130 MONEY IN BEES IN ATJSTEALASIA 



Closer distances are all right, when a honey flow is on 

 and the season is a good one. Under these circumstances, 

 a good location in a Eucalyptus forest, would probably 

 support a thousand colonies, and still the average amount 

 of honey gathered per colony would show no diminution. 

 Like a chain, the strength of which is gauged by the 

 weakest link, the location should be judged by the 

 number of hives supported in the droughty spells. 



Thousands of acres will not at times yield sufficient 

 sustenance to support 100 colonies. Eecently, reports have 

 come to hand clearly demonstrating that bees will store 

 from a distance of four miles. It is well to keep this in 

 view when setting up and planning out-yards. However, 

 when the apiarist decides to have out-yards, it is well to 

 have a general outline of how to manage them. With the 

 apiary set up — as shown under the head of ' ' Out-yards, ' ' 

 (page 71) — the apiarist should determine to handle it 

 with a minimum of labour. When a system is evolved, 

 that produces the maximum amount of crop with a 

 minimum expenditure of labour, the apiarist is on the 

 high road to success. 



Whatever happens, have all hives and frames uniform, 

 because there will be periods when it is necessary to 

 exchange with another yard, to secure some special 

 object. In working an out-yard, the number of working 

 days will depend upon the season. Sometimes the flow 

 is so poor that a trip to the out-apiaries once a month 

 will be all that is necessary. However, one does not want 

 this to happen very often. 



Taking a normal season in early spring, say about the 

 end of August, all colonies should be overhauled to see 

 that they are not short of food. Food in this case means 

 honey and pollen. On this trip, should there be a 

 deficiency of proteid-forming food, — i.e., pollen — the 

 apiarist had better supply pea-meal, mixed with honey 

 into a stiff batter and add 5% white of egg. Take a table 

 knife and press the batter into an empty comb, which 

 should then be given to the bees on the outside of the 



