Aprils, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 296 



that a " refill " amongst old established trees has an unequal chance against 

 the older trees, and it therefore requires special attention at planting 

 and for several seasons afterwards, to enable it to make satisfactory headway. 



Liming and Manuring. 



The autumn is a good time to carry out liming. If quicklime is used it 

 should be distributed in heaps over the land and covered with soil. When 

 the lime is slaked it should be spread evenly over the surface and cultivated 

 in. If crushed quicklime is used, it can be spread direct and cultivated in. 

 A bulletin on liming, which deals fully with this subject and explains the 

 action of various forms of lime, can be obtained on application to the Under 

 Secretary and Director, Department of Agriculture, Sydney. Growers would 

 be wise to study this publication before purchasing any form of lime. 



This is also a good time, provided the soil is not too wet, to cart out and 

 spread amongst the trees any farmyard manure that has accumulated ; this 

 will then be ploughed under in the regular ploughing of the orchard. These 

 remarks also apply to the application of fresh soil or bush scrapings. 



Citrus Scale. 



Provided the trees are fin strong enough condition it is not too late to 

 fumigate to rid them of red, brown olive, or wax scale or of white lice. In fact 

 one of the advantages fumigation has over spraying is that it can be left 

 until the eggs have completed hatching, without danger of those that have 

 hatched earlier becoming too old to kill. 



Energy and its Relation to the Life of Bees. 



The answer to the question " What is the a\erage life of the worker bee?" 

 is of great importance to the apiarist, for when the conditions that govern 

 the period of existence are understood something might be done toward 

 making it (at a desired time) considerably longer. The length of life of the 

 worker bees is governed by the energy they put into their work. For 

 instance, during a honey flow, when the condition of the colony is normal, 

 with young bees hatching freely, the bees put so much energy into their 

 work that they become quite aged and usually succumb in six or seven 

 weeks. Again, if any abnormal condition (such as the loss of the queen) 

 takes place, then to some extent the bees will reserve their energy so that 

 their lengthened life will give the colony a chance to recover. The period at 

 which this conservation of energy is most desirable is during the winter, 

 and it is at this season that the apiarist himself may help. If wintered in a 

 good hive with ample stores under favourable conditions, the young bees of 

 a populous colony will come into spring with comparatively undiminished 

 energy, so great is their power at this period of conserving their vitality. 

 The case of a colony in a low-class hive, which has excessive space or 

 insufficient stores, or which allows a draught through the cluster, is very 

 differert ; the draughty state of the hive necessitates considerable activity 

 on the part of the bees in order that the temperature may be maintained, 

 and the extra energy proportionally shortens their lives. Insutficient stores, 

 on the other hand, cause the bees to economise and so to lower their 

 vitality. — W. A. Goodacre, Senior Apiary Inspector. 



