10 Nov., 1908.] Export Apple Trade to Germany. 649 



Dysentery. 



Dysentery, one of the troubles experienced in spring, and much more 

 prevalent than is generally known, is often mistaken for paralysis which 

 it resembles in some of its symptoms. The cause of dysentery appears 

 to be the consumption, during periods of comparative inactivity, of stores 

 with a high percentage of nitrogenous matter. In America it was for 

 some years a practice with a number of beekeepers to winter their bees 

 on combs of sugar syrup, but this method has since been abandoned as 

 too troublesome. The ailment disappears when warmer weather enables 

 -bees to fly regularly, but it often leaves colonies very weak and nearly 

 useless for the season. 



Mr. Karl Hofmann, of the Government Institute for Apiculture at 

 Erlangen, assured me that, given the proper kind of stores for winter 

 and early spring use, he would guarantee to bring every colony through 

 successfully. While a high percentage of albumen in honey is very 

 useful during the breeding season, owing to its stimulating action, it is 

 on that very account that it is detrimental in winter. Mr. Hofmann made 

 tests of some of the honeys I had with me, as well as tests of German 

 honey. Red bo'X honey showed a very small precipitate of albumen ; 

 grey box a rather heavy one. German heather honey gave a very heavy 

 precipitate. This honey is considered quite unsuitable for use in winter 

 by the bees. Some of it was in the comb, partly granulated in coarse 

 grains with a clear liquid remaining. In Victoria I have often seen 

 this kind of granulation before, usually in hives which wintered badly. 



THE EXPORT APPLE TRADE TO GERMANY. 



Comments by a Hamburg Firm. 



Australian apples, hardly known in Germany ten years ago, have 

 gained such favour with the general public that the consumption iis rapidly 

 increasing each year. This is evidenced by the increased imports of 

 Victorian, Tasmanian, and South Australian fruit. In 1906, 37,961 

 boxes were taken; this year the number was 55,847 boxes, an increase of 

 over 50 per cent, within two years. Messrs. Ph. Astheimer and Sohn, 

 fruit brokers, Hamburg, report having experienced an active demand ; 

 most of their buyers having by the middle of July cleared their pur- 

 chases satisfactorily. They add that the good results will enco;urage the 

 purchase of larger quantities next year. 



Unsatisfactory Victorian Shipments. 



While it is said that the fruit from Tasmania gave more satisfaction 

 than in previous years, and that the quality of certain varieties of South 

 Australian apples gave full satisfaction Victorian shipments are unfavor- 

 ably commented upon. " The fruit from Victoria was on the average 

 not as good as in former years, and sales of a good many shipments were 

 not satisfactory. The quality could not in most instances be compared 

 with South Australian or Tasmanian apples, and on account of the short 

 crop the shipments mostly consisted of small lots, which did not attract 

 the attention of buyers. A few shipments were of fine quality and could 

 match those from other States, and such lots could be easilt' disposed of.'' 



