HONEY CROP PEOSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2404, 9 March 1915, Page 8

HONEY CROP PEOSPECTS

:: HIGHER, PRICES EXPECTED. ;. The Director of the Orchards, Gardens, ;; and Apiarios Division lias received from ; Apiary Instructors the following res' jports concerning.honey crop prospects: i. . Auckland.—As previously reported the I ; honey crops, will bo below the average. [■■■ 'In-a few cases a light late, flow slightly ' improved matters. Waikato beekeepers f report trouble with thick honey this i: eenson. Prospective good export prices L.'aro giving a stimulus to bee-keeping, t; ■ Several inquiries have been mad© regardsing suitable locations for starting. [ . Wellington.—Average crop in Tara- ; ' Bald, •Maiiawatii, and Wairarapa. A ! very; poor "crop owmg to the drought ! in Hawke!,s.;Bay. A phenomenal yield ' round Palmerstou North, ono man to : dato.(rebniary.2o, 1915) having extract- ; . ed -from-500'hives 67,2001b., with a prosi, pcot;of '-a still further yield. Higher i .prices than usual should rule this year, f . Christolmreh.—From almost every j. : . partVof -the .'district reports are'to band iv- stating this is oho-of the worst seasons '( • experienced .for-, many, years. In Marl-ihorongh-severai leading beekeepers cqmi 'iplain of the'very dry season and short-' . age 'of honey. In North Canterbury i : everything hassuffered. for want of rain. ' Several largo apiarists estimate : 'their crop will only, be' about one-quarter of ' their usual.,; These conditions are also | Applicable to Mid and South .Canterbury. There are, of. course, one or two rare i ©xcoptions to thfc ' above.. Many .bee- • keepers are asking 4d. to 4sd. hi -Bulk..' ; Seetions'-are scarce and • should > com--1 mand higher prices this season. . .-■ Dunedm.—There is;; nothing freeh ;. to report this month, conditions being j ithe same as reported "last''month; i' 1' ■ -:Z

Tha rabbit nuisance is unusually proK; nounced in tie north at present on ftoi count of the lengthy spell or dry ' . weather. In the Waitemata, Franhi lin. and Manukau Counties the settlers, f. : have risen to the occasion by forming ; .vigilance committee's to assist the in-

: ' speotors. These Mmmittees are ar- | i tangingj sifnultaneously campaigns of [; poisoning. The present is considered

; a most favourable time for such operas' itions inasmuch as feed is scarce, and i the rabbits aro more likely to attack j the poison. One reason why the post is more, ill evidence this year is that

. .the .•usual number of young rabbits i |3iav9 'not been drowned in the swamps, J i ; ;eto.-, after heavy rainfalls. i , ( !the swamps'have dried up in many dis- | .' .'iricts. and left the young rabbits'free.