THE HONEY BEE 
IN 
NEW ZEALAND. 
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9 
The management of the Honey Bee in New Zealand is so 
very different to what it is in Great Britain that we are 
not surprised when new settlers who wish to profit by 
Bee keeping, as they were accustomed to do in the old 
country, so frequently ask for some information on the 
subject. 
The author of u My Bee Book” published a series of 
letters in a Wellington newspaper some ten years ago, 
but so full of quaint humorous stories it is hard to tell when 
he is in earnest and when in fun; for all that Mr. Cotton’s 
system is the most sensible and humane, and is now 
recommended by nearly all intelligent bee masters in 
England and in the Colonies. . ***■ f >l ? 
The Rev. R. Taylor says (Notes and Queries, 8th Dec., 
1855) Bees were introduced into New Zealand before , ; 
Mr. Cotton’s arrival, but the chief supply is derived from t 
his stock. Mr. Cotton arrived in Auckland in company u 1 1 u > 
with Bishop Selwyn on 29th May, 1842, and although 
there are several things connected with New Zealand bee 
keeping he was not aware of (these we will explain as we 
go along), Mr. Cotton remained long enough to prove the 
fact that New Zealand will be a great honey producing 
country . 
As a sample of Mr. Cotton’s humour we copy the 
following from u My Bee Book,” page 96, That dear old 
man John Evelyn seems to have fancied that the bees sit 
upon their eggs like hens. This must be a queer sight, 
and I should like to see it. Evelyn says in his calendar 
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