WHENUAKURA APIARY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1742, 6 May 1913, Page 8

WHENUAKURA APIARY.

A SEASON'S WORK. The following notes' on the season's working of the Whenuakura. Apiary, Paten, nvoi supplied by Mr. W. J. Arundell Tiic honey season 15112-13 lias now eloscd, ond although a liiiK-h bettor yield has been obtained than last season, this season cannot 1» classed as a good one. Very littlo surplus honey was stored before Christmas, ami the honey flow closed abruptly in the beginning of March. There was plenty of clover during January and February, but tlio gales wero so frequent t'hat .dho bees were unable to get out. The 'plan for the season was to endeavour to prevent all swarming, with the Tesult that oily four swarms issued and tlnso were promptly returned. Spring count 23 hives, and tlio same 23 are going into winter quarters, with tlio addition of five, nucleus hives containing young queens reared from a 22 queen, this strain, combining all the best qualities, viz., gentleness, non-swarming, and persistent honey collectors in all weathers. Tlio season's ■honey is of splendid quality. The total yield from 23 colonies wa.s 3801b. I encloso yield of each hive, also tlio amount takeiv from same hives last year. Tlioso marked were now swarms or nucleus last year. I luive also marked these colonies headed bv a No. 22 queen. Yield. Yield. Hive lb. lb. No. ' Mil-12. 1012-13. 1 32 70 22 Queen 2 15 275 i nil Sfi « SI) 75 fi 52 259 8 58 136 0 73 76 11 31 00 12 22 114 3 23 291 22 Queen 11 27 270 16a 120 56 22 Queen • 16c 155 409 lGd 134 il3 Glass hivo 71 157 22 Queen 22 331 463 22 Queen 22a 8t 167 22 Queen 22b 101 67 22 Queen 22c 161 192 22 Queen 22d nil 59 22 Queen 21 nil 110 25 55 100 , V 112 131 Mr. ATimdell states that No. 22 hive has not swaimed for two seasons.