166 MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTEALASIA 



reply to yours re returns from two of my colonies, 

 weights are as follows : — First Mve, 13 tins 44 lbs. = 824 

 lbs. Second hive, 13 tins 27 lbs. = 807 lbs. These do not 

 include weight of honey removed when uncapping; this 

 would not be much. My average is eight tins, and all 

 colonies are four stories high and pretty full." When 

 the indigenous plants secrete nectar it is most abundant, 

 and while the foregoing is a very large return it has been 

 beaten in New South "Wales. 



There are authentic eases of bees working on nectar 

 during moonlight. That bees travel great distances to 

 work on honey is well known, and while the average 

 returns drop as the bees cover the greater distances it is 

 instructive to know that the insects will travel and store 

 honey from up to four miles. There is an instance of bees 

 travelling the distance mentioned and storing 9 lbs. in 

 two weeks. 



Apiarists generally prefer the pasturing ground 

 within a mile radius. The Victorian Forest Department 

 issue bee-ranges of this area ; the apiary is computed as 

 the centre of the range. This works out at about 2,000 

 acres to each apiary. 



SUPERSEDING QUEENS. 



FAILING QUEENS. 



After the rush of the summer is over the bee-farmer 

 frequently discovers embryo queen-cells in some of the 

 hives. The novice will be puzzled somewhat at (what he 

 considers) these preparations for swarming. However, 

 there will not be much swarming; it is the bees' natural 

 way of providing a young mother to supplant the "old" 

 one, and this is known to bee-keepers as " supersedure. " 

 To deal with this question in the most practical manner, 

 it is necessary to be conversant with the conditions that 



