THE APIARY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 5, 15 May 1913, Page 524

THE APIARY.

MARKETING THE CROP.

F. A. JACOBSEN.

The important question of marketing the products of the apiary to better advantage is now, it is gratifying to know, receiving the attention its importance demands. Canterbury beekeepers are combining to this end. It is proposed to establish a depot at Christchurch in charge of a capable man, for the purpose of regulating market supplies of honey, and thereby maintain its value on the local market. . Beekeepers •as a body are so busily employed at the • season of harvest, and are so much wrapped up in the work of managing their bees, that they are apt to neglect the commercial side of their business. If this were placed in competent hands much benefit would undoubtedly result. Should. the Canterbury idea succeed, similar movements will assuredly .be established in other parts of the country. When ■ the necessary co-operation comes • about the industry will be placed on a most satisfactory basis. ; .

Much attention has been given to the producing of large , crops of honey, while until recently little time was given to effective. marketing. The crop was "usually sold at the purchaser’s own figure, and • was delivered in kerosene or petrol tins. '■ Again, when a good harvest was gathered the markets were usually burdened with an. excess of produce, and prices naturally declined. : Honey should, as a food of high-standing quality, receive every care, and it should be; put up in' the most attractive form.' • In nearly : every case the honey is sold, in 56 lb. tins, and its subsequent preparation for sale is left to the grocer. He may or may not know something, of melting-and bottling honey; but in • many cases the delicate flavour of otherwise excellent produce is spoiled through overheating/ Conditions such as these do not tend to increase the demand and make honey the popular food it should be. To win the confidence of the public, and protect the industry, it would be an excellent thing if ' beekeeper's, in selling their honey to grocers, would make arrangements to bottle or tin it for them. . This would place the honey before the public in its: original state, with none of its • good qualities lost. The beekeeper could supply his own neat label, and make arrangements with the grocer to have a display of the produce in some prominent ‘ part of the window. Failing this, he should send minute instructions as to melting.

Forms of Marketing. One of the forms in which the consumer buys honey is in various - sized, tins. This is a cheap way of putting up the crop, as tins are not nearly so costly as glass jars, and stand more handling. The demand is greatest for the 2 lb. size. When catering for the fancy trade 1 lb. and 2 lb. glass jars are . used. The screw-top kind is preferable. No other methods of marketing honey show the produce off to better advantage. Compressed-paper-pulp pots, the shape of a tumbler, are attracting more attention now than formerly. They are very clean in appearance, and look especially attractive when the printing is neatly done on the outside. The pots have a white paraffined inside surface, and are less costly than glass or tinware. Still another method, and a very good one, is that of preparing honey in Aikin honey-bags. These are of tough paper coated with paraffin. The honey is poured into them, and allowed to stand until granulation has taken place. . Pat-honey Boxes. The honey is run into these boxes just before granulation. The box is then divided off into compartments . with sheets of tin. The blocks from the compartments are just the right size for recutting into pats. The honey is allowed to granulate hard. The boxes are then un-

screwed and the blocks . cut up on a recutting frame. . The honeypats are wrapped first -in plain parchment paper, then in a printed wrapper, like butter. This method entails a considerable amount of work, and, unless the beekeeper has plenty of time, which is not likely, any of the other methods are preferable.

Phenomenal Yields

Mr. Arundell, of Patea, Taranaki, reports some exceptional yields this year. His queens were originally purchased from the queenbreeding apiary of the Waerenga Experimental Farm, but some of them are daughters of Waerenga queens bred by himself. His two best hives produced last year 3311 b. and 1551 b., and this year 4631 b. and 409 lb. respectively. His other hives, of which he has about twenty-eight, did almost equally well.

A remarkable average yield from thirty-four colonies of mainly hybrid bees was secured by Mr. Lloyd, of Manaia, Taranaki. Three tons, all but 5 lb., have been extracted, an average of 197 lb. per colony, while about 1,000 lb. has' been left in the hives for spring feeding. . '

A Striking Display.

The accompanying photograph is a fine example of individual enthusiasm combined with ’ commercial enterprise. It illustrates a display made by Mr. A. L. Luke at the last Taihape show. Mr. Luke believes in doing things thoroughly, and in this he has set an example to others in the beekeeping business.

The whole display was - produced and prepared by Mr. Luke himself, and formed one of the most attractive exhibits of honey ever made in the Dominion.

SEASONABLE NOTES.

A beekeepers association has been formed in Marlborough. Twentytwo beekeepers attended the initiatory meeting. Mr. Frank Daines, Blenheim, is the secretary.

Now you have time to spare do the many little things which if postponed for a busier period will be neglected altogether.

Have you any old hives that need repairing ? Do this now. Painting and otherwise preserving the plant can also be done in the off season with advantage. • ■ . ■

System is invaluable in beekeeping. Therefore map out your ’next season’s work and make the necessary preparations now, so that every detail may be carried out without delay and in its due season.