Page:Bee-Culture Hopkins 2nd ed revised Dec 1907.pdf/21



The object of the foregoing chapter is to bring about a condition of things generally whereby we shall have a reliable system for preparing and placing on the market our honey in its best form, in place of the haphazard imperfect manner in vogue among many beekeepers at the present time. Our most careful apiarists give this matter their greatest attention, but every beekeeper should adopt a proper system, and so bring credit to himself and to the industry.

With regard to the remarks on ripening honey outside the hive, no doubt some beekeepers will differ from them; but they should remember that what I have said is based not upon theory, but upon actual practical experience. It remains, however, for each individual beekeeper to please himself as to whether he will ripen his honey outside or inside the hive; but the question is of such vast economical importance in the matter of profit and loss that it will be well for all to give both systems a trial and decide for themselves.

One of the few serious drawbacks beekeepers in certain districts have to contend with occasionally is thick honey—that is, honey that is too dense to extract from the combs in the ordinary way. I say occasionally, because fortunately it is not met with every season, except, it may be, in apiaries situated near heavy bush, or where little else than flax or tea-tree abounds, in which case it would be folly to attempt to raise extracted honey.

Now and again beekeepers in the Waikato districts suffer considerable loss, and are put to extra trouble through the storage of thick honey, although in the midst of clover country. The same occurs in a few other districts in the colony. There are some parts—notably, nearly the whole of the country north of Auckland—where the honey is continuously of so dense a nature that the honey-extractor is of no use whatever. Such country is not suitable for bee-farming, as only comb-honey can be raised there, and the demand for this is limited, while it is too fragile to be sent to distant markets with profit.