lo July, 1911.] Feeding Bees. 477 



It should be observed, however, that the seed produced in a good year 

 or in a district suited to the production of that particular class of plant 

 will be more likely to gi\e a good germination and satisfactory results 

 than that obtained in a poor year or in an unsuitable district. It is not 

 chance that has been responsible for the popularity of seed from a certain 

 district or country, as Hunter River lucerne or clover seed from Holland. 

 These places are specially adapted for the production of that class of seed. 

 It is found that plants do not produce good seed in every district in which 

 they will grow well, the conditions for the proper maturation of the seed 

 not being present. Hence, it is not advisable for the farmer or gardener 

 to save all his own .seed where a number of crops are grown. New " blood " 

 should tie obtained. The discriminating grower buys his seed from those 

 districts which have the best reputation for the production of that class of 

 seed, and from the produce of the good' years (within a safe limit of time), 

 if he can obtain it. 



The size of seed should not be taken as an indication of its life. Many 

 of the small seeds, such as tobacco and some of the Eucalypti, will retain 

 their vitality longer than large seed such as the castor beans. Of the four 

 orders which comprise the more important of our garden vegetables, the 

 .seeds of the Ciicurhitaccoe and the T.eguminos(£ are usually the longest 

 lived ; the Cruciferce are the most affected by unsuitable conditions, such 

 as bad seasons, disea.se. etc. : and tlie V mheUlfenie are the shortest lived. 



FEEDING BEES. 



F. R. Ben line. Bee Expert. 



In Victoria, the past honey sea.son has been quite abnormal, and only 

 in a few instances have the anticipations of spring been realized. The 

 absence of the normal hot weather which usually prevails during the bloom- 

 ing of the Yellow Box and Red Gum Eucalypts, greatly reduced the yield 

 of honey, even in the Grampians country where there was a promise of a 

 record yield. Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather conditions, yields 

 of honey up to 300 lbs. average per hive were obtained in 200-colony 

 apiaries. Over the rest of the State the returns were disappointing, while 

 in the central districts north of the Di\iding Range no surplus honey was 

 obtained from the hi\es. 



In many instances, the l)ees were unable e\cn to gather suffu imt for 

 winter re(iuirt'ments, and large luimljers of colonies in l><)x-hives have 

 ;;lready died of starvation. Many more will succumb from the same cause, 

 unless attendefl to by their owners. This loss of stock from a preventable 

 cau.se is regrettable, in view of the fact that a .season of dearth of nectar 

 is usually followed by a plentiful yield the next year. 



It is one of the rules of hce kee|)ing that all colonics should he examir.ed 

 before the beginning of winter, to see whether they have sufficient stores 

 to last them till spring. \\\\\\ colonies in frame-hives their condition as 

 regards stort's iH-comes evident to their owner in the course of the usual 

 operations, liox-hives, howe\er, are seldom looked at after the usual rob- 

 bing time. There are, even now, many who are not aware that their bees 

 are dead alreadv. or will die of starvation before spring. 



Although tlie proper time for supplying bees with winter stores is 

 .lutunin, colonies still surviving, but on the verge of starvation, niav even 

 now be saved by judicious feeding. Honey, although it is the n.itural 



