Journal of Agriculture, Yictoria. 



[lo Jan., 1912. 



with the practice of cutting fodder crops instead of feeding them off, will 

 make bqa-keeping profitable in many places where, under the old system 

 of continuous eating off, it could not be engaged in. 



Selection of Locality. 

 For the purpose of becoming conversant w'ith the habits of bees, to get 

 some practice in handling them, and to gain the knowledge and experience 

 not obtainable from literature, bee-keeping may be commenced almost 

 anywhere. When, however, it is taken up as a business, a suitable district 

 is essential to success. In selecting a site, due consideration should be given 

 to the two main factors ; namely, the amount and \-ariety of bee flora within 

 a radius of two or three miles of the site chosen. The permanency of the 

 bee flora is, however, the most important consideration, and the intending 

 bee-keeper should locate on, or close to, some permanent forest or other 

 reserve, so as to avoid the risk of having his honey resources destroyed by 

 the ring-barking of the trees. 



1 



^^■^ 4tv. 



A BEE FARM IN EAST GIPPSLAND AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR AN APIARY. 



In some of the best honey country in Victoria, consisting almost entirely 

 of yellow box and red gum for many miles in extent, there is a deficiency 

 of pollen-producing plants befor'e and after the honey-flow. With a 

 scarcity of pollen, colonies cannot attain their maximum development, and 

 therefore the best results can only be obtained where the bees, prior to the 

 honey-flow, are kept elsewhere. Thus, a practice has sprung up amongst 

 bee-keepers of having two sites for an apiarv — one for breeding up in spring 

 and wintering; the other for securing the honey crop. The moving of 

 the bees from the winter site to the honey country, and back again when 

 the honey-flow is over, entails a considerable amount of work, which can 

 be avoided if a site is secured on the torder line of the two classes of 

 country. 



Licences. 



When locating on forest or other Crown lands, it is necessary' to obtain 

 two licences — a bee-farm licence for one acre upon which to place the 



