BEE KEEPING.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1511, 11 March 1882, Page 3

BEE KEEPING.

a very interesting series of papers on the above subject has been running for some months past in the Otago Witness. The writer is evidently a man who has considerable practical knowledge of his subject. The series is concluded in the issue of the 7th ult. with the following general directions to bee-keepers : As I have now concluded the present series of articles, and before I bid my readers farewell for a short time, I will just once more, and in a condensed form, impress upon them the most important points to be observed by those who wish to attain success in bee keeping. As the season advances, and before winter sets in, I shall — as occasion may lequire— give some further necessary advice as to the management and winteiing of stocks. First oi all, then, let it be your constant aim to keep your colonies as strong as possible. Never allow them to throw moie than one swarm— whether honey or increase be your aim it matters not. Most eminent aparians seem in this respect, at all events, to be unanimous' and so I think ought we to be— cent, per cent, should satisfy any one ; at all events, try it under favorable conditions, and I have no fear to leave the issue in your hands. Never, if you can otherwise avoid it, go between the bees and their fly-hole, and you will escape many a sting. When you open the hive prevent jariing as much as possible, for it only angers the bees when you knock the hive about, and makes them readier to attack you ; but never flinch when they shoot only at you or your hand, you will find that you will seldom get a sting ; be spat ing ot smoke, unless they are really vicious, but then master them by all means. Always remember that i& easier for you to take the bees to a distant pasture than for the bees to take advantage of such pasture. When far away it will benefit the bees much, less yoniself ; it will only be a fiom hand-to-mouth affair with them if they have fai to go. Never feed your bees outside, nor leave any comb about the hives ; see that they have sufficient honey for the winter, 01 , in fact, at any time, and you will not be much posted by robbers. Also, never allow a colony to remain queenless longer than a day without giving them the mateiial to raise another queen. Hememberthc loss of a queen is to a colony during a single day when honey is plentiful outside. Then, as to putting on the supeis. Unless your stock hive is filled don't expect the bees to go up into the supers ; it is only when their storage room in the biood hive is insufficient that they Avill look for room above, and if you act upon my advice in legard to compelling brood 1 earing, you will leave them but little storage room indeed in the brood hive. Oi couise when brood real ing is pretty well at an end they will fill all the empty brood combs with both honey and pollen for winter use, and in case you might overreach yourself and the bees by depiiving them of too much, I will show you how you may always be on the safe side. Ascertain the weight of your hive ; add to this about 81b — the weight of combs and bees,— and when the hive shows another 201b or 231b above that, then you may lest satisfied th.it that colony will not perish during winter for want of sufficient stores. And now another word about the style in which your produce fiom the bees ought to be bi ought to market. If you have not the frame hives and cannot bi ing your honey to market in section boxes, then, for goodness' &ake, bring it in vessels whose appearance will dispel all doubt as to their previous contents, and their piesent cleanliness. So fai, at least ab my expenence goeti, it is not the fact that the m.uKet is glutted with honey that producers can only realise such miserable prices ; it is the quality of the article, and its sightliness oi unsightlinc&s, that detcis consumers fiom purchasing. In tins respect, at all events, we c«w take a Ic&aon fiom the Americans.