11 



REMARKS. 



The object of the foregoing chapter is to bring about a condition of 

 things generally whereby we shall have a reliable system for preparing 

 and placing on the market our honey in its best form, in place of the 

 haphazard imperfect manner in vogue among many beekeepers at the 

 present time. Our most careful apiarists give this matter their greatest 

 attention, but* every beekeeper should adopt a proper system, and so 

 bring credit to himself and to the industry. 



With regard to the remarks on ripening honey outside the hive, no 

 doubt some beekeepers will differ from them; but they should remember 

 that what I have said is based not upon theory, but upon actual practical 

 experience. It remains, however, for each individual beekeeper to please 

 himself as to whether he will ripen his honey outside or inside the hive; 

 but the question is of such vast economical importance in the matter of 

 profit and loss that it will be well for all to give both systems a trial 

 and decide for themselves. 



III. DEALING WITH THICK HONEY. 



One of the few serious drawbacks beekeepers in certain districts have 

 to contend with occasionally is thick honey — that is, honey that is too 

 dense to extract from the combs in the ordinary way. i ^ay " occasion- 

 ally," because fortunately it is not met with every season, except, it may 

 be, in apiaries situated near heavy bush, or where little else than flax 

 or tea-tree abounds, in which case it would be folly to attempt to raise 

 extracted honey. 



Now and again beekeepers in the Waikato districts suSer considerable 

 loss, and are put to extra trouble through the storage of thick honey, 

 although in the midst of clover country. The same occurs in a few 

 other districts in the colony. There are some parts — notably, nearly the 

 whole of the country north of Auckland — where the honey is continuously 

 of so dense a nature that the honey-extractor is of no use whatever. 

 Such country is not suitable for bee-farming, as only comb-honey can 

 be raised there, and the demand for this is limited, while it is too fragile 

 to be sent to distant markets with profit. 



