BEE-KEEPING.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1917, Page 7

BEE-KEEPING.

LOCATION AND SHELTER FOR HIVES. (By "Clematis"). Now that honey is coming intc the front rank as a pure and wholesome food, bees are to be found in the cottager's garden to supply honey fo.* family purposes. It is up to apiaries of various sizes to supply the public demand for this valuable food.

To obtain good results, one of the first things to be taken into consideration is location of apinry. A site should, if poss-. Ible, be in a dairying district, where there is an absence of native bush. Sheep country should be avoided as pastures are. grazed too closely. If good flat or rolling dairying country is selected and when extensive top dressing of pastures is carrid out, clover and good nectar supplying' plants are to be found in abundance; and. the honey produced from such sources, properly manipulated, will always find a leady sale.

The next step is to look out for suf-. fieient shelter. Most people can find sufficient shelter from garden fences, shrubs, w.d small trees in and around their gar'* dens, etc., but to those who contemplate, starting where no shelter is available I would recommend the planting of macro-" earpa, or cupressus lawsoniana. The' last named in preference as it grows more closely to the ground. As the plants take a few years to attain the desired height to serve their purpose, the? planting of a temporary fence alongside of tagastaste, better known aS tree lucerne, would serve. This would give good shelter in a couple of years, it being a very fast growing plant. Another good feature is that it bears an abundance of white blossoms durinji the winter and early spring months, adding a very welcome addition to early honey producing plants It can be grown from seed, but the seeds should first be soaked in hot water. In planting out young plants put two'feet siv inches apart, keeping the ground around the rootr. free from weeds. It will stand a fair amount of cutting, I would impress upon beekeepers that hives should not be. kept too close to shelter hedges or large trees,' or where there is a draught or dampness; for under such conditions bees become very irritable, and not only that but the com bp in the hives are very liable to become musty.

Boas require the necessary shelter from cold winds and weather, and require, also p site where they can get plenty of sunshine. 0 , j. DAMP MATS. '

After the wet weather which we have had lately look out for any damp mats on the hives. On the fir.it fine day take off any damp ones and replace with dry ones. Otherwise the combs will become mouldly and spoiled. HONEY PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION. This Association, with headquarters at Efawera, is a growing concern and offers advantages to various beekeepers. The company's turnover during the first year's operations was £2000; second year, '£<(7oo; and last year, £BOOO. Hopes are that this year will total about £l-2,000. This company has in progress the purchase of a well known box company's business, when it will be able to supply its shareholders with anything pertaining to the. apiary.