fuller directions on this subject were given in the March issue of this Journal. General. This month is especially suitable for doing the cleaning-up work in an apiary, and for getting everything neat and tidy. First scrape the bottom boards of all the hives and keep the grass cut short, particularly round the entrances. Nothing looks better than a well-kept apiary; and labour spent in this work often repays the beekeeper many times over. Short grass is especially recommended round any hives where the ; queen has her wings clipped, for at swarming-time she may be easily detected hopping about in front of the. entrance. It is not convenient to have long rank grass such as cocksfoot growing luxuriantly close to the sides of hives: it not only contributes to keeping colonies damp, but is a nuisance when super manipulations are in progress, the grass getting jammed between the supers and so spreading over the frames. When several apiaries are kept it is a

good plan to feed a: few sheep or lambs in each. They are harmless and gentle, and eat the grass close down at night. Locating ’an Apiary. As the supply of grass and clover regulates the amount of stock to the acre, so does the same condition apply to what may be termed the grazing of bees. Unrestrained and at liberty, they fly where their desire prompts them, even to a distance, of three or four miles from their homes : but this does not need to occur if a suitable site has been chosen. Rich land where clover grows abundantly and little cultivation is seen is more suitable for bee-culture than any other kind ; and land of this description may be found in any dairying or bullock-fattening district. Sheep-grazing land is usually eaten too bare, yet occasionally I have heard of good flows of nectar from valleys in these areas. Plenty of willows scattered over good country add materially to the value of a district in supplying early spring feed; while a patch of bush close by would be advantageous to help in this respect. Catsear is also valuable as a nectar-producing plant, the honey being of an amber colour, smooth-grained, and of good flavour. After clover has done blooming, thistles, if in any quantity, may be expected to furnish an excellent honey of a white colour, and this blended with clover and catsear forms a very fine product and would always command the highest price. I would warn any- beginners against putting bees too near large phormium-areas, as the honey from this source is dark in colour and almost impossible to extract without breaking combs. Shelter. Next to selecting a good locality, arranging for good shelter is the most important matter. The formation of the ground about would perhaps assist in this respect. If any choice is given, select a low spot well drained, which will enable the bees to fly down when loaded for home. Such a position will lend itself more readily to being sheltered. It is preferable to make use of some natural shelter, if handy, providing the trees are not too large to cause a draught; and where there is open country I would advise putting up a temporary fence of boards or brushwood on the sides of the prevailing winds until a substantial green fence has grown. Tagasaste (Gytisus proUferus), sometimes called “ tree-lucerne,” grows very rapidly, and would make a good shelter in two seasons. Plant about 2 ft. 6 in. apart, and keep the ground round the roots free from weeds. It stands a great amount of cutting, and flowers along the branches very early in spring, thus forming a very welcome addition to early honey-producing plants.

If grown from seed, soak first in hot water and transplant carefully with plenty of ground left around the roots. The hedge should' be protected from cattle. Do not place bees too close under big trees or immediately under hedges,. or in any place that is damp, for under these conditions they become irritable and the combs are liable to get mouldy. Bees require shelter, but at the same time sunlight. Arranging Hives. Various hive arrangements may be seen in the illustrations. In the one that finds most favour the hives are placed about 8 ft. apart each

way, so that any three hives form a triangle. Under this system, no matter which way. you look, they are in rows. Another convenient way is to place the hives in groups of two or three, each group distant from the other 10 ft. to 14 ft. If placed in groups of three the centre hive should face in the opposite direction to the two outside ones, so that no confusion can take place. Sometimes the hives are placed not more than 3 ft. apart in straight rows, each row placed from 6 ft. to 10 ft. behind the other. No one method seems to work more satisfactorily than another ; so it is simply a matter of taste as to which system is preferred.

The Commission appointed to inquire into the conditions of trade and industries in South Africa has reported that the industry of beekeeping should receive every encouragement. The importation of honey, foundation comb, &c., into the Union is prohibited.