LIGURIAN BEES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2039, 6 September 1880, Page 4

LIGURIAN BEES.

The shipment of Ligurian bees from San Francisco for the Acclimatisation .Sooiety, was received on Wo- aoiday by the Arawata. They wore procured from the Italian Apiarian Society at Los Angelos, and hare arrived in splendid condition. This may be aooounted for by the admirable manner in •which they were placed in the travelling hive, and the arrangements made for the long "voyage. The hire iu which they have come is an ordinary b»r frame one, covered in with wooden top and sides, and having a small ventilator, the entranoe to whioh is covered with perforated wiro netting. This is secured by a moveable hatoh, on moving which the 3>ee» were seen to be exceedingly lively, and so far as could bo saen from a cursory glance, bo large amount of loss has taken place. At the back of the hivo aro openings filled with sponges, which during the voyago have been kept filled with wator. Mr O. S. "Fan, the secretary of the Acclimatisation Society, was in wailing when the steamer arrived, and the bees were at once conveyed to Ohristeburch. During yesterday a large number of visitors interested in bee-keeping inspected them. It is intended to hold a mooting of the Council of the society at an early date to decide as to what shall be done with the bees. Wherever they have been introduced very large results in the shape of honey have been obtained, and the importation of so excellent a kind cannot fail to be of great service in forwarding the interests of bee-keeping in Canterbury. The bees were procured through the agency of Mr B. J. Oreighton, of Ban Francisco, to whose efforts in the came of acclimatisation the colony is indebted for many importations of rare and valuable contributions.