THE APIARY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3, 20 March 1928, Page 212

THE APIARY.

■ ■ AUTUMN OPERATION'S; : By the time these notes are in print the month of March will be well advanced, and beekeepers will be fully occupied in doing the last of their honey-extracting and preparing, their colonies for the winter. Should the autumn be mild, final extracting may be later than usual on account of a prolonged flow of nectar. Thistles will probably yield more nectar at this period than other plants, and will, when mixed with clover, or catsear, produce a white,. clear, and delicately flavoured honey which forms a splendid exporting article. Should late extracting be necessary, great care must be taken to check robbing ; an apiary may soon become demoralized if precautionary measures are not taken. When once robbing starts it may prove a difficult, matter to stop. Thousands of bees may be killed- by endeavouring to enter the wrong hives, and thereby the strength of the colonies be very much weakened ; or the colonies may even . be rendered incapable .of going, through the winter. When robbing has commenced, do not open any more hives until the trouble is controlled. This may be done by syringing the entrances- of . the offending hives with water, and in bad cases by placing wet grass over the entrances until the disturbance has been quelled. . Do not on any account leave combs of honey open to attack, or keep a hive open an instant longer than necessary. If the colony attacked should be weak, contract the entrance in addition to the above-mentioned precautions. It may be necessary to suspend work in the apiary during the day, doing as much as is thought advisable in the early morning. FOUL-BROOD. At all times of the year foul-brood is a menace to the beekeeping industry, and it is advisable to always keep a sharp lookout for any symptoms. This is especially the case during the spring and autumn months; and before pronouncing any colony fit for wintering the brood-nest should be carefully examined for the slightest sign of the disease. If a trace is discovered, or the disease is found in a more advanced state, judgment must be used as to the advisability of destroying the colony completely or of treating it. WINTER STORES. As advised last month, do. not fail to determine the ’ quantity of stores available in the hives for winter consumption. A plentiful supply is sound economy, and my . advice is that not less than 30 lb. of honey be left in each hive. There are occasions when late swarms have not gathered sufficient for their own wintering purposes, and then they must be fed either with clean, healthy honey, or with sugarsyrup. Never use honey from an unknown source. . . CLEANLINESS AND ORDER.. Before finally leaving the hives for winter it is a good plan to scrape the bottom-boards free of all the rubbish that has accumulated during the summer, thereby helping to keep the bees in a healthy condition. Also scrape the alighting-boards clean, and clear any

long grass surrounding the hives ; this will tend to keep away dampness. The hives should be placed on blocks several inches off the ground, and in a sheltered position where they may receive a considerable portion of the days sunshine. Any leaky covers or split supers should be removed from the hives, and sound ones put in their place. Remember bees require dryness and warmth.

—E. A. Earp,

Senior Apiary Instructor, Wellington