MONEY IN HONEY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1776, 14 June 1913, Page 26

MONEY IN HONEY.

ITS VALUE AS A FOOD. BEES AS FARM LABOURERS. During the coming week a big conference of bee-keepers from all parts of Jfcw Zealand is to be held in Wellington, and .it is confidently expected that as the results of its deliberations there will shortly be a revival of tho business of honey-raising in New Zealand.. There is at present a full domnnd for all the honey that is produced, but there is practically no limit to tho way that demand might easily be extended within our own shoTes, without considering the export. trade. Sugar is only a.product of the last few centuries, and it is only within the last generation that refined sugar has become cheap enough to be within the reach of all. In tho prc--sugar days honey was tho universal sweetener. Apart from the frequent Scriptural mention of bees and honey and the allusion to, bees in the Egyptian hieroglyphics of four thousand years ago, Aristotle, the philosopher in tho fourth century, 8.C., and 200 years later Virgil, the poet, and Pliny, the naturalist, all wrote about bees and beekeeping. In medieval times, too, it is recorded that the Saxon lords often accepted their tithes and rents in honey. The production of hon?y is, therefore, ono of the oldest of Nature's industries, and ono of the most ncoessary up to the days of cheap sugar. But sugar, whether it be produced from beet or cane, cannot be considered so healthy a product as honey. The latter makes less demand on the digestive organs. When canesugar is taken into the stomach it cannot be assimilated (says Dr- C. C. Miller) until first changed by digestion into grape sugar. Only too often the overtaxed stomach fails properly to perform its functions, and sour stomach with its various dyspeptic phases ensues. Professor A. J. Cook says: "If cane-sugar is absorbed without change it will be removed by the kidneys, and may result in their "breakdown; and physicians may be correct in assorting that the consumption of cane-sugar by the nineteenth century man is harmful to the great elimi-nator&-the kidneys—and so becomes a menace to health and long life."

These quotations are made to emphasise the abounding wealthfulncss of honey as a'food-stuff, and an industry that every ; farmer might consider as part of his homestead equipment, if not for the express purpose of making money, for tho benefit of having always a fresh stock of honey for tho home larder.

How;to Commence Bee-keeping. According to Mr. Isaac Hopkins, late Apiarist to the Government, tho best time for a beginner to start is in the spring or early summer. He should, never commence in the autumn, except under the guidance of a practical man.' Tho outlay in tho first instance should not exceed what is required to make a small beginning. "Go slow" should bo tho maxim of all beginners. The hivc3 should be ready in the early spring, and arrangements should then have been made with a, neighbouring bee-keeper for a couple of early swarms, which should not weigh less than 51b. each. There are approximately 5000 bees to the pound, so that a fivejpound swarm would contain some 25,000 Dees. To ascertain tho weight of the swarm, a ewarm-box should bo supplied by the purchaser in which to put the bees- Weigh the box before using and again when the btes are in it. Deduct tho weight of the box from tho gross weight, and the difference will bo tho weight (and approximate number) of bees. A swetrm of 51b. and over is practically certain to have a. laying queen at its head as a second or after-swarm with a virgin queen weighs much loss. A good swarm is invariably free from all disease, otherwise the colony could not have thrown it off. Take the advice of the nearest successful bee-farmer and let him bring and' hive the swarms for vou if possible, as it will give you a good lesson, in handling bees. It is 'best al-

ways to comnieneo with common boo 3, anil later on to Italianise the hives with good queens from reliable breeders. Who Should Not Keep Bees. In one of bis pamphlets Mr. Hopkins says :— "All beginners suffer more or less from tho effects of the bee-sting poison, but in most cases tho bad effects wear off gradually as tho system becomes inoculated . against tho jioison, till, finally, little ineonvonienco is felt from a eiting than would bo caused by the prick of a needle. In rare instances, however, people are to bo found who suffer so severely that a sting is positively dangerous to them, their systems seeming neveT to become immune to tho poison. It is scarcely necessary to say that such peoplo should not keep bees. Again.

there are individuals too nervous to pro among thoir bora without being armourclad, (is it wore, from head to foot. I have known many such) who have kept bees for a long time, and jet havo ncreT been able to get over their nervousness. In my opinion such people should not keep bees. No person who manages his bees properly can escape being stung occasionally, though I am sometimes told about individuals (I have never como into contact with them) who can do anything with, bees without being stung.. I have to listen, but never contradict a person who tells mo this—it is suggestive, though." Bee-culture offers a 6plendid opportunity for our settlers' wives and daughters, who would care for a healthy, out-

door, and profitable occupation. As tlio result of encouragement given "by the Department of Agriculture, quite a nuinber of ladies aro taking up the industry, unda.ro finding both pleasure and profit in it. Ladies who tako to it mako excellent apiarists—much better on. tlio averago than men. In America tliey rank among tlio most successful beekeepers, and peasants' wives on the Continent usually look after tho household bees, from which a considerable portion of tho household revenue is derived. Tlicro is nothing to prevent <i healtli.y young woman from managing and doing tlio work (with a little assistanco during tiio height of tho season) of an apiary of 100 hives. Tho work carried out by tho lady apiarists at Ruakurn and Wereroa State Farms, where in addition to their actual bee-work tliey put together and paiut

tho hiv«s, make the frames, and do everything necessary on a bee-farm, affords practical proof that there is nothing connected with bee-farming but what a woman can accomplish. Profits in Boe-keeping, It is reasonable, Mr. Hopkins supposes, that tho prospective bee-farmor should want to know something as to the probable profits attached to tho, business. All industries require, more or less, tho combination of the three eloments—capital, labour, and skill. Although bee-farm-ing cannot be carried on without tho aid of the first two aids, it mainly depends on tho skill of, tho apiarist to determine what tho profits will bo. "It would be easy," says Mr. Hopkins,

"for mo to show somo surprising results I hat have been achieved in Now Zealand, but it vtoulil perhaps bo dangerous (o quote- such ovon as maximums. As an ostimate, however, I may state that from; a woll-conducled apiary, in an' average good district, tho net profits per colony of bees should reach from 17s. to JSI per annum through a number of successive seasons, which estimate I consider well within tho mark." Text Books. Thoso who think seriously of taking up bee-keeping will bo interested to learn tho names of reliablo toxt-lxioks on tho subject of bee-keeping. The following may be said to be reliable:—"Tho ABC and XYZ of Bee-Culture," "Laugstroth on the Honey Bee," "Cook's Manual of tho Apiary," "Advanced 800-Culture," "British Beo-keepers' Guide," and "Tho Australasian Beo Manual" (by (Isaac Hopkins).