212 Agricultural Gazette of .Y.>S'.Tr. [Mar. 2, 1920. 



On inspecting the graph it is at once seen that Nos. 6 and 8 separate out 

 with great rapidity, and that the arsenate has fallen out of suspension in less 

 than two minutes. The superiority of No. 4 is also immediately noted, and 

 it will be observed that over a period of fifteen or seventeen minutes very 

 little arsenate has settled out. The line of No. 9 indicates that it is very 

 slightly inferior to No. 4, but that both are superior to all the others. 



The graph further indicates that up to three or three and a half minutes there 

 is very little difference in the rate of settlement of the others, viz., Nos. 1, 2, 3, 

 5 and 7, and consequently little to choose between them. At four minutes, 

 however, No. 7 has practically settled, at five minutes Nos. 2 and 3 have 

 practically settled, and at five and a half or six minutes Nos. 1 and 5 have 

 practically settled. The graph, therefore, conclusively proves the superiority 

 of No. 4 and No. 9 over all other preparations so far as rate of settlement 

 is concerned. 



Apiary Notes for March. 



There has been a gradual improvement during the past month in the condi- 

 tions for bees, and apiarists generally have been enabled to build up their 

 weaker colonies and in many cases to extract some surplus. Every endeavour 

 should now be made to have the colonies prepared so that they will go into 

 winter in the best and most populous state ; this month is generally favourable 

 for brood raising, and every encouragement should be given to the queen, 

 so as to make the best of the remaining time. The brood nest should contain 

 select worker combs suitable for breeding purposes, while the queen should be 

 a good layer, and any old queens should be replaced by young ones. It 

 pays to- replace any queen that has completed her second season, for a good 

 young queen in the spring will make a wonderful difference to the colony. 

 The spring is the time the apiarist will now be looking forward to, for the losses 

 caused by the recent abnormal conditions have to be made up again. The 

 best way to prepare to do this is by wintering the colonies in good order, 

 hived in good sound hives, with ample stores; then, with favourable spring 

 conditions, the apiarist may be enabled to go in for artificial increase. Care 

 should be taken this month when extracting to leave sufficient stores to carry 

 the colonies over winter, and to allow for extensive brood-raising in the spring. 

 One full super and what is naturally contained in the brood chamber can be 

 taken as an estimate as to what quantity is required. The bees usually 

 give an indication when a honey flow is going off by raiding any combs left 

 out of a hive for a minute or so, or endeavouring to raid the extracting house 

 during mild weather. Be careful and do not be mean during these times. — 

 W. A. GooD.\CRE, Senior Apiary Inspector. 



During December, 1919, the plant Echium jdantayineum (Paterson's Curse) 

 was declared by the Upper Hunter Sliire Council to be noxious within its area. 



