636 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



beekeepers would reap 

 a substantial benefit. 

 Bee material could be 

 handled by the com- 

 pany also, as dealers 

 are not so Avell ac- 

 quainted with the 

 wants of beekeepers as 

 they are themselves. 

 Mr. Jacobsen then 

 gave a valuable dem- 

 onstration on queen- 

 rearing, and showed 

 how this was done. He 

 exhibited queen-cells in 

 variotis stages of de- 

 velopment, and gave 

 many valuable hints to 

 those present. 



Mr. L. Bowman gave 

 an address,"Pollen and 

 its Uses in Brood-rear- 

 ing." He went exhaus- 

 tively into the matter, 

 and showed what a 

 necessary element the 

 honeybee is in the fer- 

 tilization of flowers, 

 while at the same time 

 giving the human race 

 such a valuable food in 

 the honey gathered. He 

 also enlarged on the 

 necessity of haAang 

 good queens, and sup- 

 plemented the remarks 

 of Mr. Jacobsen. He 

 thought that the black 

 bee had been neglected, 

 and too much made of 

 the Italian. 



Mr. Jacobsen took the members round 

 his apiary, and explained fully his methods 

 of working, illustrating his remarks in a 

 practical manner. 



Tea was then partaken of, and after the 

 usual farewell speeches and votes of thanks 

 to the host and hostess, the party left for 

 home. 



ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF NEW ZEALAND BEE- 

 KEEPERS. 



The most important annual conference of 

 New Zealand beekeepers yet held was con- 

 cluded in Wellington on June 19 after a 

 three-days' sitting. The conference was 

 under the auspices of the National Beekeep- 

 ers' Association of New Zealand, which was 

 foi'med last year. About 50 beekeepers were 

 present from all parts of the Dominion, and 

 the proceedings were of an important and 



E. G. Ward and three of his best colonies. No. 12, 188 lb.s., and reared 

 25 queens; No. 24, 197 lbs., and reared 12 queens; No. 2, 146 lbs. The six 

 best colonies stored 22.3, 197. 196, 188, 171, and 146 pounds respectively. 

 Another picture of Mr. Ward's apiary appears on the cover for this issue. 



just ended, the industry has been in a more 

 or less disorganized state, but it will now 

 be possible for all existing associations to 

 join with the National on equitable terms, 

 as a constitution has been adopted which 

 should meet the needs of individuals as well 

 as those associations which have not up to 

 the present been attached to the National. 

 The National is designed to embrace all the 

 beekeepers of the Dominion, whereas the 

 smaller associations were only of local im- 

 portance. One strong organization will have 

 tremendous weight compared with a number 

 of small associations. A sliding scale of 

 fees has been adopted which will insure for 

 the affiliated associations sufficient funds to 

 be of good service locally, and still contrib- 

 ute a substantial sum to the National funds. 

 The conference was opened by the Hon. 

 interesting nature. Up till the conference . R. H. Rhodes, postmaster-general. He apol- 



