12 AUSTRALASIAN 
apiaries on the Matamata estate. The Journal was, for two 
years, widely circulated and ably supported by the literary 
contributions of enthusiastic and successful apiarists in New 
Zealand and the Australian colonies. It was, for reasons 
given at the time, incorporated with the New Zealand Farmer, 
Bee and Poultry Journal, in June, 1885. ; 
Attractive displays of honey and of apiarian appliances have 
been made at the last two annual shows of the Auckland 
Horticultural Society. The New Zealand Bee-keepers’ Asso- 
ciation was formally constituted on the 7th of August, 1884, 
and held its first annual meeting this year. It forms an admi- 
rable centre point for the combined action of all New Zealand 
bee-keepers in their endeavours to promote the general interests 
of the industry in the colony. The Auckland Provincial Bee- 
keepers’ Association has been in operation since February, 
1884, and its proceedings are likely to help effectively in ad- 
-vancing the new industry, especially in the Waikato district. 
Other local associations are about being formed, and it is hoped 
that the example will be followed wherever there is a sufficient 
number of apiarists living within such a distance of each other, 
or of their common centre, as may render their regular peri- 
odical meetings practicable. A great many persons in different 
parts of the country have already taken up bee-keeping with 
the intention of making it their sole or principal occupation ; 
many others have commenced to practise the improved system 
of culture on a small scale, for their own gratification and the 
supply of honey for their own households. The numbers of 
both these descriptions of apiarists are increasing every day. 
The production of honey in the Auckland province alone is 
calculated to have exceeded eighty tons last season. As a further 
proof of the progress of the industry, we may take the number 
of hives and other implements sent out by that well-known 
firm of hive-makers, Messrs. Bagnall Bros. & Co., of Turua, 
Auckland, since 1879. In the year mentioned, I arranged with 
them to cut my hives, etc., at their saw-mill, and in 1882 they 
took over my supply business. Since then the firm has sent 
hives and all other aplarian implements to every part of Aus- 
tralasia, and they are fairly entitled to be called the premier 
hive-makers of these colonies. In response to some 7 uiries 
I made concerning the number of hives, etc., they had lied 
since first commencing the business, Messrs. Bagnall Bioce Co 
