1 Mar., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 205 
Apiculture. 
HONEY PRODUCTION: 
By JOHN CAREY, 
Pioneer Apiary, Killarney. 
Ir is possible for honey to be produced in large quantities in this the Queen 
of Lands. I have read with interest the remarks of John Mahon on dairying 
and what J. P. Dowling says in reference to the home markets in the last 
Queensland Agricultural Journal, and endorse the importance of introducing 
our products to the home markets by someone specially interested, and himself 
an expert. J was, and am still, weighing over whether I will personally go 
home and sell. If the beekeepers were to combine and give me inducement, I 
certainly would, as our honey otherwise dues not have fair play: it lands in 
every sort of condition. It is only an expert who can grade, classify, and put 
honey in its best appearance before the buyer. or instance, I have several 
tons to land in London this month by the s.s. “ Duke of Westminster.” The 
honey leaves here all right; but what appearance will it have when landed in 
London, arriving in the cold, half candied? Few know how to judge it by 
the look. The beekeeper knows what I mean. My best honey, good enough 
for any market in the world, has been classed below what was really not good, 
and in Mincing Lane the bad honey was sold for more than the primest sample. 
The vendor sends his honey home at a great disadvantage. It is easy for any 
buyer to call it Eucalyptus honey. (This ery is possibly raised in.order to 
obtain prime Australian honey at a low figure.—Ed.) 
The bulk of my honey is exported, for it is most discouraging to sell 
locally—a glut occurs, and the smaller producer cuts down prices until one 
is apt to be disheartened in trying to effect a sale, so I have given our local 
consumers best. Honey at present is unsaleable, but I am sure it can be sold 
in bulk when the producer, instead of selling in small quantities, even at a 
low price, can get his money in one lot. No doubt many get so discouraged in 
not being able to dispose of their produce that they give up; as one apiarist 
said the other week—it was a rotten business. Personally, I am sure there is 
no limit to our capacity for production, and it would be easy to surpass in 
quantity the exportation of butter at a much less cost. The “Jumna,” last trip, 
‘took some of our honey home in small tins, for which 1s. per lb. was obtained; 
but not being on the spot the Queensland producer can only place small lots. 
‘My beeswax was sold at the same time, and realised £6 12s. 2d. per ewt., and 
this, so far, is the lowest price I have yet received; and the best is, [ have got 
the money—much better this than pleading here for buyers at a low price. 
The Canadian Mr. Jones, of Beeton, Ontario, one of the world’s leading 
beekeepers, was assisted by his Government in landing 40 tons of honey on 
the home market, which he did some years ago. It was a surprise. It gave 
sales an impetus. Mr. Jones considers that beekeeping only requires to be 
better understcod to become a vast source of individual and national wealth ; 
and from years of experience here in Queensland, I am certain it would be so 
here, for ours is a land of milk and honey, with few of the disadvantages they 
labour under in a’cold climate. Forty tons seemed to me to be an immense 
lot. Mentioning the matter to a few of our beemen a few years ago, and 
advising the exporting under an expert, they agreed to its being very desirable. 
We found that about three of us could send 40 tons; but the matter dropped, 
and since then I have had to “ paddle my own canoe,” and have done well. 
T have a large experience in the business of exporting. For this to be a 
success, we must have an expert to receive it in London, and to carry the 
business out in a practical manner there must be a combination, as the greater 
the quantity the less the expense. 
