BEEKEEPERS MEET

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 3

BEEKEEPERS MEET

Lantern Lecture Proves To Be Instractive MR. RIESTERER'S ADDRESS An instructive and intefesting lantern lecture was given 'by Mr L. Riesterer, apiary instructor, jn the Dominion Buildings, Hastings. The lecture was more or less in the nature of a refresher .course, as the subjects touched on by the speaker had already been dealt with at the various lectures and held days which had been held throughout the season. The first phase of the lecture was a clever coloured sketch showing scenes in the life of the honey bee. Energetic workers were sliown gathering honev and pollen -from flowers and propalis or bee glue frcm the tree trunk and carrying their loads to* their hives. Th,e scene inside the hive itself was a very animated one. Workers .were busy a entilating the hive and evaporating surplus " moisture, then, storing away the . ripe honey. Others were storing away pollen, while nurse bees were busy making-bee-bread of pollen, honey and water for the youpg Iarvae. The nest few scenes ehowed children obviously enjoying honey. Then came a scene which showed that bears as well as human beings fully appreciate the delecate food. One brown bear was up a tree rpbbing a swarm, while another devOured honey already gathered. Their .companion, however, had an unhappy appearance as if he had just reccived a sting. A beek,eeper was shown with beard and siderwhiskers formed by a Jarge swarm of bees; he. looked as if hq enjcyed it too. . A view of the interior of air- old skep hive was "of interest. Althougb, it is illegal in. New Zeaiand to use: hives other than * thoso with movable frames, the old skep hives are stil] used ' in Holland and some other counitries. A letter was shown from the British Hijiialagan Expeditiou, statipg that members of the expeditiou had once lived on nothing but honey for' ten days. Various kinfis of bee-ware wero shown, the lecturer explainjng the use ol tfie ditferfin't hive parts apd appliapces. Apiaries iu various* parts of New Zeaiand were shown, inc.uding the apiar> at' Euakura Farm of Instructi'on. A coloured plate clearly showed the wax-iormmg scaies on the worker bee. Wax tounaatiou, wax cbinb, the pest wax rnoth, a wax press and a wax foundation mill were 'then shown. A' reversable honey extractor, a pump tor pumping honey from the extractor to the honey tank apd a go'od plan for a hQney house wefe also shown. At the close of the lecture a recipe for a honey cake was given on the screen. In proposing' a vote of thanks to the speaker, Mr Lowe said be thought that even old beekeepers would have l^arnt something from the lecture. He also said that Mr Biesterer always gav'e his best and his best was a very good best. This le ture more or less cfmpku; the seasonal programme, as the season will close with the annual meeting, which will be held in the Cliamber of Commerce room at 7.45 p.m. on Ma.v 19.