HONEY CROP PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2715, 9 March 1916, Page 8

HONEY CROP PROSPECTS

The Director of the Horticulture Division has received from the apiary instructors the following-report's; concerninghoney crop.prospects\ Auckland:—The past month • has. been very dry; and .the flow, has-suddenly Stooped' in most'parts. . Where maize is flowering the bees are getting a* little nectar. At the Ruaknrn; State -Apiarythey are' working on the lucerne.- very freelv'. I'rices-of- all grades of -honey are likely .to be, : high this season, . and merchants .are, eagerly 'inquiring "' for hoiiey. The cropigenerally in the Auckland districts will, be an average-one. Weliin<rton. —Prices'! a-re jgood everywhere; /21b.'tins' 'are .bringing 135., per dozen f,o:r, JThe flow,, however,• is ;about over, but for a'few tjristles. . ••• ' Christchurch —A few slight showers, have improved the pastures, and there is a little honey being stored in the supers. It is feared that the general poor 'condition of stocks and' the lateness of the flow will take bees all their time to gather sufficient to go through ' vinter successfully., Bee-keepers must make a thorough examination of brood combs, and stocks found short of 'stores should bs liberally-, fed with syrup. This Reason is one of the worst experienced for a, very long time. Prices are much better owing to the scarcity. - Dune din.—Conditions in South Canterbury and North Otago are unchanged, reports confirming a disastrous season. Bee-keepers have ' suffered severely through continual drought, the losses being appalling. In -Southland, heavy crops have been netted, beekeepers reaping excellent returns. Extracting is still in progress, and final stocks will not be available, for some little time. Prices are high, and lines offering are eao-erly taken up,- the supply not- equalling 'the demand; - The duality is excellent,--as is usual when the clover is good. .