CHAPTER XIV. 



AUTUMN AND WINTER MANAGEMENT, 



The closing of the surplus honey season varies as to 

 date according to latitude and the particular kind of 

 flora available. As bee-keeping is carried on in Austral- 

 asia over an extent of nearly 30 degrees of latitude, it is 

 next to impossible to give even an approximate date 

 suitable for all parts. In most parts of New Zealand, 

 and the Southern districts of Australia, the season as a 

 rule closes in the latter half of February, though in some 

 years it extends into March. So far as my observations 

 go, the earlier the season commences the earlier it ends, 

 and vice versa, this I have found to be the rule. The 

 Autumn flow of nectar in New Zealand is usually 

 sufficient to keep up breeding and to aff^ord at least 

 some winter stores. 



TAKING THE I-AST SURPLUS HONEY. 



The novice may readily gauge the near approach of 

 the end of the season by the killing off of the drones, and 

 the inactivity of the field bees in the afternoons. The 

 last of the surplus honey, whether comb or extracted, 

 should always, as far as possible, be taken before the 

 season has entirely closed tO' avoid trouble with robber 

 bees, which are very active at this time. I know this is 

 sometimes neglected with the result of loss to the owner. 



With regard to section honey, it is important to know 

 how to avoid having a lot of partly finished unmarketable 

 sections at the end of the season. A month or so before 

 the usual time for the close of the season, collect all the 

 very backward sections, and give them to the strongest 

 colonies in the apiary, and put those nearly finished on 

 the others. By working them in this manner there will 



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