A VISIT TO MESSRS KARL BROS. APLARY NEAR OHAUPO.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1641, 11 January 1883, Page 2

A VISIT TO MESSRS KARL BROS. APLARY NEAR OHAUPO.

.L.. L . ( K Y/<gjMßLE|\»)

Bb|x<; jnterested^ih anyj| undertaking which is in itself a^pnblio^benefit, I ac- . cepfceiTM inVitation.fro'h'iVfriend a short time since to pay a'-visit to Messrs Karl 8r03.' apiary — which is situated about a mile from Ohaupo —and a few moming3 ago started early on my journey. It was well I did, for it was a scorching hot day, and everyone I chanced to meet on the road complained of the excessive heat. Here and there in the distance swamp iii-es could easily be discerned, sending up volumes of cuvliug ' smoke into the still mornine air, whilst a gentle breeze now and then wafted the grain crops to-and-tro. The country for miles around Hamilton showed' the evident 'necessity of refreshing showers ; in fact, everything seeuied parchctV and the cattle distressed for the want of rain. After a two hours' journey I reached the residence of Mr Karl, which lies a little ,oif the road. Travellers along this way would never dream, unless told, that in such a little shclteicd spot an industry like bee culture was being earned on to,, such a large extent. When I reache'dthe homestead Mr Karl gave me a very hearty reception, and', after I had explained my mission, at once conducted me around the grounds, showing 'and explaining everything of interest connected with the bue farm. Belore I entered the enclosure where the new apiary is, I noticed a number of hues scattered here and there along the sides of the paddock, which in their turn will be draited into the Lai ge apiary when the time arrives. It is about 18 years a<?o since Mr Karl settled on his present farm, and he, like others living in the country, managed to | secure a Tew swarms of bees, which he used to destroy with sulphur in order to take the honey. As time rolled on, however, one ot Mr Karl's sons, vho unfortunately was invalided • for some years, set about studying the nature of hees, and having seemed books from wellknown authors on bee culture, started an apiaiy on a small scale. Two years ago lie had 80 hives, from thirty of which lie took a ton of honey in the ordinary way, and as Hie remaining hives looked weak he did not touch them. Thinking what dosti'uctiou oi hees the old-iasluoned way caused, Mr Karl procured a pattern of the Langstroth hive iroin Mr Hopkins, and ever since has constructed his own hives, piocuiing the material from the bush at the leai of his farm. Tne new apiary is not far horn the house, nicely .sheltered, and, judging irom its neat and natty appearance, mubt have taken some considerable tune ii its formation. It stands upon about an acre of ground ; the centre is coveied with whiLe sand, and as level as a bowHng green. Upon this the patent hives are placed in rows, which look like ,\ little city, and vailed only a few inches irom the giormrt l>y bricks, whilst a platform is also erected from the surface to the hives, in order that the I)ees shall have easy access. The reason loi 1 placing the hives so near the giound is that, by^ue old method of having Hictii some two or three feet high the bees when leturning home laden with honey often miss the platform, and fall to the giound, m many cases not to rise again In this new apiary there aie over .">0 hives, and in' the grounds adjoining, G2 other hives. What struck my attention most was a five-storey Italian hive, toweling far abose the others. Upon asking Mr Karl the reason for building them up so high, he informed me that ir was in older to pi event them from swarming, which could only bj managed \>y giving them sufficient room till they had expanded themselves. From one Italian hive the amount of honey extracted up to the time of my visit was ISOlbs, with ISOlbs in the comb not taken out. This hive has been placed on the scale and returned the extraordinary amount ot nineteen pjuiuLs ot honey a-day the two days tried, and "there is every likelihood of it avoiaging dining the season l'2lbsa day. The five-stoiey hive is full ot broods and honey. About a twelvemonth ago Major Jackson leceived two hives ot Italian bees from America, in fact the best quality to he got in California, and left them in Mr Kail's charge for the purpose of breeding, the Major not having sufficient time at his command to attend to them. The bee& were received late in the season, but Ml- Karl managed to supply the whole of the hives with the queens, but out of the lot he only succeeded in getting one pure Italian. Tins spring he started early queens and succeeded in getting 12 pure, and if all poes well will make another effort in the autumn to socuie more. Amongst the «")0 hives in the apiaiy theie are three black hives, ant 3 , they each occupy threestorey dw^lliny-*. They are very stioiiL', but pioduuc little honey. With tlu Italian hives it is quite the opposite, few bets and more honey. In fact on<; Italian swarm is worth two blade ones as honey pioduceis. Mr Karl accounts for the difteience between the two classes in this way, that the black, although moi c numeious, arc slow in bringing the honey in, thus gi\ itiir the queen a greater opportunity nf laying eggs, and making them stronger in broods. Wi'h the Italian it is different, for as soon as the young bees are hatched they commence to fill up, thus debarring the queen room wherein to lay her cgy-3. Tiie Italian bees should have their honey extracted at least once a week, in order to give the queen a chance to breed. I wad then shoun an Italian bee which Mr Karl picked out from a hive, anil he appeared to have complete control ovei them, taking them up with his naked hand. The bees seemed to take not the slightest notice of him, for he just lifted off the lid of one of the hivos, putted a little smoke into the compartments, and pulled out slide after slide full of honey, meiely shaking the bees off in front ol their homes, which they entered immediately, as if nothing had happened. Leaving the apiary, I was next shown a house, 36 x 12, used for the purpose of working, storing, and ripening. The roof was taired over, so as to conduct the heat, in order to ripen, the honey, which, after having undergone this process, is placed into hogsheads, and is then ready for the market. The total amount' of honey in the room, was between'two and three tons. Mr Karl had a few samples of white clover honey in glass bottles, which he intends taking with him to Auckland," in order to introduce it into the market. Each bottle contains about 21bs of honey, which he thinks he will be able to dispose of at Is 6d each. In one corner of the room there were also a number of tins which contained about the same quantity of honey as the bottles, but for my part I think that bottles will take far better with the general public than tins, for as a rule people like to see what they ai c purchasing. However, it is Mr Karl's intention if possible to dispense it wholesale in kegs, which storekeepers can retail in quantities tp suit puichasers, Standing in another room was a machine, known as the " extractor,' 1 used for geting the honey out of the comb, and the ease with which it performed its allotted task was really surprising. A frame of honey was placed ' into ' the machine, ' whiph was, turned; by, handle, at- the top, and in a few moments' the cells ah; caref fully emptied of their contents, the honey sinking to the bottom of the tm, where it is drawn off. by means of » tap. , Mjf v Karlnext drew my attention to a'foundation machine, which he had recently pur,cKaieci 1 f rom Major* Jackson.' prcf-' cess.seemed very simple,; the wapejs first 1 melted J then placed m^largejwt, and a l piece£ 0% board (lipped 1 Jipto l tlfe' wax,' \ wiiieV 'clings ib r the 1 |fyoskU ** Itf is 1 then raMpperi'dff/jiniil p'uibetJMceek two' rollers; %ri£ii^^fite'biit'S?Wtftfrii»a:''Jto^iisitlie* J*WfafiHftße^i^ l TOttfiAl f vAy/ t{ 'Tbig' machine flavesa^great aeal: pi 'labour to

thoyjcitii/produc? a' p"ounj\/ of ;>;w.ax^sri*/. machine is invaluablej^fiMt year Messrs Karl Bros, did not suc^^gcry well with the ext,racJing I,R1 ,Ri l qje4sj|i'pwiqg.to luting they started earlier,' o^fl jvitb-.a good hot room took thejtoney before it was sealed andripo^wh^bjitnwiedfou^gre^tSiifccel^. Of course the culture is i»*ita infancy as yet, but it is the- intention of. itiU brothers not only to produce honey, but to^ add machinery for making boxes, which? tHey w ill be able to supply to the public at a reasonable price. Up to the present time they have > been to considerable expense, and the returns have been small, but I ' feel sure that when this " honeyproducing farm " is known timongst the Aucktatid merchants the ' (lemnnd *\vili become greater. In conclusion, I have to tjiauk the Karl f.umly for the qourt^a^ shown tome oil the occasion of my'visit, and would, strongly advise, those Who bhoose to spend a profitable day just to drive out to the' bee farm, if , only to take , a lesson from the " Little Busy Bee."