Lecture on Bee-Keeping.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42766, 17 August 1905, Page 2

Lecture on BeeKeeping.

ME HOPKINS AT WAIHJU. Mr Hopkins, the Government bee expert, on Tuesday evening, gave a highly interesting lecture in the Waihou School, to a large and appreciative audience. Quite a number of ladies were present, some of whom took a practical interest in the lecture. The Chairman, Mr Thomas, introduced the lecturer, and Mr Hopkins proceeded, saying that he was here at the request of the W aihou Branch of the Farmers’ Union to give an address on “ Bee-keeping up-to-date,” in which he would try to interest the audience. He said that the reason the Agricultural Department had taken up the matter, was to try and place in the farmers’ hands another source of income, Bee-keeping would never be overdone, as the sting of the bee kept many out of it, and those who intended to try and make a living out of it need not be frightened of everyone rushing in. Deferring to the history of Beekeeping, he would only review such as was connected with its start in New Zealand to lead up to the prospects. In 1839 bees were first introduced into the colony, that is, the common bla< k bee. In 1840 Lady Hobson introduced some fr >m New South Wales, and Mr Bumby brought some from England after Lady Hobson in 1840. Mr Cotton, chaplain to Bishop Selwyn, brought some, then Mrs Allen sent some from England to Nelson, where they arrived safely. None but Italian bees have been introduced since this, and the descendants of those first consignments of bees are throughout the country. In 1878 Mr Hopkins started Beekeeping in the old style. He thought that a better plan might be evolved than that of the old box hive. He was working in the dark until 1884, when he got information from America of the Langthorn hive. This hive is now almost universally used, not only in America, but is the standard hive in England, and all over the Continent of Europe. There has not been one introduced yet that has been found as suitable as the Langthorn. All kinds of hives had been put on the New Zealand market but were not adopted freely. The standard hive has also been adopted throughout Australasia. In 1882-4 there was a glut of honey on the market owing to everyone suddenly taking up the trade. At this time the lecturer said he had seen the honey badly packed in kerosene or other tins in a condition which would disgust anybody. After this the trade gradually fell into specialists’ hands, and has been in this position since 1886. There are a number of persons who have been keeping bees since 1880, and yet are enlarging their apiaries and are very well satisfied withit. In 1889 Mr hopbins managed to open the English market for New Zealand’s best honey, and it still holds the premier place of all foreign honey, He then mentioned Mo r it mil’s letter which had appeared in the press. New Zealand honey, he said, had only two competitors (Narbonne and some kinds of English honey. The Californian variety was not really a rival of our own. Ours was on the same footing as the best Mediterranean and English honey. It was not out of place to try and foster Bee-keeping at present. The New Zealand markets are now taking 600 tons per year. He got this by means of statements from the leading merchants in the chief centres. There is he said, an unlimited market at Home for the best honey. It was, however, no use to send second or third-rate honey and think <to get a good price. The best plan was to seek a good district where good honey could be raised, and plenty of it. With regard to the extent to which the industry could be carried on here in New Zealand, considering, the advantages, we ought to be able to carry it on, in proportion to the population, better than any other country in the world. Mr Hopkins stated that the output for America was 55,803 tons, and this would give an idea of the magnitude of the industry there. New Zealand can, without doubt, raise the finest honey in the world. The interest taken in this subject by Mr Hopkins, induces him to do his level best. He is taking note of the quality in various districts. By-and-bye statistics would be available at the Agricultural Department in Wellington for the information of those starting who wished to get information as to a suitable place. Specimens of honey could also be seen in the Wellington Museum. Bee-keeping was not suitable for everyone. His advice to a person starting was to lay out as little money as possible at first, £6 or £7 would be sufficient, for the first season, at all events. Do not rush in thinking to learn it all at once. Here was related an amusing anecdote of a man who once applied to Mr Hopkins for work, saj jng he could learn bee-keeping in three months. Mr Hopkins said he had been at it thirty years and not yet learnt all. It was no use starting with only one hive, for | if the queen was Ins 1 , the colony was | doomed, but with two or three hives a lost queen could be replaced from one of the other hives. It was necessary to get an up-to-date book to profit by the experience of qthers. -Start with the common black bee, The Italian ’ bee is undoubtedly the best, and some 1 say that they gather twice as much honey as the common bee. lie would say that where the black bee would gather 50 lbs of honey, the Italian bee would gather 75 lbs. By starring with tij.o black variety it was easy to Italianise it afterwards at much less expense. j

Mr Hopkins would like to see and will try to start a Bee-keepers Association. Where there are say a dozen bee-keepers they should form an Association and meet once a month or as often as convenient and not only compare notes, but also, if any concessions were wanted ia railway freight, etc., a body can do far more than a single individual. An association can send for their supplies together and get wholesale discount from the supplier, finding it in every way bettor to work unitedly. This was Mr H >pkin’s first or poin©ering trip, and he could not spend much time in one place, but next time he would stay longer, starting a Bee* keepers’ Association, having the rules drafted already Speaking to farmers on apiculture in relation to agriculture, the papers in the first bulletin written by him contained certain points noticed by Mr Hopkins in bee-keepers of long expert* ieuce and these papers were instruct ions for those who are already keepers as well as for beginners. Some farmeis were complaining without thought that bees, working on their pasturos had been depriving cattle and sheep and impoverising the land. [Balance in next issue.]