H.—29

26

The Beekeeping Industry. It is pleasing to note the steady advance that is still being made in the beekeeping industry, both in the North and South Islands. A good indication in this direction is the considerable increase in the sales of beekeeping equipment. Firms operating report that the output of equipment has been greatly in excess of that of previous years. The weather experienced during the 1924-25 season favoured the production of honey in most districts throughout the Dominion. The crop in the Auckland District was an exceptionally good one, and the quality of the honey well above the average. Good average crops were obtained in the other districts, with the exception of Canterbury, where the crops were patchy owing to the dry season prevailing. A noticeable feature is the development of the industry on the west coast of the South Island, where a considerable extension is taking place. The closeproximity of the honey-grading store at Greymouth to the centres of production, and the linking-up of the east and west coast by rail, have rendered conditions in this district more favourable to beekeeping than in the past. The activities of the Apiary Instructors have been well maintained in most districts, and as a result satisfactory progress has been made in the eradication of disease. The scheme of employing part-time Apiary Inspectors to assist the Apiary Instructors was again put into practice during the past year in certain areas in the Waikato, Wairarapa, and Southland districts, and was extended to include a portion of the Canterbury District. Taken as a whole the work carried out by these temporary Inspectors has been satisfactory, the concentrated inspection resulting in a more thorough cleaning-up of diseased apiaries in the localities concerned. An additional Apiary Instructor has been appointed for the Marlborough, Nelson, and South Island west coast districts, with headquarters at Nelson. This should greatly improve the position in the South Island, and will relieve the Christchurch Instructor of the more isolated portions of his district and enable him to devote more attention to the South Canterbury areas than has been possible in the past. The west coast, which hitherto has received only spasmodic attention, will benefit largely, and this district, together with the other areas controlled by the Nelson Instructor, will now receive more systematic inspection. A poll of honey-producers taken in December resulted in the proposal that the Honey-export Control Act passed last session be brought into operation being carried by a large majority. The setting-up of the New Zealand Honey Control Board marks the year as an eventful one in the history of the beekeeping industry. The function of the Board is to control all honey for export, and the pooling of the whole of the New Zealand crop should make for consolidation and increased prices to producers. Export of Honey.' —The whole of the grading of honey for export at the different grading stores is carried out by one officer attached to the Division. While this arrangement makes for uniformity in the grading, it is at the same time recognized that too much dependence cannot be placed on the services of one officer. With this in view, it has been arranged for instruction in this branch of the work to be given to the other Apiary Instructors, the idea being to eventually supply an understudy to assist the present officer. There has been a marked improvement in the casing of lines for export. The quantity of honey exported during the year was 10,836 cwt., valued at £30,549 —a considerable increase as compared with the previous year's figures. The following shows the quantities and values of honey exported, from the Dominion during the last five years ending 31st March: 1921, 7,633 cwt., £30,962 ; 1922, 8,542 cwt., £31,943 ; 1923, 10,605 cwt, £43,032 ; 1924, 9,157 cwt, £26,910 ; 1925, 10,836 cwt, £30,549. Registration of Apiaries. —Approximately 7,000 apiaries are now registered, representing some 99,755 colonies of bees. Although the registrations to date have been fairly satisfactory, a fair number of unregistered apiaries exist in isolated districts, and it was found necessary to institute proceedings against a number of unregistered beekeepers during the year. The next triennial registration of all apiaries takes place next year (1926), when it is hoped the registrations will be more complete. Staff. Mr. A. Gooding, Apiary Instructor, Hamilton, resigned from the Department at the end of the year in order to take over the management of a large apiary concern. His retirement will be a distinct loss to the Department. I have to thank all members of the staff for their valuable assistance during a particularly busy year. FIELDS DIVISION. REPORT OF A. H. COCKAYNE, DIRECTOR. The Agricultural Year. The agricultural year has been extremely favourable for production. The dry summer of 1923-24 was followed by remarkable grass-growth over all parts of New Zealand, due to abundant warm autumn rains and a particularly mild winter. The comparative failure of the root crop in many districts was therefore not much felt by farmers, and stock generally wintered in good condition ; a fact reflected in the high butterfat yield and excellent meat and wool production of the season. The area in cereals showed an increase of about 60,000 acres in oats and a decrease of about 10,000 acres in wheat. In the case of wheat it is clear that so long as wool and meat prices remain at anything like their present level the area devoted to this crop will decrease to the point that it is grown only