HONEY-CROP PROSPECTS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 5, 15 May 1913, Page 553

HONEY-CROP PROSPECTS.

The Director of the Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division has received the following reports on the honey-crop prospects from the- Apiary Instructors :

Auckland.—The honey crop for the Auckland District has been good on the whole. The prices ruling at present are from 10s. to Ils. per dozen 2 lb. tins for first grade and from Bs. to 9s. for second grade ;; inferior grades about 2|d. in bulk. The Waikato Beekeepers’ Association has exported about 10 tons, and has a further shipment to forward next month; this will no doubt have a tendency to harden prices locally. G. V. Westbroolce.

Wellington. The honey crop having been gathered, attention is directed to the marketing question. The crop on the whole is medium, but of good quality. Prices for good bulk produce range from 4d. per pound, and are holding firm. 21b. tins are quoted at from 10s. to Ils. per dozen ; ditto glass jars. 13s. to 14s. A small shipment will be exported shortly, from Taranaki.— F. A. Jacobsen. .

Christchurch.—The export trade for honey has commenced in Canterbury, and a trial lot has been despatched to both England and America. It is anticipated that prices will be to the advantage of producers, as the honey sent is of excellent quality. In Canterbury/beekeepers are getting from to 4|d., and in some instances as much as 5d., in bulk; retailed—2 lb. tins Is., 21b. in glass, jars Is. 4d. • sections, from Cd. to Bd. A little more care is being taken by the producers in turning out honey in a more attractive and marketable form.— L. Bowman.

Dunedin.—Some very good yields of honey, have been taken from bees during the past season in North Otago. Taking the district as a whole a record crop - has been obtained, but two instances of good management tend to show how profitable bees become when run as a side line.. Mr. John• Patterson, Ngapara, secured 1,218 lb. from six hives, an average of 203 lb. per colony. Mr. A. McDonald,'Enfield, secured 1,020 lb. from five colonies of black bees, with an increase of seven stocks. Bulk honey is coming forward steadily. Prices are unchanged. Small lots of honey in-paper bags met with good demand. As yet no pat honey has come to hand. Good sections are scarce.— A. Earp.'

According to the Station fur Pflanzenscliutz, Hamburg, the following Temperate Zone fruit was imported- to Hamburg during the year from July, 1911, to June, 1912: From North America, 354,207 barrels and 86,620 cases of apples, and 509 barrels-and 1,134 cases of pears; from. South America, 9 barrels and 39 cases of apples; from Australia, 190,328 cases of apples, and 3,696 cases of pears. ,