HONEY CROP PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2981, 19 January 1917, Page 8

HONEY CROP PROSPECTS

; . Tho Director of . the Horticulture • . Division has received froin tho .Apiary J ■- Instructors the'following reports conj, cerning tho honey 'crop,''prospects:— [..' : Auckland. —Tho indications are for a :■ • good yield in tho Auckland districts, i Tho frequent showers have caused tho white clover to blossom freely, and in '■ consequence the honey this year should i bo of good quality. i "Wellington.—Tho honey crop pros* j pecte for tho 1917 season are ■ very ' ! ■ - ■ bright. 'What is really wanted now is j ■ 'a few shovyers of rain to freshen up tho j clover again and stimulate growth. An j unheard of thing for .the Hawera i ■'•■ district is a crop of about fivo tons of !• jbush honey beforo Christmas. Honey ! 'is not usually gathered in this district ; : until after Ohristmas. The bees gen- • 'erally are in good condition for tho i 'Sow, and tho expectations are for a : good crop all round. f Christchurch. —The very dry season ; exporienoed on the plains this year is ■■'"" not conducive to tho best, conditions ;'' for beekeeping, and only, a small crop ,; "is anticipated, but nearer tho range of : .hills extending from north to south j - beneficial showers havo fallen gencr- : 'ally, much to the advantage of apiar- | ists, who aro reasonably looking forj , ward to a fair crop. From Banks ; 'Peninsular affair crop can bo expected. ! K It depends ,very much what rain we J • -set now on tho continuance of the ! Eoney flow. j Dunedin.—lndications point to a half j .crop in South Canterbury and North i Otago districts. Hot north winds have j "'. 'dried up the clover pastures, and in I '-some quarters no surplus will be taken. I • In Otago and Southland conditions are f favourable for another good season. I Tile clover began yielding quite six ; • weeks earlier, and as'"ar result beei keepers have started extracting a I . ' month in advance of last season. Again i the quality is excellent. Prices are J likely to be maintained.