14 



where the golden willow is abundant. Most of the indigenous trees and 

 willows flower early, and the nectar from these sources is very valuable 

 to the beekeeper, as it provides stores in the spring. 



In districts where the beekeeper has to depend entirely upon white 

 clover a careful watch must be kept on the stores, and very often 

 artificial feeding has to be resorted to in the spring and carried on until 

 the appearance of the clover-bloom. This is often expensive, and can 

 be usually avoided by selecting a site where at least a moderate spring 

 flow may be anticipated. The rich dairy pastures of both the North 

 and South Islands, and localities where cattle-raising is carried on exten- 

 sively, provide suitable sites for commercial apiaries, while country 

 which is used for sheep-grazing is not profitable, as the clover pasture 

 is usually eaten bare. Instances have come under notice where abnormal 

 crops have been secured in purely sheep-country ; but thej' are too 

 infrequent to be taken into consideration, and consequently this class 



Fig. 6. — Tagasaste Hedge (only Four Years old). 

 Photo, F. A. Jacobsen.] 



of country should be avoided. Essentially the main requirements are 

 feed and shelter ; and if the apiarist is fortunate enough to locate his 

 bees in a position where there is an abundant supply of nectar-secreting 

 plants, good shelter can be easily provided. 



Site and Shelter. 

 Shghtly undulating country is much better than a flat open site for 

 a bee-farm. The natural shelter obtained in the former is a great 

 advantage, as it affords the bees protection when on their foraging 

 expeditions. In any case, the apiary should be well sheltered, and in 

 the absence of shelter of some kind it should be erected at the start. 

 A depression in the ground will assist, and a temporary fence 6 ft. high 

 of boards, or of tea-tree brushwood, on the windy sides will do while 

 shelter trees or a Hve fence are growing. The advantages of a 

 properly sheltered apiary cannot be too favourably commented on, as 

 the apiarist can work his bees in almost all weathers and in greater 

 comfort. 



