The Immigrant Bees 1788 to 1898, Vol.

III

A Third Insight on the Introduction of European Honeybees into Australia and New Zealand

Peter Barrett

Published December 2006 Published by the Author. This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries regarding any form of reproduction beyond the above permission, should be directed to the author: Peter Barrett, 28 Osprey Street, Caloundra 4551, Queensland, Australia Phone 07 5491 1204 or Overseas +61 7 5491 1204 Also by the author:
The Immigrant Bees 1788 to 1898 (Volume I) William Charles Cotton, Grand Bee Master of New Zealand, 1842-1847 An Australian Beekeeping Bibliography (1st & 2nd editions) The Immigrant Bees 1788 to 1898 (Volume II)

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Barrett, Peter, 1951-. The Immigrant Bees, 1788 to 1898, Volume III: A Third Insight on the Introduction of European Honeybees into Australia and New Zealand. Bibliography. Includes index. 1. Bees - Australia. 2 Bees - New Zealand. 3. Bee culture - New Zealand - History. 4. Bee culture - Australia History. I. Title. Typeset in 11 & 10 point Times New Roman. Spelling and punctuation of original material retained throughout.

Table of Contents
PART I - THE NATIVE BEES......................................................14 NATIVE BEES, 1847........................................................................14 NATIVE BEES, 1861........................................................................14 ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY OF N.S.W., 1864.....................................14 AN AUSTRALIAN APIS, 1888............................................................15 THE NATIVE BEE, 1889..................................................................16 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BEE-HUNTING, 1889, 1894................................19 STINGLESS BEES, IMMIGRATED BEES & A MR. COLE, C1899....................23 NATIVE BEES, 1925........................................................................24 EAST ALLIGATOR RIVER, 1928.........................................................25 PART II - THE DARK EUROPEAN HONEYBEE.....................26 NEW SOUTH WALES........................................................................26 Revd. Samuel Marsden, 1810: An Update.................................26 The convict ship Phoenix, 1824 an update.........................27 1824 vs 1831 ? Mowle, 1898 & Ross, 1863......................28 A Digression could Wentworths 1822 hives been viable?.30 A possible earlier introduction, Parramatta, c1820................31 Mowle on 1824 and 1831......................................................31 John Ross, 1863, a witness to 1824.......................................32 An early Jervis Bay settler, 1840...........................................35 Dr. Charles Queade, bee hive chapereon,1824.......................36 http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/colsec/q/F46c_q.htm. 36 The fate of the convict/bee hive transport Phoenix................36 What became of Captain John Ross.......................................38 Harness Leather & Beeswax to Port Stephens, 1832................42 Bee Tree, Singleton, c1850........................................................43 Ryde, 1848-61............................................................................44 Mrs Bunker, Liverpool and J. S. Norrie, Pitt Street, 1861........46 TASMANIA.....................................................................................46 Thomas Braidwood Wilson, 1831..............................................46 Superintendent Davidson, 1832.............................................52 Commissary Miller, c1830........................................................53 Feral Swarms, 1838..................................................................57 VICTORIA......................................................................................57 A selection of newspaper articles, 1860 to 1869.......................57 Drought in 1860 ?..................................................................58 Profits from Beekeeping, June 1861......................................58 Top Bar Hives, July 1861......................................................59 4

Honey from wild bees, July 1861.......................................59 Wild Hives Numerous, August 1861.....................................59 Apiarian Society of Victoria, 1861........................................59 Glass Hives with Bell Glasses, 1862.....................................60 A New Australian Hive Design ?, 1865.................................60 WESTERN AUSTRALIA......................................................................61 Capt. John Molloy, 1829, at sea................................................61 Georgiana Molloy, Nov. 1833, Augusta....................................62 Mary Bussell, 1834....................................................................62 1846 & 1841..............................................................................64 NEW ZEALAND...............................................................................64 The New Zealand Farmer, c1898..............................................64 PACIFIC ISLANDS.............................................................................65 Revd. Aaron Buzacott, a hive to the Pacific Islands, 1861........65 PART III - THE ITALIAN OR LIGURIAN, APIS LIGUSTICA ...........................................................................................................68 VICTORIA......................................................................................68 Edward Wilson (1813-1878).....................................................68 Four hives of Ligurian bees arrive safely, 9 Dec. 1862..........75 A Ligurian swarm escapes, Jan. 1863....................................76 Mr. Templeton reports, Feb. 1863.........................................76 Mr. J. Sayce reports, April 1863............................................76 Mr. Templetons Diary, April 1863.......................................80 Mr. T. MMillan reports, April 1863.....................................84 Templeton on Ligurian beekeeping, Oct. 1864......................86 Ligurian Bees Making Progress, Dec. 1864...........................87 Echuca on the Murray, 1864 & 1865.....................................87 QUEENSLAND..................................................................................88 The Greater Wax Moth and the First Ligurian Bees, 1866, 1877 ...................................................................................................88 Jeannie River (Princess Charlotte Bay), 1901...........................91 SOUTH AUSTRALIA: KANGAROO ISLAND..............................................91 Bonney, Buick &Turner.............................................................91 SS. Cuzco, 1885.........................................................................96 Mr Justice Boucaut, Quambi Estate, near Mount Barker, 188498 John Buick, American River, Kangaroo Island, 1884.............101 John Turner, Smiths Bay, Kangaroo Island, 1884.................102 Charles Rake, Enfield, 1883....................................................104 Albert Molineux, 1832-1909................................................105 A Simmering Controversy........................................................106 5

Web Page Misinformation...................................................106 An Errant Correspondent.....................................................111 A Confused Masters Thesis.................................................115 One accurate web page........................................................122 A second accurate web page...............................................124 Analysis of Ligurian introduction dates..................................124 ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO NORTH AMERICA......................................126 BY COVERED WAGON TO THE AMERICAN WEST.................................129 ADDENDUM TO THE FIRST HONEYBEES IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS .....130 Introduction: Pellett in 1938 and Watkins, 1968.....................131 An Update, 2001......................................................................133 Baron De Thierrys Promise, 1851.........................................133 A Van Diemens Land Proposal, 1852....................................135 Useful Technical Advice, 1852................................................136 John Montgomerys Report, 1853...........................................137 W. Chamberlains 1854 Report on the 1851 & 1853 Unsuccessful Attempts.............................................................137 A Workable Method, 1842.......................................................140 W. Chamberlain, 1854, continued...........................................142 Success, 1857, to Captain Lawton of the Fanny Major...........144 J. W. Marshs 1855 Report of Woe..........................................145 Edward P. Bonds Oops!, 1856..........................................146 CALIFORNIA & THE HARBISON BROTHERS: 1853, 1856 & 1858..........147 Methods for their 1st Shipment................................................150 Methods for their 2nd Shipment..............................................151 PART IV SOME 19TH CENTURY BEEKEEPERS..............154 NEW SOUTH WALES......................................................................154 A.B. Spark & Reuben Hannam, c1820 to 1826.......................154 Margaret (Macleay) Innes, 1843.............................................157 Cotton, Campbell and friends, Sydney, 1842..........................158 A Letter from An Australian, 1864...................................162 Early Childhood Memories, 1810-1814...............................166 Beekeeping Introductions, 1842...........................................168 Colonial Beekeeping, Sydney, 1832 to 1842.......................171 Marianne Campbell, Beekeeper of Duntroon...................178 Sophia Ives Campbell, swarm-catcher of Wharf House.......181 Unfulfilled Promises............................................................182 Hannibal Macarthur.............................................................183 Revd. Steele, St. Peters, Cooks River................................184 Frances and Alexander Spark, Tempe, Cooks River.......185 6

A Promise Fulfilled..............................................................189 Waspish criticism.............................................................191 Thomas Birkby: gardener, beekeeper...................................195 Who supplied Campbells hive ?.........................................196 A Spark Berry Link...........................................................198 Alexander and David Berry, 1837........................................199 Illawarra region, c 1850.......................................................204 James Adair, an early Hunter Valley settler and beekeeper, 1849 .................................................................................................205 Albert Gale, c1851..................................................................206 Peter Crebert, Maitland, c1853...............................................208 Hawkesbury Agricultural College, 1892.................................209 John Doolan & Richard Shumack, Canberra, c1865..............209 George Blundell, c1874...........................................................211 Wilhelm Abram, the Great Beekeeper, 1882.......................213 A Retired 19th Century Beekeepers Reminiscences................215 Apiarian, 1887....................................................................216 Visit to the Sunnyside Apiary, Campbelltown, 1888................216 Hannah and John Wallis, Bulga Plateau, 1892......................217 William Hessel Hall, Pioneer Blue Mountains Beekeeper, Lapstone Apiary, Emu Plains, 1895........................................218 Talking Politics causes Trouble with his Church.................222 A House at Mulgoa and Two at Lapstone............................223 Some Early Family History.................................................224 Halls Guide to Settlers on the Mountains...........................227 Honey Producing Trees....................................................228 Some Typical Honey-producing Trees.............................230 On the Location for an Apiary.........................................233 Acquiring Stock...............................................................236 An Autobiography of Sorts..............................................236 Famous Apiary Destroyed, Dec. 1908.................................238 A Well Laid Out Argument.................................................241 Water ...................................................................................253 A Colourful Career: The Late Rev. Wm. Hessel Hall, M.A. .............................................................................................254 A Few Notes on the Man.....................................................255 TASMANIA...................................................................................259 Charles & Louisa Meredith, c1848.........................................259 Honey Exported, 1846-47........................................................260 Mrs Fenton, London, 1851......................................................262 Zieber Sumner, 1880s..............................................................262 7

VICTORIA.....................................................................................263 Samuel Simmons, 1868............................................................263 Leonard T. Chambers, 1887....................................................264 Herman Naveau, 1880s...........................................................265 John Andrews, 1885 - 1891.....................................................265 David Morris Morgan, 1895, Pioneer Beekeeper of the Grampians...............................................................................273 QUEENSLAND................................................................................276 John Carne Bidwill, 1848........................................................276 SOUTH AUSTRALIA........................................................................276 George and Ernest Hayler Hannaford, c1896.........................276 Messrs. Coleman & May, July 1884........................................277 PART V. THE BIRTH OF COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPING IN AUSTRALIA..................................................................................278 Primitive Pre-Commercial Days.............................................278 The 1860s................................................................................279 The 1870s................................................................................280 The 1880s................................................................................281 Fifty Years Previously - the 1830s and 1840s.........................281 Large Scale Beekeeping, 1849.................................................282 A settler at Illawarra, c1861 ..................................................284 PART VI. MISCELLANY............................................................287
BEE-HIVE

STORES..........................................................................287 TANGING A SWARM....................................................................288 HEBBLEWHITE & CO......................................................................291 BOOK REVIEWS.........................................................................293 THE IMMIGRANT BEES, VOLUME II...................................................293 The Beekeeper, Quarterly Newsletter, The North Shore Beekeepers Association...........................................................293 Karl Showler of Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, U.K.........................293 Peter Abotomey, Peterborough, South Australia.....................293 WILLIAM CHARLES COTTON, GRAND BEE MASTER OF NZ, 1842 TO 1847 .................................................................................................293 Arthur Smith, Frodsham, Cheshire, England..........................293 BIBLIOGRAPHY..........................................................................294 BOOKS........................................................................................294 JOURNALS & NEWSPAPERS...............................................................302 8

DIARIES & LETTERS.....................................................................305 INDEX............................................................................................306

The following words are carved prominently into the imposing sandstone block wall on the eastern side of the lofty vestibule of the Mitchell Wing, State Library of New South Wales. The sentiment struck a positive note with me.

IN BOOKS LIES THE SOUL OF THE WHOLE PAST TIME THE ARTICULATE AUDIBLE VOICE OF THE PAST WHEN THE BODY AND MATERIAL SUBSTANCE OF IT HAS ALTOGETHER VANISHED LIKE A DREAM
Authors note: For those readers who have not seen my Immigrant Bees, Volumes I & II, the organization of this book, like its predecessors, is essentially a timeline based around Australasias 19th Century colonial beekeepers. Prime source extracts are reproduced in bold type, contemporary quotations remain in plain text. Sections I, II and III essentially add to detail supplied in my 1995, 1997 and 1999 publications, alongside snippets of new information subsequently discovered. Some sections are essays which stand by themselves eg, The First Honeybees in the Sandwich Islands, William Hessel Hall and Edward Wilson. A key section is Part IV, Some 19 th Century Beekeepers. I invite you to read and enjoy my latest offering.

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Acknowledgements
I have pleasure in acknowledging the assistance of the following for their replies and/or contributions to my latest volume.
Alan Clark Alan Hall Bridget Jolly Helen Digan Helen McLagen Helen Perry Historian, Nowra Coogee, N.S.W. Adelaide Administrator, Canberra & District Historical Soc. National Library of Australia, for permission to reproduce extracts from the Diary of Lady Franklin North Sydney Library

11

Keith Campbell Lincoln Hall Maree Millard Pat Abbott Rob Manning Ronald Parsons Tonia Eldridge Trish Frei

South Coast of N.S.W. Blackheath, N.S.W. Caloundra Library, Sunshine Coast, Queensland Qld. Dept. Primary Industries & Fisheries Agriculture W.A. Australian Maritime History Association. Research Librarian, State Library of South Aust. Reference Librarian, National Library of Aust. Bay of Islands Cardiff, Wales San Diego, California Blackheath, NSW Winmalee, NSW Canberra Caloundra, Qld. Goonellabah, NSW Sydney Brisbane Adelaide Hobart Melbourne Warrimoo, NSW N.Z. U.K. U.S.A. Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia

Distribution List (L* denotes Legal Deposit)

Bruce Stevenson International Bee Research Assocn. Joe Bray Lincoln Hall Mark Appleton National Library Aust. (L*) Peter Barrett (Author) Richmond-Tweed Library State Library NSW State Library Qld (L*) State Library SA State Library Tasmania State Library Victoria Steve Craig, Blue Mountains Honey

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Foreword
Since the production of Volume II in late 1999 Ive continued my research part time, with extended breaks, during which time I devoted my energies to the building and consolidation of a small business. With the resumption of my research Ive found the hunt for clues on my chosen topic of colonial beekeepers most rewarding. Seeking out, sifting, discarding, collecting, cross-referencing, compiling, analysing, verifying, assimilating, theorising, and back through the cycle again: all this I found most stimulating. In retrospect, had I chosen another lifes vocation I think it would have been that of a detective. As life choices go, I travelled the path of a Systems Analyst within the Information Technology Industry for over twenty-five years. Im now the owner-operator of a mini-skip hire business where the skill of logistics plays a prominent role. The base skills for historical research, criminal investigation, systems analysis and a mini-skip hire service amazingly share much in common. This volume consists of a limited hardcover edition of some twenty copies only. Joseph Bray, antiquarian bee book enthusiast of California, has a standing order for any of my works. My friend Bruce Stevenson, a commercial beekeeper from the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, shares my interest in colonial beekeeping history. Mark Appleton, my good friend from Winmalee (near Springwood, NSW) was one of my first customers for Volume I. Steve Craig of Blue Mountains Honey commenced beekeeping parallel with myself, and similarly developed a liking for old beekeeping books. Ive modified the organisation of chapters to provide an emphasis on 19th Century beekeepers, particularly those pre-1850. There is a special chapter on the Sandwich Islands, including offers from New Zealand and Van Diemens Land to supply honeybees. I particularly like the chapters on John Campbell and Frances and Alexander Spark of Tempe, Cooks River. Both had a connection with William Charles Cotton.
Cover illustration: from Angus Mackays c1884 The Honey Bee in Australia (it) facilitates artificial swarming, changing frames, for examination purposes, to strengthen another stock, or other necessary operation.

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Part I - The Native Bees

NATIVE BEES, 1847
Within Ludwig Leichhardts account of his 3000 mile journey from Moreton Bay, present day Brisbane, to Port Essington 1 between August 1844 and December 1845, Leichhardt recorded The native bee was so abundant in some localities that numbers of them settled on our plates and hands. Their honey was very aromatic in those parts where the native marjoram grew.

NATIVE BEES, 1861

As reported in The Argus for 18 June 1861 (p.7c), E. Baines of Brighton, Victoria, wanted to try to domesticate stingless native bees: It has always been a matter of surprise to me that so little attention has been paid to this really useful little creature. It is the exception to find them located either with the farmer or marketgardener, instead of which these ought scarcely to be a garden without them. Both the farmer and market gardener appear to think the little creatures beneath their notice, or that they are more trouble than they are worth; if properly attended to, they are highly remunerative they do require some attention. They should be put in good hives and placed in a suitable situation

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY OF N.S.W., 1864

In a footnote to an Address delivered by George Bennett to the members of the Acclimatisation Society of New South Wales at its annual meeting on 4 April 1864, was made the following observation the English imported Bee has nearly driven away the small Australian stingless species, and the recent introduction of the Ligurian bee will be a great acquisition to the colonies, being very prolific, and yielding a larger supply of honey and wax, than any other species, and the rearing of bees has the advantage of requiring very little capital, and but a small amount of labor. The quantity and value of honey and bees-wax production in the colony is very great, and the latter has recently been exported to England at a remunerative profit.

The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, January 1847, p.104

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I have been informed that the small black stingless Bee of Australia has sometimes been seen in close proximity to the English Bee, both having formed their nests in the same hollow of a tree, being only divided by a mud partition. When in that position one or the other lose their brood, they attack each other and the Australian Bee continues to cut off the wings of the English Bee. The honey from the native Bee has a more agreeable acidulous flavour than that produced by the naturalized English insect. 2

AN AUSTRALIAN APIS, 1888

John Edmonds of Mount Duneed, Victoria, like myself, became interested in the truth or otherwise of the existence of the enigmatic Australian Apis. From a photocopy he sent to me taken from Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee 3 According to an article in the Scientific Review 4 of England, although bees have been sent from this country and Europe, to Australia, there is an Australian native bee, which builds its nest on the Eucalyptus. These bees gather immense quantities of a kind of honey which, although very sweet, can be used as medicine, to replace the codliver oil, used with so much repugnance by consumptives. 5 How then should the phrase builds its nest on the Eucalyptus to be interpreted? Further research is required to track down the specific Scientific Review article, published up to 1909. An internet search of
2

This observation of combative behaviour is disputed by a living example of these two species co-existence in a hive located at Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney. For details refer to The Immigrant Bees, Volume II, pp.27-29, 32 3 1888, revised by Dadant 1909 4 a web search of the online catalogue of the British Library revealed three holdings of this publication with editions dated between 1865 and 1883. Study of these could reveal additional relevant details. ie., DSC Shelfmark: 8203.850000n Title: SCIENTIFIC REVIEW (LONDON) SRIS: Vol. 1, 1865- 7, 1872 *A=1 Reserve (P) BW50-E(177) 8661 Held but not currently received. HSS: Vol. 1, 1865- 18, 1883 *A=1 PP.1447.C Held but not currently received DSC Shelfmark: 8203.915000 Title: SCIENTIFIC REVIEW AND JOURNAL OF THE INVENTORS INSTITUTE DSC Shelfmark: 8203.920000n Title: SCIENTIFIC REVIEW AND SCIENTIFIC AND LITERARY REVIEW SRIS: Vol. 9(10), 1874- 18, 1883 *A=1 Reserve (P) BW50-E(17) 8661 Held but not currently received 5 p.299

15

the catalogue for the British Library has revealed two likely publications: The Scientific and Literary Review (holdings 1874 to 1883) and The Scientific Review, London (holdings 1865 to 1883). I await a response to my query to the British Library, from which new discoveries might be made.

THE NATIVE BEE, 1889

In James Robinsons 1889 6 British Bee-Farming, its Profits and Pleasures It appears, from recent accounts, that in the distant regions of New South Wales and Van Diemens Land, besides the indigenous insect, the bee of Europe has obtained a firm footing. To which indigenous bee is Robinson referring? He also quotes from Loudons Magazine The native bee is without a sting, and is not much larger than a common house-fly. It produces (an) abundance of honey and wax, but has not yet been subjected to cultivation; and from its small size, and its building in very high trees, probably never will be so. 7 The native stingless Trigona bee cannot be the target of this description, for neither the size comparison to the common house-fly nor the description that it produces an abundance of honey and wax match Trigonas attributes. Was Robinson quoting from a contemporary edition of this magazine or from an edition many years earlier? I originally thought the real identity of Loudons Magazine was Mrs. Loudon's Entertaining Naturalist ... A new edition, revised and enlarged by W. S. Dallas. (London: Bell & Daldy, 1867.8 pp. 634.) However, a chance to acquire a copy arose in January 2005, but a query to the bookseller established that its slight reference to bees was not what I was looking for. That same month I acquired a copy of Lady with Green Fingers, the Life of Jane Loudon (1961). Its extensive bibliography had no reference to Loudons Magazine, as such, but it did list The Gardeners Magazine, of which her husband, John Claudius Loudon, was editor. Publication commenced in 1826 with the bibliography identifying sighted copies for 1840-1843.
6

the second edition, the first edition was published in 1880. See British Bee Books, a bibliography 1500 1976 (1979) International Bee Research Association, London 7 p.140 8 An edition of The Entertaining Naturalist previously appeared in 1843 (Howe, 1961, p.8). This was a new edition of a long established work which she had been asked to bring about The test, re-written by Jane to interest children, is specially vivid. (Howe, p.82)

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William Cotton in his 1842 My Bee Book 9 referenced Loudons Mag for April 1833. 10 From Lady with Green Fingers, the Life of Jane Loudon Jane proposed becoming her husbands secretary and sole writing-hand. He accepted this offer gladly. Every evening found her closeted in the library with him; the curtains drawn and the fire lit. Together they corrected proofs, attended to correspondence from readers of and contributors to The Gardeners Magazine The hours were never long enough for them and midnight came all too soon. Only then did they extinguish the flickering oil lamp on the writing table and, damping down the fire, retire to bed. 11 On re-reading Alexandra Haslucks Portrait with Background, A Life of Georgiana Molloy, several references to Mr & Mrs Loudon appear: In July (1840) Mrs Molloy had received another letter from Captain Mangles. She replied in August: I felt very much pleasure, my dear Captain Mangles, in the receipt of your letter of the 25 th March per Chieftain which I received on the 17th July. I have received both your delightful boxes per Chieftain and am extremely obliged for the many beautiful and valuable contents: Mrs Loudons Flower Garden is beauteous and elegant beyond description. I feel highly indebted not only to you but to that superior-gifted Lady for the exertions made to strike off an immediate copy. In a letter 12 dated June 1841, Georgiana displayed her ongoing reference to the Loudon gardening guides Mrs Loudon speaks favourably of sowing Larkspurs early and I cordially can bear testimony to the truth of this remark. Hasluck covers in great detail the correspondence commencing December 1836 between Captain James Mangles, R.N., and Georgiana Molloy over matters horticultural, including their exchange of seeds and plant specimens. Mangles was one of the first Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society; a Fellow of the Royal Society; a member of the Ornithological Society, and a keen horticulturist. Captain Mangles led the life of a cultured gentleman of wealth and leisure. Perhaps his keenest interest was in gardens and their care. James Mangles correspondence from 1835 to 1843 gives a pleasing picture of the London of those days, in which gentlemen had the leisure to indulge their interests and hobbies; when time was of little moment, so that it did not matter if a letter and its reply took eighteen
9

p.326 vol. vi. p.469 11 p.49 12 to George F. Moore

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months or so to pass between Mangles and his correspondents at Swan River. There was plenty of time for gentlemen and ladies in London who were interested in botany. A Mrs Loudon, who wrote a number of botanical works of a popular character and who assisted her husband 13 with his publications on horticulture and natural history, was one of Mangles correspondents. She often wrote to him about projects for books and for a magazine to be called A Ladies Magazine of Gardening and Botany, which she proposed to bring out. Mr Loudon edited the Gardeners Magazine and brought out Encyclopaedias of Plants and Gardening. 14 Could then a correspondence link have existed between Western Australia and England which linked Georgiana Molloy to John Loudon via Captain Mangles: at least one minor result being the supply and publication of details on native bees in Australia? I suspect the correspondence links between Georgiana and Mangles, and between Mangles and Mrs Loudon, lead to the possibility that Robinsons 1889 (and 1880?) 15 reference to Loudon about indigenous insects and the European bee in New South Wales and Van Diemens Land, may well have been sourced from information supplied by Georgiana to Mangles and hence to Mrs Loudon up to forty years previously. Even though Robinson wrote from recent accounts in 1889 (and 1880), could the information have been supplied up to four decades earlier? I followed up the reference to Loudons Magazine and performed a web search of the catalogue of the British Library. To my surprise I located a myriad of horticultural and natural history publications for Jane Loudon (1807-1858) and John Claudius Loudon (1783-1843). Amongst these many publications I took special note of the following: The edition of Jane Loudons Garden Flowers held by the British Library was produced in 1843. A print run from the original sixteen plates appeared over a hundred years later in 1948. The copy Jane struck off for Georgiana Molloy in 1840 was printed from those same plates. A collection of biographies including those of John and Jane appeared in 1951 titled Some Nineteenth Century Gardeners. A second biography titled Lady with Green Fingers, The Life of Jane Loudon was published in 1961. A Manual of Cottage Gardening, Husbandry, and Architecture was extracted from the
13 14

Mr J. C. Loudon pp.148-153 15 I have studied an 1889 edition but not one from 1880.

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Gardeners Magazine in 1830. 16 Janes Ladies Magazine of Gardening held at the British Library was published in 1842. William Cotton in his 1842 My Bee Book referenced Loudons Mag for April 1833 (vol. vi. p.469) wherein is mentioned the Humble Bee. 17

AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BEE-HUNTING, 1889, 1894

Also from British Bee-Farming is this account, correspondent unknown From the absence of flowers in many parts of the bush of Australia, the little native bee may be seen busily working on the bark of the trees, and, unlike the bees of this country, which are ever on the move from flower to flower, it seems to be unconscious of danger. This may arise from the vastness of the solitudes in Australia, which are seldom if ever disturbed, except by a passing tribe, or by its own wild denizens, which are far from numerous. The bee is therefore easily approached, and the bright clear atmosphere of the climate is peculiarly favourable to the pursuit. A party of two or three natives, armed with a tomahawk, sally forth into the bush, having previously provided themselves with the soft white down from the breast of some bird, which is very light in texture and at the same time very fluffy. With that wonderful quickness of sight which practice has rendered perfect, they descry the little brownish leaden-coloured insect on the bark, and, rolling up an end of the down feather to the finest possible point between the fingers, they dip it into a gummy substance which a peculiar sort of herb exudes when the stem is broken. They then cautiously approach the bee, and with great delicacy of touch place the gummed point under the hind legs of the bee. It at once adheres. Then comes the result for which all this preparation has been made. The bee feeling the additional weight fancies he has done his task and is laden with honey, and flies off the tree on his homeward journey at no great distance from the ground. The small white feather is now all that can be discerned, and the hunt at once commences. Running on foot amid broken branches and stony ground requires, one would think, the aid of ones eyesight; but with the
16

The preface to the 1834 second edition of Thomas Nutts Humanity to Bees mentions amongst its many acknowledgements To J. C. Loudon the erudite editor of the Gardeners Magazine 17 My Bee Book, Extracts From My Own Note-Book, p.326

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native Australians it is not so. Without taking for a moment their eyes off the object, they follow it, sometimes to the distance of half-a-mile, and rarely, if ever, fail in marking the very branch where they saw the little bit of white down disappear at the entrance of the hive. Here there is a halt, the prize is found, and they sit down to regain their breath before ascending the tree, and to light a pipe - to which old and young, men, women, and children, are extremely partial. When the rest and smoke are over, with one arm round the tree and the tomahawk in the other, the black man cuts notches in the bark, and, placing the big toe in the notches, ascends this hastily constructed stair until he comes to where the branches commence; then, putting the handle of the tomahawk between his teeth, he climbs with the ease and agility of a monkey till he reaches the branch where last he saw the white down disappear; he then carefully sounds the branches with the back of his tomahawk till the dull and distinct sound from the hollow tells him where the hive is.

TheBee Hunter, 19th Century drawing by Samuel Thomas Gill (1818-1880), an aboriginal and his quarry. A partner drawing is also held in the Dixson Collection, State Library of NSW.

A hole is then cut, and he puts his hand in and takes the honey out. If alone, the savage eats when up the tree till he can eat no more and leaves the rest; but, if with others, he cuts a square 20

piece of bark, and, after having had the best part of the hive as a reward for his exertions, brings down a mass of honey and comb mixed together, which, though not inviting, is greedily devoured by those below. In one of Coopers novels 18, I think Oak Openings, will be found a wonderful description of a bee-hunt, similar in its mode to the above. 19 In September 2006 while doing research on the internet 20 I located the following image titled "Native Australian Bee-Hunters" which appears in Kangaroo and Kauri: sketches and anecdotes of Australia and New Zealand by J. K. ARTHUR. (London, Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1894) The supporting text from An Exhibition of Material from the Monash University Rare Book Collection 14 October - 29 November 1993 is as follows:

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Cooper, James Fenimore (1848) The Oak Openings, or the Bee-Hunter, Burgess Stringer, New York. In December 2004 I located and purchased a copy of Oak Openings but it was not until June 2006 that I found time to study its contents. The process essentially involves capturing a bee in an inverted glass tumbler, inducing the bee to drink, in darkness, from a small piece of honeycomb within. On release the heavily laden bee takes its bearings and is then sight lined and followed. Capture of a second bee along with the first allows another sight line along the same path. Having located the likely tree a spy-glass is employed to locate the hive entrance. Thus identified an axe is the next tool employed. Great was the confusion among the bees at this sudden downfall of their long-cherished home. So suddenly had the hive tumbled, that its late occupants appeared to be astounded, and they submitted to their fate as men yield to the power of tempests and earthquakes. (p.21) 19 Robinson, James (1889) pp.178-179 20 http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/exhibitions/aborigines/xabor.html#38

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This illustration is accompanied by a detailed account of the method used by the Aborigines to find honey: they watch the bee coming to drink and then follow it home. (p. 71) Arthur watched Warruyallah, an Aborigine from a tribe on the Upper Darling, doing this. The Aborigine lay motionless for about an hour, with his mouth full of water, and his face over a pool, until a bee came to drink. He then discharged the water from his mouth over the little buzzer, ... he seized it in a most dexterous manner by the wings and proceeded to prepare it for the chase. This he did by fastening to it a bunch of flocculent wild cotton with some resinous gum. The hunter now explained that as soon as he let the bee go it would make for the hive, and the cotton which he had fastened on would serve the twofold purpose of impeding its progress and showing a mark in the air for him to follow. We were soon joined by some of the tribe and the bee was let go. (p. 72) The aborigines gave chase, over bramble and brake. In the course of half an hour, however, I came up with them. They had stopped at the foot of an immense gum-tree, into the top of which, I was informed the bee had gone. Warruyallah quickly mounted with his stone tomahawk, and in the course of a short time he brought down a quantity of honeycomb. (pp. 72-73) I found the following interesting episode in The Australian Bee Bulletin, Sept. 1895. At a late meeting of the Maitland Scientific 22

Society one speaker was Mr. J.J. Miller, who with his parents had lived on the Breeza Plains when a lad, and spent a considerable part of his boyhoods days among the blacks. Having spoken of the blacks mode of procuring honey we 21 took occasion to have a talk with him about what he knew of blacks and bees at that time. there were no German or Italian bees, only the little native Apis Trigona. The queen he said was nearly as large as the German queen, but not quite as long, very pretty, something like what was known as the solitary bee, and had a sting, unlike her children. The blackfellows would never catch the queen, or kill a bee, who they reckoned was a goodfellow give honey. The blackfellows had peculiar ways of finding the bees nests. The bees clean out their nests constantly, including their excreta. These fall at the bottom of the tree. It is like very fine cabbage seed Blackfellows will go to a big ants nest, watch carefully what the ants were bringing in, and the direction they brought these little pellets. They track it to the root of the tree where the bees nest is. Another way: the blackfellow watches the bees gathering honey in perhaps the flower of the blue bell. He watches quietly, and carefully gets hold of the blossom and closes it sufficient to enclose the bee. Then he gets a little of the down of the eagle hawk, or some other bird, and sticks it on the two hind legs of the bee, with a little honey or gum. The bee is then let fly, care being taken that he shall not fall. His first endeavour is to reach a twig. This is gently touched by the blackfellow, when the bee starts for his home. Being loaded with the down he goes slowly, and is easily tracked and followed by the blackfellow. 22 (p.156)

STINGLESS BEES, IMMIGRATED BEES & A MR. COLE, C1899

A visiting German naturalist named Semon was interested in locating and studying the Echidna, and to this end looked to the tracking capabilities of aborigines. Having reached Gayndah on the Burnett River after an overland journey via stagecoach, he recorded The main street, the houses of which are built at long intervals from each other, follows the river for about two miles, running along
21 22

I assume we to mean the editor of the ABB, and company. The Nov. 1895 ABB carried a follow up article from R. A. Pleffer who gave his experiences in hiving a nest of Apis Trigona. (p.221)

23

the top of its right bank. Many houses are flanked by little gardens and plantations, and the vivid greens of orange and lemon trees, which are very much cultivated and thrive splendidly, afford an agreeable change for an eye tired of the faint bluish-greens of the eucalyptus bush. (p.18) At camp, once tracking had commenced About a dozen black families had gathered in my camp at that period, but only two or three of them performed any work worth mentioning. The control of their days labour was very difficult, as we were not able to follow them on their rambles, and to make sure of their really pursuing the track of Echidna and not giving themselves up to sweet idleness or to the search of nests of the stingless Australian bee, of the honey of which they are seemingly fond. (p.72). Semons lament was repeated It was impossible for me to follow my men one by one, to ascertain whether they were at work, or whether they were idling about in the scrub, lying on their backs, or searching for sugar bags. Many an hour destined for labour did they spend in the pursuit of these bees nests. Still greater was the loss of time when they discovered a nest of our European honey-bee. Mr Cole, the doctor in Gayndah, was an eager apiarian, and from his hives (of) European bees, which soon became wild, had spread all over the Middle Burnett. The conditions for their livelihood seem very favourable in these parts, whereas in tropical North Queensland they cannot live freely without being taken care of by man. Whenever it happened that my blacks discovered a tree which the immigrated 23 bees had chosen as a dwelling, and the hollow of which they had filled with their sweet stores (often to a height of eleven yards or so above the ground), all the mob would at once assemble to fell the mighty tree, often the work of a day. As to myself, I only heard about these enterprises after the tree was felled and the day lost.

NATIVE BEES, 1925

From Prof. T. D. A. Cockerells (1930) The Bees of Australia 24 Mr. T. Rayment (Australasian Beekeeper, xxvii., October 15, 1925, p.68) reported the existence of a smaller native Apis (A. aenigmaticus Rayment) from Victoria and South Australia. But as nothing seems to
23

Translated from German, the term immigrated bees: should I have come across it in 1995, could have made selection of a title for my first book a little easier. 24 Australian Zoologist 6(2), 1930

24

be known of it but the comb, it cannot be regarded as entitled to recognition until the actual bees are produced. (p.149) Rayment saw living examples of these bees but apparently at the time did not capture any for subsequent classification in such a manner that other entomologists would recognise it as a new type. In 1930 Prof. Cockerell described Trigona carbonaria as the very common little black nee, looking like an animated particle of soot, about 4mm long. These small bees which exhibited such a comically small disposition were not the elusive native honeybee, attributed a size similar to that of the common house fly by Tarlton Rayment I recognised them at once as an unrecorded species of Apis, for in every respect, except stature, they are replicas of the Hive-bee. ... The bees are black in colour, and with much hair; they are as small as house flies, but more slender in the body. (The Australasian Beekeeper, October, 1925)

EAST ALLIGATOR RIVER, 1928

In Wanderings in Wild Australia (1928) in the chapter on the East Alligator River, the experience is related of two aborigines obtaining the bounty of a hive They came to a big blood-wood tree on which swarms of bees were feeding on the gum-tree flowers. The younger brother heard the buzzing and said, What is it; is it bees? Ha! Mormo. The elder brother was carrying a kerli or stone tomahawk, which he handed to the younger man, telling him to go and cut a forked bough. He himself gathered a leaf with a spider cocoon on it which he shredded out, and, having done this, climbed the tree with the aid of the forked bough which was placed slanting against the trunk. He put a little bit of the web on each bee that he could reach, singing out to them to go home and telling his younger brother to watch which way they went. They followed them up and put leaves in the holes in the trees into which they went, so that they would know, later on, where the honey-bags were. One he sent to Murarorabi, a place between the two Alligator Rivers where there are plenty of honey-bags now. Then he went to the first honey-bag, cut it out with his kerli and ate it. 25

25

Spencer, Baldwin (1928) pp.783-784

25

Part II - The Dark European Honeybee

NEW SOUTH WALES
Revd. Samuel Marsden, 1810: An Update In Volume I of The Immigrant Bees I presented both sides of the debate: did Revd. Samuel Marsden bring Apis honeybees to Sydney from Brazil ? Or did he acquire hives of the native stingless bee from there. From Marsdens letter dated 1 December 1809, written on board the Ann under Captain Clarke Two Hives of Bees I found in Rio and shall attempt to take them out Next day Marsden sailed from Rio on the Ann and arrived at Port Jackson on 27 January 1810, a voyage of 67 days. Just over three months later on 4 May 1810, Marsden wrote to Mr. John Stokes I have had so much to attend to since we landed that I really forgot them and left them in the Governors garden, where I fear the heavy rains have injured them 26 Dr. Eva Crane 27 has now put the matter to rest, establishing beyond doubt that the bees brought by Marsden to Sydney were not Apis honeybees but stingless bees. In her mammoth 600 page work The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting European honey bees were introduced to the countries of South America comparatively late, starting in 1839 (Brazil). A belief that the bees were present earlier in South America was based on a passage in a letter written in Italy by Father Cardiael some time after 1768: On various occasions I explained the method used in Spain by those who keep hives However, Nogueira-Neto (1964, 1967) interpreted this to mean that the natives should use the better Spanish method with their stingless bees, not that European bees were already kept in settlements established by the Spanish. Extensive studies of the records convinced him that at this period there were no populations of Apis mellifera in that part of America (Brazil). On 12 June 1839 Emperor Dom Pedro II in Portugal issued a decree giving the exclusive privilege of introducing bees from Europe and
26

Mackaness, George (1942) Some Private Correspondence of the Rev. Samuel Marsden and Family 1794 - 1824, Privately printed by the Author, Sydney. p.40 27 Crane, Dr. Eva (1999) The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting, Gerald Duckworth & Co., London (p.363b)

26

Africa to Father Antonio Pinto Carneiro, and he was instrumental in transporting 100 colonies from Porto in Portugal to Rio de Janeiro in that year. Of the 100 colonies 7 arrived alive and survived, and in 1859 Branco stated that all the honey bees in Brazil, now 30,000 colonies, are descended from those introduced by Father Antonio Carneiro, who was the first to introduce the bees to Brazil I located the following two paragraphs during an internet search of a site located in Brazil. They share some details with those provided by Crane. To date Ive not been able to authenticate the content. One research avenue drew a blank, for the library of the International Bee Research does not hold copies of The Apiarist for 1968. The bees of the Apis gender are not originally from the American continent, theyve been brought out from Europe by colonists and immigrants. According to Dr. Paulo Nogueira Neto (Manual of Beekeeping) the first ones to introduce colonies of bees wouldve been the three priests Antonio Aureliano, Paulo Barbosa and Sebastiao Cordovil de Siqueira e Mello, in the year 1839. It is believed the colonies of bees wouldve arrived in Brazil from the city of Porto (Portugal). Of the 100 colonies put on board, only seven survived the long trip. Soon after that they multiplied and this is how beekeeping started in Brazil. However in 1845 (according to Professor Hugo Muxfeldt from the magazine The Apiarist, 1-1968 of the CBA), its possible that Germans, founders of Nova Friburgo, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, succeeded in bringing bees inside a specially designed cage. The convict ship Phoenix, 1824 an update My first mention of the Phoenix appeared in my 1995 The Immigrant Bees, Volume I. The short entry, titled The Phoenix, 1824, is as follows: Gale (1912) quoted from an issue of the Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 1863 .... it stated that at a meeting of the Acclimatisation Society of New South Wales bees were brought from England to Sydney in the year 1824, in the ship Phoenix, which sailed from Portsmouth in March of that year. Three convict ships carried the name Phoenix. One of these, under Captain Robert White and surgeon-superintendent Charles Queade, departed Portsmouth on 29 March 1824, arriving Hobart 21 July 1824, 28 a crossing of 114 days by way of Teneriffe. The Phoenix, after disembarking her convicts at Hobart, sailed for Sydney, and early
28

Nicholson in his Log of Logs gives arrival date as 26 July 1824

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in August arrived off the entrance to Port Jackson. (Bateson, 1969, p.230) Several searches of the Sydney Morning Herald failed to locate the item referred to by Gale. In my 1999 Volume II update I added the following minor note: F. R. Beuhne at the time of writing Beekeeping in Victoria in 1915-1916 was a former bee expert of the Victorian Department of Agriculture. He wrote The Black Bee, it has been stated, was first brought to Tasmania from Great Britain in 1824. From Tasmania some hives were taken to Sydney and from thence the variety has spread pretty well over the whole of Australia. (p.13) Unfortunately, Beuhne supplied no primary source in support of the 1824 date. Now in 2006, just when I thought my Volume III was ready for publication, I acquired three old Australian beekeeping books within the span of three months. Two of these now contribute to this update on the convict transport ship Phoenix and its supercargo of bees. The first of this trio was Beuhnes 1925 revised and enlarged edition of Beekeeping in Victoria. During the intervening nine or so years since the previous edition he must have become aware of Wallaces 1822 Isabella bees, for the same chapter titled Races of Bees has the 1824 date modified to 1822: The Black Bee, it has been stated, was first brought to Australia from Great Britain in 1822. Since then the variety has spread well over the whole of Australia. (p.13) 1824 vs 1831 ? Mowle, 1898 & Ross, 1863 I next acquired a bound annual of the Australian Bee Bulletin, April 1896 to March 1897. An entry in the March 1896 issue was taken from an article by Isaac Hopkins in the New Zealand Farmer. It appears strong interest was also evident across the Tasman re the first introduction of bees to New Zealand At present the case stands thus: - the text of this article appears in the later chapter titled The New Zealand Farmer, c1898 on page 64. And finally, another bound annual of the Australian Bee Bulletin, April 1898 to March 1899. The August issue contains 1 pages of revelations addressing the first introduction of bees, with the inference this was an ongoing topic. I expect the 1897-98 annual, when located and studied, will contain more of interest.

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Now to the first item from August 1898: A Miss 29 Sophie A. Bradley of Appin, N.S.W., met S. M. Mowle, 30 then Usher of the Black Rod 31 to the Parliament of NSW, at the Exhibition of 1888, presumably the Great Exhibition held in Melbourne. 32 Mowle had promised to provide her with some personal recollections on the first introduction of bees to Australia. In her July 1898 letter to E. Tipper, editor of the ABB, shed written As there has been some interest shown by beekeepers lately 33 with regard to the first importation of bees to the colony, I wrote to Mr. T. M. Mowle, 34 a relation of whose I knew had in some way taken part in the introduction of bees to the colonies. I enclose his communications to me on the subject, as they may be of interest to some of your readers, and if published in your columns prove a public record of past events (p.104) Mowle wrote to her on 28 June 1898: I had to go through my scrap books at home last night to obtain the information I had forgotten the interview I had with you (in) 1888. We were always under the impression that the produce of the bees imported into Tasmania by Dr. Wilson found their way to Sydney, and that the originals were the first introduced to the colonies. In looking through the old Gazettes some two or three years ago, I was quite surprised to find the auctioneers notice and the paragraph, copies of which you now have. Mowle was referring to the Sydney Gazette for Friday 21 June 1822, the contents of which he provided: We congratulate our readers upon
29

Mowle refers to Sophie Bradley as Mrs and elsewhere as Madam. The ABB refers to her as Miss. 30 Stewart Marjoribanks Mowle 31 Mowle was Usher of the Black Rod at the Parliament of NSW between 1 Aug. 1883 and 31 Jan. 1905, being the third office bearer since the roles inception on 15 May 1856. Refer http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/ArchivesLegi slativeCouncilUshersofTheBlackRod 32 The stately Great Exhibition Hall still stands. 33 By lately she must be referring to an earlier monthly issue of the ABB. A search of the 1897/98 ABB may uncover earlier correspondence. 34 The initials T.M. appear throughout this section but it must be an ABB typographical error, for Mowles Christian names were Stewart Marjoribanks, ie S.M. Mowle added a note in his letter which confirms his identity He (Dr. T.B. Wilson) was my childrens grandfather. S.M. Mowle married Wilsons daughter, Mary Braidwood Wilson, on 12 may 1845

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the complete establishment of that most valuable insect, the bee, in this country. During the last three weeks, three swarms of bees have been produced from two hives, the property of D. WENTWORTH, Esq, purchased by him from Captain Wallace, of the Isabella, at his estate, Homebush, near Parramatta. A similar notice also appeared in the 1 Nov. 1822 issue. Mowle continued We cannot ignore these facts, and those contained in Mr. Rosss letter, 35 and we therefore must conclude that bees were numerous in N.S.W. long before Dr. Wilson brought them to Tasmania. I am puzzled to think that in his numerous 36 voyages to these colonies, from 1821 to 1836, he was not aware that bees were acclimatised here, and that he should have taken the trouble to have imported them from England, instead of sending them from Sydney to Hobart. This latter possibility would likely not have been possible for Wilson would sail next, not south to Hobart, but back to England for his next convict transport posting. Given the evidence available throughout my three volumes of The Immigrant Bees, I dont doubt Wilson was the first to successfully introduce honeybees into Tasmania. A Digression could Wentworths 1822 hives been viable? A discussion is needed here to explore the likelihood of the complete establishment of Wentworths two hives. The 1822 Gazette notice declared success because three swarms issued from the two hives during a three week period. There is another possibility: that the swarms were poverty swarms, cast in desperation rather than the usual positive cause - generated due to overcrowding in the hive of stores and/or bees. A swarm having issued in desperation may not necessarily leave behind a yet to hatch virgin queen. But, if there was a virgin queen, on hatching, shed have scant chance of mating successfully on the wing if there were insufficient drones available. The convict transport Isabella departed England on 4 Nov. 1821, at the beginning of the last month of Autumn in the northern hemisphere. Its possible eviction of drones from the hives chosen for shipment may have already begun. If the drone population in the hives was significantly depleted on departure, the prospect of successfully mated future queens in Australia could be seriously at risk in June at the commencement of a NSW southern hemisphere Winter. Should any
35 36

Read on for these valuable details Nine voyages in total

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feral swarm grow to prosper in both honey stores and numbers of bees, and subsequently swarm again with the original English mated queen, then again, any virgin queen left behind would need to successfully mate with whatever drones were then available. Even a seemingly prosperous hive with good stores of honey would eventually dwindle as the queen aged and her laying rate diminished, thence to die out after her death, should no virgin queen be available for subsequent mating. For the non-beekeeper, on issue of a swarm headed by the reigning queen, failure of the virgin queen left behind to mate after hatching must result in the death of the hive. Note, that for any virgin queens in Wentworths two hives, only the (limited supply of ?) drones from those same two hives would be available for mating, unless by chance, other Isabella hives were propitiously close by. A possible earlier introduction, Parramatta, c1820 Within Heatons 1879 Dictionary of Dates coverage of the Isabellas seven hives of bees is a note that A species of this industrious race was introduced into Parramatta some years ago, and lived only a short time. This note, in tandem with details of the Wallace / Isabella introduction, are dated April 1822, one month after the arrival of the Isabella on 9 March 1822. Was this note recalling a failed event of some years ago, which had otherwise gone unrecorded, either c1820, or an even earlier introduction of a hive or hives to Parramatta? 37 Mowle on 1824 and 1831 Mowle continued It is possible, as I have said, that the N.S.W. stock might have perished, and that it was necessary to replace them from England. The vicissitudes of this climate favour the idea. Mowle signed off his letter Believe me, yours truly. After the revelations in John Rosss letter, which follow, Mowle added a note Dear Madam, - You must come to your own conclusions from the
37

Research by Keith Campbell, made available via an ABC Radio program in 2002, may be linked to the failed c1820 introduction. Campbell stated In 1821, John MacArthur (of Elizabeth Farm at Parramatta) wrote to his brother James (1798-1867) from London, that he understood that he had acquired English bees, and wanted to know how they were doing. The MacArthurs were first to do with livestock in Australia: perhaps this was another. A possible location for these bees was the MacArthurs Camden Park estate.

31

above statements. The bees early imported may have died, as they died in vast numbers years ago. 38 Dr. Wilson, who first came to the colonies in 1821, might have known this, and brought a fresh supply. John Ross, 1863, a witness to 1824 John Rosss 39 letter, dated 10 August 1863 40 at Moruya, Mowle advised, was published in the Herald (date not supplied). Ross wrote In your paper of the 28th July, 41 I see it stated at a meeting of the Acclimatisation Society of New South Wales, that bees were first brought to this country by Dr. Braidwood Wilson, from Hobart Town, in the year 1831. This is evidently a mistake. Bees were brought from England to Sydney in the year 1824, in the ship Phoenix, which sailed from Portsmouth in March of that year. The web site 42 titled Historical overview of events and development of the Eurobodalla Shire provides the entry Capt John Ross arrived on 14 October 1850 to start the Pilot Station at Moruya Heads. At that time over a hundred ships sailed up the Moruya and Clyde River a year.

38

I believe this is a reference to the wide destruction to hives caused by foul brood, eg., A Mr. W.A. McK of Mingoola (in the Tenterfield / Texas region of Qld.) wrote to the ABB, January 1896 In the year 1870 foul brood destroyed all or nearly all the bees in the Tenterfield district. 39 Ive become aware (Sept. 2006) of a biography: The Career of Captain John Ross as First Piilot of the Newstead Pilot Station, Moruya River, NSW, 1860-1871 in the April 1979 issue of Great Circle (pp.33-35), the journal of the Australian Association of Maritime History. Copies are held at the State Library of Queensland. I intend to seek out a copy, and if possible, provide more details on this 1824 witness. 40 My following thoughts may be considered rambling, but theres a probability of truth in them: Is it a coincidence that Gale quoted from a copy of the Sydney Morning Herald of 10 August 1863, the same date that Ross wrote his letter to the Australian Bee Bulletin ? Could Ross have seen the SMH article and penned his relevant memories that same day? If so, why not write to the SMH rather than the ABB ? Ross would have to have been in Sydney to read that days paper for copies would, I expect, have taken some days to reach the south coast of NSW, lest they be sent there each day by steamer. 41 As at Oct. 2006 Ive not sighted this edition of the SMH. Investigation of it must await a future trip to the State Library. 42 http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/CulturalMap/history/HistoricalOverview.htm

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Ross continued The bees were in charge of Dr. Quede (sic.) Surgeon Superintendent of that ship, of which I was junior officer, and it was understood on board that they were sent by the Home Government. 43 However that may be, I have the most perfect recollection of being one of the boats crew who conveyed the bees, accompanied by Dr. Quede, from the ship in Sydney Cove to Parramatta, where they were landed near the factory, 44 in presence of Sir. Thomas Brisbane. Even though the seat of government at that time was located at Government House in Parramatta,45 I find it more than coincidental that the Governor was conveniently at hand. Some legitimate questions arise: Why then, would the Governor personally attend the delivery of a hive or hives of bees? Was he, apart from his great interest in astronomical observations, a beekeeper 46 as well?

43 44

Home Government meaning the British Government The factory would have been the Female Factory a place of supervision for transported women who were not assigned as servants to settlers. Also the colonys principal female penitentiary, it played an important role in the provision of medical care for the wider female convict community and was the means of enforcing moral and social standards upon both convict and destitute free women. This quote from the online Australian Dictionary of Biography, the entry on Ann Gordon, (c.17951868), female factory superintendent and matron. in October 1827. Refer http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/ 45 That building still stands proud within todays Parramatta Park 46 From http://www.grandpapencil.com/austral/tbrisbn.htm Governor Brisbane, besides his patronage of beekeeping, also had agricultural interests While Governor he tackled the many problems of a rapidly growing and expanding colony. He worked to improve the land grants system and to reform the currency. He set up the first agricultural training college in New South Wales and was the first patron of the New South Wales Agricultural Society. He conducted experiments in growing Virginian tobacco, Georgian cotton, Brazilian coffee and New Zealand flax in the colony. See also http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P000262b.htm & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Brisbane

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Governor Brisbane: soldier, astronomer, colonial Governor; Honey bee patron and/or beekeeper ?

Had he been forewarned of their expected time of arrival from Sydney? Had he ordered some bees from contacts in England? Given a minimum four month voyage to England carrying mail and dispatches, then the return voyage, Governor Brisbane may have been waiting for upwards of a year for delivery. 47 Why would bees be sought from England if they were already completely established in 1822? The implication is that bees were either difficult 48 or impossible to procure within the colony c1823, prior to the arrival of the Phoenix bees.

Ross continued I returned to Sydney in February, 1825, when I again visited Parramatta. I was then informed that the bees had
47

As an example of lengthy communication times, I found this item in Donald Gunns Links with the past, a history of early days in Australia: Before the discovery of gold, a letter to Australia could be posted, or else given to the captain of a ship leaving for the new colony. I have several letters addressed to my father, posted in Scotland. One letter posted October 21, 1841, reached Sydney in September, 1842, taking ten months on the voyage. Another posted in 1846 took six months, still another posted in 1848 seven months, and so on. (p.175) Payable gold was discovered in NSW in 1851. 48 In the True Colonist of 14 February 1835, following references to Dr. Wilsons introduction and Mr. Claytons apiary in Van Diemens Land, We are informed that Mr George Wise, of the Ship Inn, has sent a swarm as a present to a friend in Sydney, where they have as yet been without any bees.

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greatly increased, and were doing well. 49 Soon after I left for India, and did not return to Sydney until 1828, when I found bees common in gentlemens gardens, and was given to understand that they were the produce of bees imported in the ship Phoenix. Brisbanes tenure as Governor was to last only four years, he left Sydney 50 for Scotland in December 1825. An early Jervis Bay settler, 1840 The final letter published in the August 1898 ABB was from a Mr. W. Daley of South Woodburn, Richmond River: An old resident of this town says:- I arrived in N.S.W. in the year 1838 and settled at Jervis Bay. In 1840 I purchased two colonies of bees, paying 2 each for them, and had to engage aboriginals to carry them on their heads a distance of 40 miles. My first thoughts on reading Daleys report: was this was a small mystery solved? Was this the source of the same tale, with minor variations, which appeared in Albert Gales 1912 Australian Bee Lore and Bee Culture? In my Immigrant Bees, Volume I, after a discussion on Heatons 1879 Dictionary of Dates, I wrote Somewhere, also, is an article providing the basis for Albert Gales account of the settler from Jervis Bay who bought two hives for 4 in 1840. Gale wrote a settler at Jervis Bay, New South Wales, paid 4 for a colony of bees, and then hired aboriginals to carry them 51 home, a distance of over 40 miles. But no, Gales source for this story must be elsewhere, for he made no reference to the other relevant articles in the ABB of August 1898. Daley continued At this time there were only a few colonies of bees in N.S.W., but I believe bees had been transported into Van Diemens Land prior to this, and were afterwards brought to N.S.W. from there. The Old residents memory over sixty years later is to be respected for this is most likely a reference to Dr. T.B. Wilsons activities in 1831 & 1832. I do not remember the mans name who owned them in Van Diemens Land, but a shepherd was one of the first to own bees in Sydney. A new mystery here for in my extensive research between early 1995 and October 2006 Ive yet to uncover a shepherd who also kept bees.
49

Still not a guarantee of success, given my earlier lengthy discussion on poverty swarms. 50 Refer the online Australian Dictionary of Biography 51 Them could refer to the bees, or to two hives rather than one. The report in the ABB of August 1898 confirms there were two hives.

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Next from Ross Dr. Thomas Braidwood Wilson, R.N., as Surgeon Superintendent of convict ships, in one of his voyages came to Hobart Town in the ship John, in 1831, and brought with him two hives 52 of bees, and for his services was presented with a silver snuff box Dr. Charles Queade, bee hive chapereon,1824 A web site 53 lists seamen on ships cleared to depart Hobart Town in the year 1824, sourced from original Hobart Port Masters Ships Clearance Ledgers, 54 which is held in the Archives Office, Hobart. Among this list are John Ross and a Robert Queade, both of the Phoenix. The ships surgeons first name was Charles, so either the Robert entry was in error or he was another seaman of the same family name. Although the Phoenix was never again to leave Sydney Harbour, both Dr. Queade (circa Sept. 1824) and Ross were. From the Colonial Secretarys web site index 55 to NSW Government records, Queade (also therein referred to as Charles 56 ) was a Royal Navy Surgeon-Superintendent whod served on at least three convict transports - the Pilot, the Minerva and the Phoenix. The Colonial Secretarys records regarding Queade cover some fifteen documentations 57 between August 1817 and February 1825. The fate of the convict/bee hive transport Phoenix I performed some research on the internet and one web site informs 58 The Phoenix II (so referred to as the 2nd for there were three ships of this name) of 589 tons, departed Portsmouth, England on 29 March 1824. On board were 190 male convicts. 59 After a voyage of 114 days
52

This is the first reference to two hives Ive located, all other historical notes Ive discovered mention or infer only one hive. 53 http://www.hotkey.net.au/~jwilliams4/crews24.htm 54 From the same web site When a ship was to depart Hobart, the Mate handed a list of the crew and passengers names to the Port Officer, who, after inspecting the vessel would give a certificate of clearance to the Mate. The Officer would then enter the names in a ledger detailing crew, passengers, ships owners, tonnage, master and destination, and sailing date. 55 http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/colsec/q/F46c_q.htm 56 Also supplying a shortened version of Charles, namely Chas, is web site http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/shipsTAS.html 57 These await research 58 http://members.iinet.net.au/~billeah/babington.html 59 Nicholson states there were 202 male prisoners

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via Tenerife and the Canary Islands, the ship arrived in Hobart on 21 July 1824. The ship remained in port until 31 July. From an online index 60 to the N.S.W. Colonial Secretarys records I found the Phoenix was sold to the New South Wales Government in August 1825. The shipsasail site informs 61 the Phoenix II commanded by Captain Robert White arrived at Van Diemen's Land on 21 July 1824 and Port Jackson in August of that year. After striking a group of rocks 62 in Port Jackson, the damage sustained rendered the ship unseaworthy. In 1825, Phoenix II was purchased for 1,000 by the colonial authority for use as a floating prison to accommodate prisoners awaiting transportation to Moreton Bay, Norfolk Island and other penal settlements. The hulk was used as a prison from 1825 to 1848. I was aware of the use of prison hulks in England, but their adoption in Australia quite surprised me. From the harboursghts web site 63 I extracted the following version of the fate of the Phoenix: 64 The Phoenix 65 came on to Sydney for cleaning and reprovisioning. She ran aground on the Sow and Pigs in August 1824 66 on a falling tide and sustained severe damage. Next day at high tide she was refloated and towed into Darling Harbour. When the damage was assessed, it was realised that the town did not have the facilities to repair such a large ship for sea duty, and serious consideration was given to breaking her up. When the fittings on the ship and all the sails and running rigging were sold, the hull was patched up and bought by the colony to serve as a prison hulk. This was the only time such a ship was used in the colony, 67 though many such hulks were in use in England, especially on the Thames and in Portsmouth. Phoenix was used to accommodate prisoners and was able to house up to 250 men.

60
61 62 63

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/colsec/d/F15c_da-de-13.htm http://uqconnect.net/~zzmbelch/shipsasail.html#Phoenix

the Sow & Pigs reef http://www.catharsis.com.au/harboursights/index.html 64 the full text first appeared in Afloat magazine, refer www.afloat.com.au 65 note: after discharging its cargo of convicts in Hobart 66 Nicholson in Shipping Arrivals and Departures, Tasmania, 1803 1833, gives the date as 5 August 1824 67 of NSW; I understand Van Diemens Land also had one prison hulk

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Initially moored in Sydney Cove, Phoenix was moved to Goat Island in 1826 to enable the convicts to work on the island. This work was very taxing manual labour, breaking stone and carrying or hauling it to the places where the islands buildings were being erected, or to boats to be sent to Sydney Cove. Later Phoenix was moved again to the bay between Blues Point and Milsons Point, which was from then on known as Hulk Bay. In time, after the Phoenix became quite unusable and was given up in 1837, the bay became known as Lavender Bay, named after George Lavender, an experienced seaman, who in 1829 was appointed Bosun on the prison hulk. From the genseek web site 68 on Australias prison hulks I found this extract from the Sydney Morning Herald of 15 Sept. 1834 In Consequence of the increase of doubly convicted offenders, the Government have come to the determination of purchasing a large vessel for an additional Hulk. The Phoenix having been found insufficient to contain the numerous characters of this description. The brig Harriett and the Indianna have it is said, been surveyed for that purpose, but it is supposed that neither of them will be capacious enough. Rather than the shipsasail date of 1848, the parks.gov.tas.au site 69 gives an earlier date of 1838 for decommissioning the Phoenix while harboursghts provides 1837. The additional detail in this log I found most interesting: was the plot inexperienced, incompetent, drunk or asleep?: 70 Phoenix. Built on the Thames, 1798. Arrived at Hobart with convicts from England on 21 July 1824. Entering Port Jackson on 5 August 1824, with a pilot, struck Sow and Pigs Reef, near the harbour entrance. No loss of life. Refloated with assistance from HMS Tamar, 71 but found to be unseaworthy, 72 and purchased by the colonial authorities and converted to a prison hulk What became of Captain John Ross As part of my research into Captain John Ross I looked to the online pictorial collection index at the State Library of NSW in the hope of finding a painting or photograph of him. Once junior officer on the
68 69

http://www.genseek.net/hulks.htm www.parks.tas.gov.au/historic/shipw/Williams.pdf#search=%22phoenix %20ship%20sydney%201824%22 70 http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/portjackson-wrecks.html 71 Nicholson gives the refloating date as the following day, 6 Aug. 1824 72 Ncholson states her keel was seriously damaged

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Phoenix in 1824, Ross became, some thirty-six years later in 1860 until his death in 1871, master of the Pilot Station on the Moruya River, near Batemans Bay on the South Coast of NSW. I wondered what became of him in this intervening period.? There is a clue more of it later. I did find several index entries describing photographs of a Captain John Ross, identified as master of the ships: Colonial Empire c1870 73 (10.2 x 6.3 cm., no date, inscribed Ross Colonial Empire in a contemporary hand below the photograph, and Ross, Captain of the ship Colonial Empire 74 in pencil on the reverse of the photograph, photographers stamp unreadable.) Damascus, c1862-1870 (10.4 x 6.3 cm., no date, inscribed Ross Damascus 75 in a contemporary hand under the photograph. Library research attributes the photographer as Oswald Allen, George Street, Sydney) Philosopher, c1870-1885 (10.1 x 6.4 cm., no date, inscribed Ross Philosopher 76 in a contemporary hand under the photograph, photographers stamp unreadable.) A fourth photograph of Captain John Ross, c1870-1880, (10.6 x 6.4 cm., no date, by W.H. Prestwich, artist, 87 Broad Street Reading, England)

These photographs were purchased by the library in 1938. Recorded within the index against each photograph, Captain Ross was also
73

Web site http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1865/10/056col.htm identified Captain J. Ross of the Colonial Empire, 1305 tons, London to Sydney, arriving 18 Oct. 1865. A previous voyage of the Colonial Empire, Sydney to London, arriving May 1865, is noted in site http://home.alphalink.com.au/~datatree/nashis-1.htm 74 On the web I found references to voyages of the barque Colonial Empire: London Sydney, March 22 June 1862; London Sydney arriving 17 Nov 1863; arriving Melbourne 1870 with 447 immigrants; another in 1871 75 On the web I found a build year of 1857 for the Damascus and references to voyages: London Sydney arriving 7 July 1860; departing Sydney 13 Sept. 1860 for London; 1861; London Sydney arriving 10 Dec. 1876. 76 The iron ship Philosopher made her maiden voyage to India on 19 June 1857. From web site http://www.artnet.com/artwork/424737632/josephheard-t--j-harrisons-iron-ship-iphilosopheri-passing-holyhead-on-hermaiden-voyage-to-india-19-june-1857.html accessed on 11 Nov. 2006

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identified as master of the 523 ton convict ship Hashemy which arrived at Port Phillip in May 1849, and on a subsequent voyage she arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia 77 on 25 Oct. 1850. Other voyages included those of 1854 and 1855. Unfortunately, it does not appear that John Ross, Phoenix junior officer, can be the same Captain John Ross referred to in the librarys collection of photographs: the dates dont match - Ross could not have been master of the Colonial Empire in 1865 or the Damascus and Philosopher c1862 to c1885 and serving at Moruya Pilot Station from 1860. His death on 21 March 1871 also mismatches with the believed attributed dates of the photographs. He might however, with breaks, have continued his career serving aboard convict transports for some thirty years on from 1824, eventually becoming master of one. Its possible he did just that. Or did he also serve aboard an East Indiaman? 78 Remember, Ross wrote in his August 1863 letter Soon after (February 1825) I left for India, and did not return to Sydney

77 78

Left Portland, England, 22 July 1850. From web site http://anmm.gov.au/LIB/conv.htm of The Australian National Maritime Museum, describing a book titled The old East Indiamen (Chatterton, Keble E. (1933), London, Rich & Cowan) Many early convict ships to Australia were East Indiamen. From web site http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/all/journeys/ships/vessels.html Sea-going merchant ships were generally built on the same principles as warships, with the same system of framing and planking, and similar principles of rigging. Vessels of more than about 250 tons were generally ship rigged, with three masts. The largest merchant ships were the East Indiamen, in three broad classes, of 1200 tons, 800 tons, or 500 tons. East Indiaman: the name given to the ships of the various East India companies. Ships of these companies were highly gilded and decorated with carving and were often well furnished for the comfort of passengers and crew as well providing large cargo space. They were always well armed as warships for protection against pirates and the warships of other nations. The English and Dutch companies built and serviced their own ships and maintained them in their own private dockyards. The Encyclopaedia Britannica online at http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9031776/East-Indiaman defines an East Indiaman as a large sailing vessel of the type built from the 16th to the 19th century for the trade between Europe and southern Asia. The first were Portuguese and Dutch; English Indiamen appeared late in the 16th century and eventually came to dominate the trade. The ships varied in size from about 400 to 1,500 tons and more; often they were larger than contemporary men-of-war. They were three-masted ships.

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until 1828 Convict transports did not include India in their itinerary. W. Doyle, of the Moruya and District Historical Society, authored a short article 79 about Ross of Moruya which appeared in Great Circle, Vol.1, No,1, 1979, being the journal of the Australian Association of Maritime History. Doyle notes Ross as the retired Scots master of several East Indiamen who was born at Forres in Morayshire in 1806. Ross had figured once before in the Australian scene as master of the Hashemy, transporting the last cargo of convicts to New South Wales in 1849.80 Ross also commanded the Hashemy on her next voyage with convicts to Western Australia 81 in 1850. Its unclear whether the master of the convict transport Hashemy 82 in 1849 was the Phoenix / Moruya Ross or the Colonial Empire Ross. So, contrary to my hopes, there was not to be an appropriate photograph of Ross to embellish this Volume 3. Such are the ups and downs, as well as traps for the historical researcher. Doyle refers to the official diary, or log which is still held at Newstead, begins in October 1860 with a list of stores received and an estimate for the erection of a flagstaff. Doyle noted Ross had arrived in September the total complement of the station was eleven persons. 83 (p.34) Doyle teasingly mentions a separate volume, now held within the Mitchell Library The first few days of the (official) journal were kept in a separate volume. Investigation of this private journal awaits my future research visit. It is possible Ross may have recalled other bee related events surrounding his experiences on the Phoenix during 1824 around the time he authored his 10 August 1863 letter to the Sydney Morning
79

titled The Career of Captain John Ross as First Pilot at the Newstead Pilot Station, Moruya River, New South Wales, 1860-1871 80 Doyle cites an obituary in the Moruya Telegraph, 21 Mar. 1871. 81 Doyle cites Bateson, C. The Convict Ships (2nd ed., Sydney, 1976), p.375 82 Extracted from http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/park14.html The Hashemy departed Portsmouth on 11 Feb. 1849, sailing via Cape of Good Hope. She discharged some juvenile convicts in Victoria in May 1849, arriving Sydney on 9 June 1849. The majority of her convicts were apparently destined for Moreton Bay at the head of the Brisbane River.
83

The complement included Rosss wife, his two children, and two married boatmen. 41

Herald wherein he gave his eye witness account of the delivery of a hive or hives of bees from the Phoenix to Governor Brisbane at Parramatta. Doyle recorded that Ross in 1863 was the most experienced seaman in the district (and) was a consultant in the building of new punts for the river crossing ferries at Moruya (p.35) I look forward to my next visit to the Mitchell Library in Sydney.

Harness Leather & Beeswax to Port Stephens, 1832

While browsing the web I stumbled across the following, extracted from the Letters of Sir Edward Parry, Commissioner to the Australian Agricultural Company, Volume II: June 1832 March 1834, published in 2003 by the Australian National University. In letter No. 749 dated 27th November 1832 at Port Stephens, addressed to George Bunn Esq., Sydney. Sir, I beg to acquaint you that in the Invoice of Goods per last voyage of the Lambton dated 23rd instant there appears deficiencies as follows. 148 lbs of Harness Leather instead of 152 lbs charged 2l lbs of Bees wax 3 lbs do From background information supporting Parrys letters I learned that the Australian Agricultural Companys agent in Sydney was the merchant house George Bunn & Co. Under her master, James Corlette, the Company cutter Lambton of 62 tons, acquired from the New Zealand Company in March 1827, plied between Sydney and Port Stephens and occasionally via Newcastle. Further research on the web 84 provided the following: From 1830 until 1834 Sir Edward Parry was Commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company (AAC) at Port Stephens. James Corlette in 1832 was commander of the cutter Lambton. The Companys main purpose was the production of fine wool with the addition of crops not readily available in England. In 1828 the population of sheep on the estate was numbered at 17,459. With some hundreds of horses (in 1835 the AAC had some 384 across their various estates), the beeswax was most likely used to dress and preserve leather saddles, tack, reins, harness and the like. Wool was transported by bullock drays to Port Stephens for shipment to England and the drays also transported supplies to the New England region. Bullock harness would similarly benefit from beeswax treatment. Given the
84

http://www.jenwilletts.com/australianagriculturalco.htm

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Lambtons consignment of harness leather and beeswax came from Sydney, its not possible to state whether the wax was a colonial production or imported. Yet it is possible the wax may have originated from the 1824 Phoenix sourced hives at Parramatta.

Bee Tree, Singleton, c1850

A short work of recollections written in 1890 by Annabella Boswell 85, titled Recollections of Some Australian Blacks. Bathurst District, 183540. Port Macquarie, 1844. Hunters River, 1850, reveals an interesting tale and identification of feral European honeybees near Singleton on the Hunter River. As introduction, c1840, the Bathurst aborigines utilisation of the settlers axe first needs highlighting A blackfellow is tolerably sure of his prize before he takes the trouble to climb a tree for it. The good tomahauks (sic.) supplied by the settlers no doubt helped them greatly in chipping out notches in the tree to climb by and in cutting holes in the hollow branches where the opossums live. Annabella then noted memories of the Hunter River at a property near Singleton known as St. Clair 86 Some years afterwards, about 1850, I made the acquaintance of another tribe of Australian Blacks in a different part of the country. Their habits were much the same as those of the Bathurst district, only that for a part of every year the men worked regularly, and got rations and wages. This tribe consisted at the time I first saw them of a sturdy amusing fellow calling himself King Dicky, a deaf and dumb man who was wonderfully useful and intelligent. 87 One day we had a very pleasant expedition with King Dicky and several others in search of honey. They came up to the house to tell my aunt that they had found a beehive, and said if we would go with them and take a dish we might have a share of the honey, so off we set in great force, and, after we had walked about two miles, they pointed triumphantly to something we could not see, but believed it to he an English bee, for presently we came to a hollow tree where there were a good many flying about.
85 86

Annabella was a niece of Major Innes of Port Macquarie. From Herman, Morton (1965) Annabella Boswells Journal. Angus and Robertson, Sydney. p.167. St. Clair, near Singleton, was the property of Annabellas aunt, Mrs. Arthur (Barbara) Rankin 87 pp.10-11, Annabella Boswell, 1890

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Our black friends commenced at once to cut the tree down. By some accident it fell into the forked branch of another tree, but, nothing daunted, they proceeded at once to cut it off, though by this time the bees were flying about in angry swarms. In a wonderfully short time the trees wore both down, and a square opening was then cut in the hollow trunk containing the honey. We were beckoned to advance and help ourselves. My aunt had a strong spoon and a tin dish, and helped herself liberally, and we all took great pieces of the sweet comb, the blacks looking on complacently. When they thought we had taken enough they stepped forward, and, dipping some stringy bark into the honey, sucked it and dipped it in again. We then retired, and they ate as much as they could and filled their calabashes 88 and pannikins 89. We all returned home in great glee, delighted with our honey. Of course our friends were substantially rewarded for their liberality, but they asked for nothing nor attempted to make a bargain beforehand.

Ryde, 1848-61
Before the subject matter of this little chapter, allow me to digress a little. I purchased an interesting book in July 2004 from a favourite haunt of mine, a second-hand book shop in Maleny, located in the Queensland Sunshine Coast Hinterland. From time to time, amongst the shops Australiana section, Im able to find such as this, a most valuable little window into Australian colonial history. The bookseller is a lightly framed elderly gentleman, quietly spoken and adorned with a finely trimmed silver goatee beard. Like a benign orb weaving spider at the centre of its web, this book vendor awaits quietly at the rear of his shop, aware but quiet, seated behind a small timber table, surrounded by the shelves of books which provide his living. The author of this intensely researched book is one M.C.I. Levy, B. A., (Hons), a 1947 Ryde Municipal Council Alderman and previously a lecturer at the University of Sydney. His twenty-five pages of finely detailed prime sources leave no doubt that Levy researched exhaustively. He was critical of those before him who had touched on the early history of Ryde. Hitherto, the subject has been tackled by a very few writers, who have dealt with it only briefly, and, even then, often so carelessly, as to give a misleading conception especially of
88 89

calabash: a drinking or cooking vessel pannikin: a small metal drinking-vessel

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our early settlers and settlements. One scribes attempt which bristles with errors and careless, unchecked statements is deemed generally valueless as a serious source of information about Ryde. Of a small collection of newspaper articles wherein the reporters gave fairly accurate information about the year in which they were writing, but were willing to accept colourful, but unsubstantiated, stories of earlier times. From Levys Wallumetta: A History of Ryde and its Districts, 1792 to 1945: A profitable by-product 90 of the orchards 91 was honey, production of which was maintained till quite recently, when the last of our honeymen, Mr. Humphries, of North Ryde, removed his swarms to Burragorang. Levy confidently quotes Campbell 92 who deals with the Parramatta River and its Vicinity of a century ago 93, (and) has some interesting pictures of life hereabouts during the period 1848-1861. On the honey industry 94 In the residents gardens, or in many of them, bees were kept in gin-cases, large boxes of any kind, and sometimes in old-fashioned English straw hives. The honey was generally taken when the loquat trees began to blossom, when bees, deprived of their stores, could most easily collect honey and pollen again. The method of taking the honey was rough in the extreme, and thousands of unfortunate bees were killed, being smothered in honey. A good deal of honey was obtained in the bush. The native bee was common, but no one seemed to appreciate its sourish-flavoured honey. In spring, large harvests 95 of highly prized citrus honey must have been taken by beekeepers during the time described by Campbell. Levy wrote Citrus fruits, oranges and lemons have always been a
90

Levy supplies this reference: Statistical Register, Police Dist. of Ryde, 1899 91 Levy gives a short account of the extensive orange orchards of the Ryde district, including this reference from the Sydney Gazette of 13 May 1824 In 1824, Squires was offering 1000 dozen to merchants and captains of ships. 92 Levy (1947), pp. 42-43 93 Campbell, Walter S. Proceedings, Royal Australian Historical Society, Vol. V, Pt. VI, Parramatta River and its Vicinity, 1848-1861, pp.249-283 94 Campbell, p.278 95 Levy In 1899, the export of honey from this district was 35,996 lbs. In 1908, it was 5130 lbs of honey and 196 of wax. A steady production was maintained till 1931, when it totaled 4486 honey and 240 wax.

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prime local product, and formed an important section of all orchards. (p.42) Levy quoted Mundy (1852) who described the citrus orchards as truly Hesperidean in their profusion of golden fruit. 96

Mrs Bunker, Liverpool and J. S. Norrie, Pitt Street, 1861

Amongst the many honourable mentions for numerous exhibition classes listed within the 1861 Catalogue of the Natural and Industrial Products of New South Wales, and exhibited in the Sydney Hall of the Mechanics School of Arts by the International Exhibition Commissioners, I located an entry for a Mrs Bunker of Liverpool for honey and one J. S. Norrie of Pitt Street for bees wax and honey. Not receiving higher awards, these products were probably not selected for eventual exhibition in London in 1862

TASMANIA Thomas Braidwood Wilson, 1831

From the Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 97 for December 1893 there appears this note In inaugurating the proceedings of the late Beekeepers Conference, Mr. W. S. Campbell, as representing the Minister for Mines and Agriculture, made passing reference to the introduction of the honey bee into Australia. We are now able to amplify that information from a communication by Mr. S. Mowle, the Usher of the Black Rod, who writes: - It may be interesting to beekeepers just at this time to know when bees were first imported into these Colonies. They were brought to Tasmania in the ship John in the early thirties by Dr. Thomas Braidwood Wilson, R.N., and from there they were brought to Sydney. 98 Mowle wrote with authority as Wilsons son-in-law. Did his use of first imported mean literally that, or was there an implied sense of first imported successfully?
96

Mundy, Godfrey Charles (3 vols.) Our antipodes, or, Residence and rambles in the Australasian colonies with a glimpse of the gold fields, London, Richard Bentley, 1852, p.60
97 98

Vol. IV, Jan. Dec. 1893. p.842 Campbell, Keith (2002) states Wilson subsequently took two swarms to Sydney. From these, it was claimed, have sprung the swarms to be seen in every part of the colony. The Hobart Town Courier, 5 Feb. 1831, thanked Dr. T. B. Wilson for introducing an excellent hive of bees. They have come out in a most healthy and vigorous state See my Immigrant Bees, Volume I, pp.60-65)

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Keith Campbell from the South Coast of New South Wales, in an ABC Radio / Robyn Williams Ockhams Razor broadcast on Sunday 29 December 2002, stated Three years later, (ie., 1837) hives emanating from Wilsons imports were being advertised for sale in Sydney for 5-pounds a hive. Buyers were offered free instructions on bee management. 99 The anonymous December 1893 Gazette article concluded In recognition of the services of Dr. Wilson, who brought out many valuable plants and animals, but more particularly in respect to the introduction of the honey bee, he was presented with a snuffbox manufactured in the Colony, upon which was engraved an address signed by forty of the most prominent citizens of the day, which was highly valued by the recipient, and, until recently, had been handed down as an heirloom. Unfortunately this interesting relic has been stolen. Why was such a fuss made when a less tortuous path would have been the shipment of already established hives from New South Wales ? Could it be that there were none to be had in that Colony in the second half of the 1820s, despite virtually irrefutable 1820s evidence (eg., Captain Wallace, William Parr, Thomas Icely 100, Wentworth) that bees were already firmly established ? I wrote to Don Norman and Don Wilson of Tasmania, both T. B. Wilson descendants, the former being his biographer. Don Wilson
99

Keith Campbell is withholding original sources for much of his material until he decides how best to present it. 100 Campbell, Keith (2000) Nearly a year later it (the 1823 Gazette) reported that the prominent colonist, Thomas Icely, was successfully breeding bees from generation to generation. Refer the chapter on Thomas Icely and extracts from the Sydney Gazette of 30 January 1823 in The Immigrant Bees, Volume II. I believe the statement was successfully breeding bees from generation to generation does not come from a Gazette report unknown to me, rather its Keiths interpretation of swarms naturally issuing from Icelys hive. The impression that Icely was actively taking steps to breed bees is an invalid conclusion. The Gazette stated Towards bringing the bees to perfection in this Colony, we shall ever be peculiarly indebted to the great attention and skill of Mr. Icely, of Macquarieplace. This Gentleman is in possession of one of the original hives brought by Captain Wallis, of the Fanny, when here last, from which have proceeded two generations; the last of which has been in possession of a new hive only about six weeks, which already contains sixty pounds of honey, more or less. (Additional Supplement, p.2a)

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added in his letter of 28 May 2000 This presentation took place on 27 July 1832 in the presence of his wife Jane. Re the snuff box being stolen this I doubt as Wilsons home in Braidwood was burnt to the ground while he was still alive, so I think as his daughter & son were with him at the time so would the snuff box have been in his possession, this took place before his daughter married. From a June 1898 letter by S. M. Mowle, published in The Australian Bee Bulletin of August 1898, The snuff-box, to our great disappointment, was never recovered. He must have been a most contemptible thief who stole it, for its intrinsic value was not 2/6. Mowle was in a good position to know for he was married to Wilsons daughter, Mary Braidwood Mowle nee Wilson. Mowle provided details originally penned in 10 August 1863 by Captan John Ross of Moruya, who described the snuff box which bore this inscription: 101 - Sir, We, the undersigned, request you will do us the honour to accept this box, manufactured in the colony, as a mark of the sense we entertain of the important services which, in a long series of voyages, you have rendered this colony by introducing to it some of the most valuable plants and animals, but especially the honey bee, which are in a manner become indigenous to it. That you may long live to enjoy and participate in the advantages which your exertions have thus conferred on the colony is the earnest wish of, Sir, Your obedient servants. (Here follow 39 signatures of principal Tasmanians.) (p.105b) Around the time Jeff Manning of Agriculture W.A. supplied me with the Agricultural Gazette extract, I purchased an 1889 antiquarian book in April 2000. It provided a small but surprising find about T. B. Wilsons hive in its chapter on Bees from Other Lands. Titled British Bee-Farming, its Profits and Pleasures, the author James Robinson provided an extract from Loudons Magazine: it stated the hive was brought from London in a wire case (p.140), supporting the description protected by a wire frame supplied in my Volume II. Additionally revealing is the advice that Wilson departed with the hive for Van Diemens Land in the Autumn of 1830 at the suggestion of his friend, one R. Gunter of Earls Court. Wilson therefore shares with Rev. Samuel Marsden the suggestion from a friend to take hives of bees to the colonies. However, unlike Marsden,
101

This long inscription, rather than etched onto the snuff box, was probably delivered on a scroll.

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Wilson possessed both the skill and continuity of care to ensure their safe carriage and establishment upon arrival. Also of significance, the article supplied It arrived in safety, and the bees swarmed several times the first year, quoting in support the previously identified True Colonist article of 14 February 1835. 102 Despite the apparently well documented successful introduction of a number of hives into Sydney by Captain Wallace from the Isabella in 1822, these may not have survived, nor even their feral swarms, for Loudons Magazine 103 stated The European bee has been oftener than once introduced into Sydney, but without success; the swarms having left the hive for the woods. The source of this statement could date from as early as 1867 as in Mrs. Loudon's Entertaining Naturalist. Given this was a new edition, although revised and enlarged, its yet possible the source might be confirmed from an earlier or related edition. Loudons Magazine dates back as early as the April 1833 issue as referenced by William Cotton in his 1842 My Bee Book. 104 The State Library of Queensland holds two Loudon books: An encyclopaedia of gardening: comprising the theory and practice of horticulture, floriculture, arboriculture, and landscape gardening including all the latest improvements: a general history of gardening in all countries and a statistical view of its present state with suggestions for its future progress in the British Isles by J. C. Loudon, 1850 and 1826. Some title ! The abbreviated title on the spine reads a more economical Loudons encyclopaedia of gardening. Each edition contains over 1200 pages. In June 2002 I acquired a small 126 page book which was published in 1853. 105 Titled The Hive and its Wonders, its section on Bees in Australia names only a gentleman traveling between England and Hobart Town, however it can only be targeted at T. B. Wilson Until lately bees were unknown in Australia. A gentleman who had noticed this fact, when he visited England, obtained a well-filled hive, and took it with him on his return to the colony. It was placed on deck during the voyage, the bees having perfect liberty;
102 103

refer also The Immigrant Bees, Volume II Robinson, James (1889) British Bee-Farming (p.140) 104 Refer also the details on Loudon on page 16 105 Cross, J.H. (1853) The Hive and its Wonders, The Religious Tract Society, London. Two previous editions were published in 1851 and 1852. (14.5 cm x 9 cm). p.113

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and however far they sometimes flew over the waters, they were sure to return to the ship. In this way they were carried sixteen thousand miles to Hobart Town. When safely arrived, the hive of bees was presented to the governor, who placed it in his garden. The bees there found a rich supply of food, and so thrived that twenty swarms were the produce of this one hive in the first year. The governor kindly presented the increase to his friends, and, in a few seasons, most gardens in the colony were furnished with a hive of bees. And now honey is so plentiful that it may be bought at four-pence for the pound, and wax will shortly become a valuable article of commerce to the settlers of Australia. Given this trend of evidence, one could conclude that, though successful introduction was apparently achieved almost a decade earlier (ie., in 1822), bees tended to swarm and/or abscond, so that their retention in domestic hives was not ongoing. Therefore its probable Wilson was the first to successfully introduce a sustainable stock of European honeybees, if not into Australia, then at least into Van Diemens Land. 106 This occurred with the arrival of the ship John at Hobart-town on 27 January 1831. 107 I am not alone in my musing. Keith Campbell (2002) In 1821, John Macarthur wrote to his brother James from London, that he understood that he had acquired English bees, and wanted to know how they were doing. The MacArthurs were first in other things to do with livestock in Australia: perhaps this was another. However, it is possible that all these early bees perished with Braidwood Wilsons being the first successful imports ten years later ? 108 The similarities between an 1853 story of Bees in Australia (from The Hive and its Wonders) and an 1851 penny newspaper letter titled An Anecdote from Australia 109 (The Leisure Hour, A Family Journal of Instruction and Recreation, 25 November 1852) are
106

Both the 1822 Isabella and 1824 Phoenix supercargo of bees must be taken into account here. See the later chapter on Charles Queade and John Ross of the Phoenix. 107 For more details refer The Immigrant Bees, Volume II, see chapter on Thomas Braidwood Wilson. 108 Gwendoline Wilson, author of the online entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, provides her view he arrived in Hobart Town in the John in 1831, bringing with him many European plants and the first hive of bees to survive in Australia. 109 See The Immigrant Bees, Volume I, a chapter by the same name.

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striking. They can only have originated from the same source. The Anecdote compares the intolerable nuisance and irreparable mischief of the introduction of the thistle from Scotland with the beneficial introduction of bees to Hobart Town. Note the Anecdote specifically identifies A gentleman named Dr. Wilson. The Bees in Australia parable illustrates the same message How different is the result in this case (ie., introduction of bees) to that from another article imported into the same colony. An emigrant from Scotland took with him a packet of thistle seed, which he sowed, to remind him of his native land. The thistles grew, and the owner also gave presents to his friends of the produce; but soon the neighbours began to feel the effects, for the ripe thistles were blown by the wind, and the downy seed was driven over pasture land, paddocks, and gardens, till at length so much mischief has been caused, that the value of the ground has become in some places much affected. (p.114-115) From The Leisure Hour during the last six years, I have, for four months in spring and summer in each year, devoted many days to its (the thistles) extirpation 110 I would take the field against the prickly enemy and this day, the 16 th of January, 1851, I and my eldest son have had a weary walk, making a circuit of at least a dozen miles, peeping into and examining every dell and nook, for the sullen gentleman 111, armed at all points, likes a retired quiet spot to luxuriate in unmolested. Some hundreds have we this day destroyed, and there are yet many hills and valleys to examine; but one retired spot, formed by a bend of the river, quite dispirited us, and the task of destroying hundreds of tall weeds is left for another day. Still my labour is each year to be again begun, for my careless neighbours supply me with an abundance of seed. James Fenton in his Bush Life in Tasmania, Fifty Years Ago (1891) wrote In regard to the thistles, I well remember the first that grew in Devon. 112 It grew at the New Ground, on Mr. George Halls farm, not far from Mr. George Sams house. It was a large plant, five feet high, just beginning to blossom. I suggested to Mr. Hall that we at once go to work and exterminate it, but Mr. Hall,
110 111

Meaning extinction ? ie., the thistle plant 112 in northern Tasmania

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who had had some experience of the pest in other parts of the colony, especially at Battery Point, Hobart, declared that it would be useless to do anything but dig it up, as the smallest fibre, like cancer, would grow again. I will make a thorough job of it, said he, and cremate its remains. The next time I passed that way the thistle was dead, but its dry stalk was standing exultant over a bed of down, showing that it had faithfully executed the sentence pronounced upon our naughty first parent Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth. Mr Hall had forgotten his resolve. I need hardly say that in a few years the farmers of Devon were kept pretty lively in their efforts to eradicate the thistles. For many years they flourished, and were complete masters of the situation. The roadsides, the headlands, the grass paddocks, the scrub lands that had been visited by bush fires every nook and corner where the soil was not constantly kept stirred, or scrub covered it, was swarming with enormous beds of thistles. The wheat and oat crops had to be carefully weeded with thistle-spuds once or twice while the cereal was growing. The potato paddock required a large amount of extra labour. Ultimately, it was found that the thistles must have their fling for a term of years, after which they got tired of growing, and died out by degrees. 113 The anonymous penny newspaper contributor owned a small farm, being only 2000 acres the principal part of the land is used as a sheep-walk. He was also a beekeeper: Without any expense or trouble on my part for any old chest or cask serves for a hive the bees collect me honey and wax. In the autumn we take as much honey as furnishes our table, and the children use it profusely all the year round, and the refuse makes admirable vinegar.

Superintendent Davidson, 1832

Davidson, first superintendent of the Tasmanian Botanic Garden is mentioned in Volume II. From The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens 114 In 1832 tribute was paid to Davidson for his successful management of a hive of bees introduced by Dr T. B. Wilson R.N., These bees multiplied sufficiently in the Gardens for Governor
113 114

p.119-120 Hurburgh, Marcus (1986) The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, 1818-1986, a History in Stone, Sail & Superintendents, Sandy Bay, 1986. (p.13)

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Arthur to send a hive to Governor Bourke 115 in Sydney. Bees were not the only interesting cargo brought out by Dr Wilson on the John. He also brought several specimens of the moss rose, laurel, lauristinus, lilac and other shrubs characteristic of England but unknown in the colonies. With the previous and well publicised successful introduction of bees into Sydney in 1822, I must ask why others found it necessary to ship bees there from Tasmania some ten years later. It may be that their availability was still in short supply, difficult to obtain even for a Governor.

Commissary Miller, c1830

In Volume II, Commissary Miller was identified by a George Ashby 116 of Mudgee, in a letter to the South Coast Herald (during or before April 1897), 117 as the importer of bees: The only bee imported to the colony in the early days about 1830 was a species of Ligurian introduced by the late Commissary Miller and which was known as Miller bees Mr. Ashby said. I can remember seeing a colony of these bees at work on the estate of the late Alexander Berry at Crows Nest, near Sydney early in 1830. The year 1830 cannot be correct for the evidence shows it was in 1837 that Berry first had bees. A Commissary Miller was identified by William Charles Cotton in his diary, and as such was Cottons paymaster during his residence in New Zealand from 1842 to 1847. Upon my enquiry, Helen Perry of North Sydney Library advised that William Miller was the gentleman who Miller Street (in North Sydney) was named after.
115

Bourke was Governor of New South Wales between 1831 and 1835. See also the chapter Alexander & David Berry in The Immigrant Bees, Volume II, pp.22-24 117 The National Library of Australia has editions of the South Coast Herald, Albion Park, Shellharbour, & Dapto Guardian from 7 January 1898 to 5 August 1898 (No. 146 - no. 176) and the South Coast Herald and Illawarra Guardian 12 Aug. 1898 to 15 Aug. 1902 (No. 177 - no. 362). This last holding from issue 177 is mirrored by the State Library of NSW. Each edition of these 186 issues was produced at an average of between seven and eight days, while issues 146 to 176 were published on an average of exactly 7 days each. Extrapolating back to issue one gives a start date between October 1894 and April 1895. Unfortunately, there are no 1897 or earlier holdings so the exact date of the South Coast Herald edition which contributed to the April 1897 Australian Bee Bulletin article remains hidden.
116

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He was the Assistant Commissary General of Government Provisions in 1833 and was transferred to Hong Kong in 1844. In 2006, following my acquisition of a copy of The Australian Bee Bulletin (Apr. 1898 to Mar. 1899) I located this in the May 1898 issue: Mr. Jeff Wallace, Editor South Coast Herald, Albion Park, May 3rd, writes:- Dear Sir, Although the appended paragraph has been doing the rounds of the provincial press for some time, I have not yet seen anything advanced to refute the assertions of the writer. Can you or any of your readers throw any light on the subject? The following is the paragraph referred to:- (p.30) And so followed the text of George Ashbys letter. The phrase Although the appended paragraph has been doing the rounds of the provincial press for some time shows some interest was shown in Ashbys letter circa 1897-98 by more than one regional newspaper editor. Ive not located any evidence anyone ever responded to Ashbys claims, except for my comments here and in my 1999 Volume II. 118 An entry from Alexander Brodie Sparks diary for 5 February 1837 identifies a Mr. Miller as neighbour to Alexander Berry in the area known today as North Sydney. crossed over with Mr McLaren in his boat to his residence on the North Shore 5th Sunday . In the forenoon we crossed the bay in front of Mr Mclarens house, and climbing up the opposite rock, took a straight direction to Mr Millers. 119 Could this Mr Miller be Ashbys Commissary Miller? In November 2006 I gained access via an inter-library loan from the National Library of Australia, to a typescript extract of the Diary 120 of Lady Jane Franklin, 121 for the dates 4 July to 6 July 1839. These dates were chosen because extracts from her diary appeared in The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe. Here was a chance that through investigation of the complete text of her diary entry describing her tour of Tempes grounds, Lady Jane might just have seen and mentioned Sparks bee hives. But first to the dinner
118

Refer Volume II of The Immigrant Bees, pp.23-24, for the full text of Ashbys letter and my observations of other errors therein. 119 for the full diary quote refer to page 198 in the chapter A Spark-Berry Link 120 Catalogued NLA MS6642 121 In 1828 Jane married John Franklin who was lieutenant-governor of Van Diemans Land 1836-1843.

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party at Government House two days previously where Spark exhibited his ability to mix within the highest social, political and commercial circles. Thur 4th. Dinner party today the Gibbes, 122 Mr & Mrs Berry Mr & Mrs Manning 123 - Mr Miller, Commissary who lives as well as Berrys on the North Shore, Mr Spark of Tempe, a highly respectable merchant 124 who had been mentioned to me by Miss Winson (?) & whom I got introduced to me in order to speak of her & to arrange for gong to see his place at Tempe he is very quiet, rather slow in manner, but both shrewd & amiable in countenance & bears a high chararacter he comes from Elgin which is Miss Winsons place did not seem as well acquainted with her as she seemed to be with him said if it was the same family she supposed they were highly respectable. I find it interesting that except for Miss Winson, the named guests were in some way involved either with shipping and/or mercantile and/or landholding interests. Miller, Berry and Spark were also associated with beekeeping. Spark wrote in his diary for 4 July Dined at Government House with a party of about two dozen, and passed the time most agreeably, particularly in making the acquaintance of Lady Franklin, whom I found to be a pleasant unaffected intelligent lady.
122

From the online Australian Dictionary of Biography: John George Nathaniel Gibbes (1787-1873) was a military officer and public servant. In April 1834 Gibbes arrived in Sydney in the Resource with his wife Elizabeth and several children to take up his appointment as collector of customs in New South Wales at a salary of 1000. 123 A likely candidate guest was Edye Manning (1807-1889) - from the online Australian Dictionary of Biography: Manning was a merchant and shipowner. He came to New South Wales with his wife, Fanny Elizabeth, and his eldest son, John Edye, in December 1831. he entered the embryonic steamship trade with the paddle-steamer Maitland, 103 tons, in 1838. Another candidate guest was Sir William Montagu Manning, who shared in shipping interests with his brother Edye Manning. He arrived in Sydney on 31 August 1837 in the City of Edinburgh. Manning was soon appointed a magistrate and chairman of the Quarter Sessions with a salary of 800. From 1837 Manning had acquired real estate: 1200 acres (486 ha) at Mulgoa, some 50 town allotments at Kiama and 1000 acres (405 ha) in the Illawarra. 124 This comment obviously the source of Abbott & Littles book title The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe.

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On the 5th Spark wrote Drove to mix with a gay and numerous throng at Government House. Had some further conversation with Lady Franklin who promises to visit Tempe tomorrow. On the 6th Left Sydney at one oClock and took Mrs Duguid 125 with me to Tempe to receive Lady Franklin They had visited the church in passing, and had walked over the grounds at Tempe. Lady Franklin wrote of her visit on Saturday 6 July To Cooks river & Tempe. Major Smith & Mr Steele with us come to Cooks river (church) right. Sir George 126 laid stone not a year ago Mr Steele its clergyman Mr Spark has been here about 8 years. Has large garden on flat white soil walks at right angles crossing & Norfolk Island pines at intersections also Moreton Bay pine, orange & lemon trees. Some fine wattle trees one long trellice covered wall of vines, all differently marked 6 or 7 Norfolk Island pines at side of house aviaries of
125

I extracted the following interesting aside about one of Sparks business contemporaries and also one of his friends at web site http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:LQI38eFyQIJ:www.chapelhill.homeip.net/FamilyHistory/Other/FirstFamilies2 001/www.firstfamilies2001.net.au~/F_id %3Dduguid1006838235.html+duguid+sydney+1841&hl=en&gl=au&ct=cln k&cd=3 This would have been Mrs Ann Duguid, wife of Leslie Duguid (1802-1870). Leslie arrived in Sydney on 4 Oct. 1822 with a standard letter of recommendation from Lord Bathurst, to be granted 2000 acres in Hunters Valley - 1320 acres which he called Lochinvar and 680 acres at Branxton. He left for England on 17 Aug. 1823 on the Surrey and returned to Australia on 6 May 1825 on the brig Nassau with a cargo of goods bought for sale in Sydney. This proved to be a worthwhile business speculation, but probably his only real venture into the direct mercantile world. He was the founding Managing Director (1834-1837) of the Commercial Bank and had in 1826 been one of the founders of the Bank of Australia. Duguid was but one of numerous entrepreneurs from the north-east of Scotland who were conspicuous in eastern Australia in the 1830s and 40s. Others from the north-east included his friend Alexander Brodie Spark. After their marriage Leslie and Ann lived in the Cook's River area By September 1837 a magnificent mansion with pleasure grounds in 15 acres on the Cooks River Road was completed. The fifth of seven children, Alexander Brodie Duguid was born 3 January, 1838 at Cooks River. Another web site informs Duguid was also managing director of the Commercial Bank as late as Nov. 1841. 126 From the online Australian Dictionary of Biography: Sir George Gipps was appointed governor of New South Wales on 5 October 1837. With his wife and son he arrived in Sydney on 24 February 1838

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wooden cage work - parraquets do not do so well as pigeons, ducks & pheasants Mr Spark is bachelor gentlemanly & quiet from Elgin is one of largest subscribers to Cooks river church tho not a parishioner : Alas, no mention of bee hives. They may have been out of sight on the other side of the trellice covered wall of vines or, if in view, did not warrant comment. It appears there was some truth after all in George Ashbys recollection circa April 1897 that Alexander Berry had some Miller bees at Crows Nest, if not early in 1830 but at least in the 1830s. Was Commissary Miller, Berrys neighbour, the source of Berrys bees some time prior to October 1837? Could swarms originating from Millers and/or Berrys hives have passed to Alexander and Frances Spark (by March 1837) at Tempe and also to Sparks neighbour Revd Steele of St. Peters, Cooks River? Continuing this train of thought, was Miller, indirectly, not only the source of hives acquired by James Busby for himself and William Charles Cotton from Revd Steele and Mrs Spark in August 1843, 127 but also of the general spread of honey bees throughout New Zealand? In the view of the Revd R. Taylor 128 in 1855 bees were introduced into New Zealand before Mr. Cottons arrival, but the chief supply is derived from his stock.

Feral Swarms, 1838

From K. I. Zieglers 1993 Leatherwood Resource Management Report which I located on the internet, the following quote caught my attention In Tasmania, feral swarms were first noted in 1838 just 7 years after successful establishment, and before long were reported widely over the island. Unfortunately, no primary source was provided.

VICTORIA A selection of newspaper articles, 1860 to 1869

During a one-day visit to the State Library of Victoria on 18 May 2000, I browsed Indexes to The Argus (1860 to 1869), compiled by Geraldine Suter and the 1999 Melbourne Argus Project team. I lacked
127

For the full story, refer William Charles Cotton, Grand Bee Master of New Zealand, 1842 to 1847, published in 1997 128 Refer also the chapter titled The New Zealand Farmer, c1898 on page 64

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sufficient time to complete this research and have not yet had the opportunity to return. Im sure study of the newspaper articles I identified within the index would yield valuable insight into colonial beekeeping within Victoria. A selection of my extracts follow. Drought in 1860 ? Drought may have been the cause of an unsuccessful bee season. From The Argus for 27 March 1860 The present season has been a specially unsuccessful one for bees. We have heard of no case in which they have prospered, though we know of many cases of failure. We are told by one whose stock of bees is large, and whose increase generally considerable, that he has only the same number of hives that he had at the commencement of the season, and that from 10 of them he does not think he could obtain more honey than he often had from one. (reprinted from the Portland Chronicle) Profits from Beekeeping, June 1861 In The Argus newspaper for 18 June 1861, part of a long article details the profits to be had from beekeeping. The weight of honey, taken in glasses and boxes from the tops of the hives, was between 140 lb. and 150 lb., which, from its purity, is worth double the price of that taken from the hive itself, and which can be removed without disturbing the hive at all The following table was supplied giving the proceeds from the sale of swarms and honey: 10 swarms at 30s. 5 do., at 20s. 4 do., at 15s. 3 got away 1 died 23 140 lb. of honey, at 1s 6d 15 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 10 0 33 10 0 Till lately, and even now it is thought by some that anything is good enough to put them in, and ten to one if you see them in the country you will find them in an empty gin case, with the bees going in and out, but very sluggishly

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Top Bar Hives, July 1861 The Argus newspaper for 5 July 1861 mentions J. Sayce of Caulfield who offered comb in straight unbroken bars. This suggests Sayce was using top bar hives, the precursor to frame hives. Honey from wild bees, July 1861 The Argus for 16 July 1861 reported Five tons of honey, the produce of wild bees, were gathered in Dandenong and the neighbouring ranges during the past year, and sold at Dandenong or in Melbourne. This, as we learn from a resident farmer, upon whose accuracy we can rely, is the lowest estimate of the quantity, some persons thinking it to be much greater. Our informant knows one man who contracted to supply a ton to one storekeeper. This honey is gathered by the splitters, who sell it for 4d. per lb. to the stores, where it is retailed at 1s. Those who bring their harvest to Melbourne, or rather Prahran, get 6d. and 8d. per lb. The quantity we have named is exclusive of a large amount gathered and consumed by the aborigines in the neighbourhood. Wild Hives Numerous, August 1861 Jas. Dickinson reported in The Argus for 15 August 1861 the domestic bees which have escaped since their introduction are now so very numerous in and around the Plenty Ranges, that a couple of active, energetic bee-hunters would be amply remunerated by following that vocation for three or four months each summer. Also in this article mentions the use of box hives with a volme of 1350 cubic inches, each box measuring 9 x 10 x 15. Also noted was The common gin case is the smallest in general use here (I have seen hives three times this size) containing 2880 inches and large hives are almost universally used. Apiarian Society of Victoria, 1861 The Argus for 16 August and 24 September reported meetings of the Apiarian Society of Victoria, held at Kytes-buildings, Bourke-street, Melbourne. 129 In the first a valuable paper on bee pasturage was read by Mr Sayce, the president. In the second, with some six members present and Mr Sayce in the chair, the subject of discussion
129

The Argus, 18 Feb. 1863, reported the second annual meeting of the society. (p.5b)

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was the spring management of bees and some interesting conversations ensued. On 22 October The monthly meeting of the Apiarian Society was held last evening, at the Mechanics Institution, Mr Sayce in the chair. A number of interesting queries relative to bees and their management were propounded by Mr. Clarson, and an instructive discussion ensued. The procuring a good stock, the description of the hive most approved, and the attention the bees require while working, were the questions treated upon, and the consideration of the remainder was postponed until next meeting. For the following month, on 15 November Mr. Templeton read a continuation of his paper on the management of bees The president reported that the committee had resolved upon holding an exhibition of bee produce in or about January next, and read the schedule of prizes to be offered on the occasion. The following gentlemen were elected members of the Society:- Dr. Tierney, Messrs. L. Rostron, Earnest Carter, and Charles Morton, Moonee Ponds. Glass Hives with Bell Glasses, 1862 The Argus for 30 July 1862 carried a response to one Jacob Smith of Dunolly, who requested on 16 July the best mode of attracting the young bees to a new hive on ones own ground ? Thomas Huxford Curtis of Queens Arcade, Lonsdale Street, replied in part: Being an admirer of and keeper of bees for some years at home and in this colony, upon the newest scientific principles, in glass hives with bell glasses, and taking the excess of honey without destroying the bees . Sensible instructions were then provided for capturing swarms quietly shaken into an empty flat-bottomed hive or pan if they are in an elevated position. If they alight on the ground, or on some spot which cannot be shaken, dress the hives first giving the inside top of the new hive a small dressing of pure honey and place it securely over them, first giving them a gentle but thorough stir with a large goose or turkey feather I stir them with my naked hand, and have never as yet been stung. The correspondent was not a fan of tanging Avoid the old-fashioned custom whilst they swarm of sounding a band of old tin kettles and fire pans, which disturbs and annoys the bees, and very often causes them to take long flights. A New Australian Hive Design ?, 1865 The Argus for 12 August 1865 carried a description for a hive design, possibly unique and of Australian origin. Mr. Marrinon of White Hills 60

provided the following for apiarians: a frame made of boards, about fifteen inches deep, and which is divided into twelve compartments, into each of which a drawer fits closely, the bottom being turned upwards. 130 There is a small passage from one compartment to another, so that when one is filled, the next can be commenced; a small piece of tin, to slide in and out, being all that is necessary to confine the bees to one box until filled, when it can be removed without disturbing the operations. Mr Morrison intends permitting them to commence in the three lower boxes, so that when they become filled, he will be enabled to remove the honey whilst the second tier is being proceeded with, thereby enabling him to have a constant supply of fresh honey on hand. Each of the compartments is about twelve or fourteen inches in depth. There are two of these frames, or twenty-four boxes in all, so that a large harvest may be expected when he adds a few more swarms to his present stock of bees. It is most interesting to watch the busy little insects at work in a glass hive which has been placed over a straw one 131 already filled.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Capt. John Molloy, 1829, at sea

In my Immigrant Bees (Vol. 2) there appears an extract from the diary of Captain J. Molloy who landed at the Swan River from the Warrior in 1830. He wrote on 1 December 1829, ten days before crossing the equator Had the bees upon deck. Inspected them and cleared out the hive and found a great number dead. The Warrior had embarked forty-two days earlier from Spithead on Monday 19 October 1929. From his short four and a half-page shipboard diary I studied at the State Library of Western Australia, Molloy was unhappy that the
130

Im unsure how to interpret the phrase the bottom being turned upwards . This article was reprinted from the Bendigo Independent 131 In The Argus for 13 April 1865 (p.6b) a less informed correspondent wrote Having been a god deal lately about the ranges of Gipps Land, and also of the Upper Yarra, I have observed the reckless manner in which wild bees are being destroyed for the purpose of obtaining their honey when a little trouble has been taken to provide artificial hives, made of sheets of bark, as has been done in some countries, honey and wax will become important articles for export.

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stalls in the hold, originally selected for his animals, had been allocated to another passenger. He was not impressed with the alternate stalls on the starboard side of the deck and desired to guard against the common accidents likely to arrive from an ill selected and perilous situation. Molloys inspection of his bees occurred on his forty-fourth day at sea. Hed most likely elected to store the hive somewhere other than on deck, possibly within his cabin. Wherever he chose it would have been the safest place he could find for Molloy was obviously sensitive to the safety of his stock.

Georgiana Molloy, Nov. 1833, Augusta

In Alexandra Haslucks Portrait with Background, A Life of Georgiana Molloy there appears a letter from Georgiana addressed to her sister Elizabeth in Scotland. Among a list of items Georgiana requested for shipping out, including 20 yards of black cotton velvet, slippers, a watering pot, soap and a nice new tea pot, Georgiana also requested some Honey in jars. Candles also, and glass would materially serve us, as what we do not want I could sell to great advantage. Had honey and beeswax been freely available in the colony, such as at Fremantle, Perth or Augusta, its acquisition locally would have been preferable to a potential one years wait for its eventual arrival from Scotland.

Mary Bussell, 1834

The following notes augment those previously published in The Immigrant Bees (Vol. 2). The James Pattison 132 departed from Portsmouth on 9 February 1834 after delays waiting for favourable winds. Sir James Stirling, also a passenger, wrote on 9 February I hope the attempt which we are about to make today, to go to sea, may be more successful than those which have preceded it. Mary Bussell diarised on Saturday 22 February I have been on board a fortnight today.133 Our progress has been delightful, not one rough hour. the wind almost always full On 24 February Some changes have been made in arrangements of our cabin. Buonaparte 134 changed places with Mamas dressing (chest?). The
132

Eva Crane in The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting, Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd., London, 1999, gives the ships name as James Pattins (p.365b) This is a typo. 133 Mary must therefore have boarded on the 9th 134 Im unsure what this Buonaparte was, but it seems possible it was a piece of furniture

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bees stand on Buonaparte. The room, I fancy, looks quite pretty and comfortable. From this description there can be no doubt Mary kept her hive of bees in her cabin. On the same day Mary wrote The bees are out nearly all day, so bright and apparently happy. They will, I hope, arrive safe. Entered the tropics. I have not found it too warm. Interpreting this description the hive must have been contained within some form of container such as a cage which allowed the bees movement outside the hive. The underlined entries following did not appear in Colemans 1956 study of Mary Bussells diary and letters. For completeness Ive repeated the previously published entries. Monday 3 March 1834. I am anxious now about my bees. So many have died within the last day or two. According to Mr. Sherratts advice, I have changed their food, perhaps tomorrow may render me more easy about them. On Tuesday 4 March after twenty-four days at sea I was just seated to recount the sorrows of the morning for I had been in sorrow. I had cleared away all my poor dead bees. From the number I believe very few more could be in the hive - and I reproached myself for bringing them away, but to die at sea. I have been obliged to remove the bees that were dead from the hive once or twice, since on one occasion a great many of the poor little things revived and at night returned to our scuttle; bees in every direction. Mama, Mr. Sherratts children, and myself were dreadfully stung, nor did we succeed in saving any of them. The few we caught died before daylight when I got up to return them to the hive; the only hour it is possible to open it without letting them escape. Mary must have opened the cage so as to deposit the bees, most likely placed in front of the entrance. March 5, 1834, Cape Colony, Table Bay. My bees have not swarmed and hundreds of them are dead, but yet I hope I may save sufficient to form a stock. No more diary entries were made on the fate of her bees. Apart from her sorrow over the state of her bees, that morning also held another great sadness. The break in her diary entry above addressed another tragedy, for her pet dog was found on deck, declared mad Its death warrant was pronounced and I hastened on deck to take a last look at the little miserable being. My dependence was such on the mild unprejudiced feelings of my 63

informant that, but for his satisfaction, I would have saved myself the pain of witnessing its agonies which admit of no relief. But I did see him and even yet cannot forget the dreadful spectacle not a look of recognition as I came to him: barking, foaming, straining, my poor little fellow. I thought it was too true and I left you to be relieved from your torture. All was over in less than half a minute.

1846 & 1841

Smith 135 (1968) wrote in Bulletin No. 3108 of the Western Australian Department of Agriculture, titled An Introduction to Beekeeping in Western Australia The first honeybees were introduced into Western Australia in 1846. 136 By 1873 there was one large bee farm at Guildford 137, a few miles up the Swan River from Perth, and by 1881 there was a surplus for export, 16 cases of Swan River honey being sold in London. Commercial beekeeping began to develop in the last decade of the nineteenth century. The Smith brothers, from their base at Bakers Hill, began migratory beekeeping with horse-drawn vehicles in 1896, with the jarrah forest and the wandoo woodland at hand. The Cook cousins, who had obtained experience of beekeeping earlier in New South Wales, helped the Smiths and later developed their own apiary at Toodyay in the Avon Valley. Today the Cook family are still leading beekeepers in the State. (pp.1-2)

NEW ZEALAND
The New Zealand Farmer, c1898 The following entries, extracted as is form the New Zealand Farmer c1898, and reproduced in The Australan Bee Bulletin for March 1896, detail the scoreboard regarding the latest intelligence on the first introduction of honey bees to New Zealand. At present the case stands thus: 1. The first: Lady Hobson landed bees at Bay of Islands early in 1840. More detail may be found in my Volume I, the chapter titled Lady Hobson, March 1840, which includes the latest from Hopkins c1904. Hopkins also acknowledged Mary Anna Bumbys
135 136

then Senior Apiculturist Refer The Immigrant Bees, Volume II, (pp.76-79): Ive since ascertained the correct year of introduction to have been 1841 137 a reference to honey exports from a large bee farm in Guildford, 1873, appears in The Immigrant Bees, Volume II (pp.74)

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Hokianga introduction in March 1839. Reference should also be made to William Charles Cotton, Grand Bee Master of New Zealand, 1842 to 1847. 2. Rev. W. C. Cotton landed some at the same place in the first half of 1842; Hopkins (1882) corrected his view that Cotton was the first and updated his recognition to that of the Hobson 1840 introduction. (Refer my Volume I) Hopkins remained unaware that Cotton did not have bees until August 1843 following James Busbys return from Sydney in the schooner Shamrock. 3. Mrs. Alloms bees arrived at Nelson it is believed in 1843. Hopkins in 1904 updated this with the date of May 1842. Refer the chapter Mrs. Mary Ann Allom, April 1842 in Volume I. 4. In the opening paragraphs of a small work published by George T. Chapman, Auckland, about 1868, entitled How to manage the honey bee in New Zealand, the following occurs: The Rev. R. Taylor says (Notes and Queries, 8th December, 1855) bees were introduced into New Zealand before Mr. Cottons arrival, but the chief supply is derived from his stock. Mr. Cotton arrived in Auckland in company with Bishop Selwyn on 29 May, 1842 138 (this fixes the date of arrival. I.H.), and although there are several things connected with New Zealand beekeeping, he was not aware if Mr. Cotton remained long enough to prove the fact that New Zealand will be a great honey producing country. Thus ends the extract from the N.Z. Farmer. My search for a copy of Chapmans c1868 booklet has just commenced (Oct. 2006). 139

PACIFIC ISLANDS Revd. Aaron Buzacott, a hive to the Pacific Islands, 1861
In The Argus of 18 June 1861 (p.7c), a short entry mentions a Mr Buzacott of the John Williams who took one hive to Sydney, bound for the South Sea Islands. The London Missionary Societys three138 139

My research indicates an arrival date of 30 May 1842 A search of the catalogue of the National Library of New Zealand produced a list of 17 works by George T. Chapman, published between 1860 and 1881, including two hand books to the farm and garden. Unfortunately, no work on the honey bee is listed. There is a 12 page descriptive list of works recently published by Geo. T. Chapman, bookseller, Auckland, c1869.

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masted barque, the John Williams, was launched at Harwich in March 1844 and sailed three months later on its first of five voyages. After 20 years service, sailing some half a million miles, it was wrecked on Danger Island on 16 May 1864. Of 297 tons 140, it was 103 feet long with a beam of 24 feet 8 inches. Nicholson records it saw Pacific service between 1845 and 1864. From Island to Island, or the Work of a Missionary Ship 141 describes her rig as that of a barque, that is with three masts, the fore and main carrying square sails, the mizzen carrying fore and aft sails; she was painted black with a gold ribbon round the gunwale; and for a figure-head had a well executed bust 142 After a refit it sailed on 23 November 1860 from the Thames River for the Pacific islands on its fifth and last voyage.143 Before its final stage to the Pacific islands, the John Williams visited Melbourne and Sydney 144. I assume Buzacott, through his acquisition of a beehive in Melbourne, became known either to Edward Wilson of the Argus or one of his beekeeping associates, hence the newspaper entry.

140 141

Nicholson, Log of Logs, Vol.3, p.225 G. Cousins, London 1893. 142 p.56 143 Cousins, George (1893) From Island to Island, or The Work of a Missionary Ship. London Missionary Society. Catlg.,Mitchell Library 279/C 144 Refer also A Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands, Rev. John Williams, London 1865

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The original aquatint (45.5 cm x 32 cm) by W. J. Huggins, 1844, can be viewed from the Dixson Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Its pictured here entering Huahine Harbour.145

By further research I located a 1933 typescript by Annie C. Creagh, held within the Dixson Collection,146 The Reverend Aaron Buzacott a Devonshire man, was a pioneer missionary of Raratonga, (sic.) 147 and was called the model missionary. He was a man who could turn his hand to anything, from the making of a musical instrument (the bass viol) to the planning and building of houses and churches and boats. The church and mission house of Raratonga were built by him, and are still in use and good repair. The story of Buzacotts missionary life is to be found in Mission Life in the Islands of the Pacific 148. After many years dedication to missionary work in the Pacific islands, Buzacott died in Sydney in 1864.

145

Huahine is one of the Leeward Islands (les sous le Vent), part of the Society Islands, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, administered as a part of the overseas territory of French Polynesia. The islands are volcanic, mountainous, and surrounded by coral reefs that form coastal lagoons. 146 State Library of New South Wales. ML MSS 1780, Creagh Family Papers 147 Rarotonga, largest (67 sq. klm.) of the Cook islands 148 subtitled being a Narrative of the Life and Labours of the Rev. A. Buzacott. John Snow & Co., London, 1866.

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An 1866 Frederick Grosse engraving of the London Missionary Society vessel John Williams leaving port, as published in The Australian News for home readers

Part III - The Italian or Ligurian, Apis ligustica

VICTORIA

Edward Wilson (1813-1878)

In my research Ive tried to provide more than just names and dates, rather to add colour and depth of character to the people who were Australias beekeeping pioneers. In this vein, who was this man Wilson, father of the introduction of Italian honeybees into Victoria? Descriptive tags such as farmer newspaperman artist political agitator vocal critic of the penal system commentator on the ill treatment of Aborigines protector of the gutter children of Melbourne, cover some of his life experiences. He was contemporary of, and knew (Sir) Henry Parkes. The Australian Dictionary of Biography describes his life with a sizeable entry of three and a half pages. His father was a small Nottinghamshire farmer. In August 1841 at age 27 Wilson migrated to New South Wales to try sheep farming. He soon moved from Sydney to Melbourne and purchased a farm on the outskirts of Melbourne at Merri Creek near Brunswick. In 68

1842 he leased the Eumemmering cattle-run near Dandenong through to 1846 149. Wilson became a newspaperman with the purchase of the Argus newspaper in 1848 with a partner. To obtain treatment against a loss of eyesight he went to England in 1857. Subsequently during 1858-59 he traveled through Australia and New Zealand, writing Rambles in the Antipodes. I found this extract of particular interest he carried his dogmatic belief in the independence of the press to the extreme of shunning personal contact with politicians and government officers. He was incorruptible, and fearless in making enemies; his desire for commercial success was far less important than pursuit of truth and justice as he saw them. Though frequently mistaken and unfair, he exposed many governmental inefficiencies and scandals. His columns were open to any radical group or charitable movement. His appearance matched his public role: a tall, swarthy, sombre man, a commanding figure with dark penetrating eyes behind spectacles, looking like a well-to-do tradesman rather than a gentleman. (He possessed) personal charm, geniality and generosity. Wilson retired from the newspaper business in August 1856 and set up as a model gentleman-farmer near Keilor and enjoyed the relaxation. It is likely at this time Edwards interest in bees and beekeeping flourished. A collection of Wilsons childhood paintings were generously donated to the State Library of Victoria in 1999 by Miss Sheila Schon, Wilsons grand-niece. Two of these, each of exercise book size, are scenes from a bee garden. Done in humourous style, the first is titled The Bees Swarm. The beekeeper is depicted in the foreground, attempting to attract an issuing swarm by tanging a key against a long handled bed warming pan. Some fruit tress flank a gabled, open sided bee house containing some seven skeps, set back from an array of colourful flowering plants carrying flourishing blossoms of either red, yellow or blue. A red brier rose flowers tall against one of the sheds corner posts.

149

Notes accompanying Wilsons art within the LaTrobe collection at the State Library of Victoria state he farmed in the Port Phillip district until 1848.

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Edward Wilson

Its partner painting is titled But settle in an inconvenient place. With key and warming pan discarded, the beekeeper, his head engulfed by part of the swarm, is to be seen escaping down a path bordered by more vigourously flowering plants. Both paintings have a childlike quality to them. The notes accompanying Wilsons paintings state Two watercolour drawings by the 9-year old Edward Wilson remind us that while styles of art have changed dramatically in the last two hundred years, the art of children remains remarkably consistent. Apart from their subject matter - carriages crossing a bridge, and a fox-hunt - these drawings would be at home on any twentieth-century refrigerator door. A note on one page reads: My dear Mamma, I have drawn you a picture and I hope you will like it. I am your dutiful son, Edward Wilson, day aft Xmas 1821 Few examples of Australian colonial art centred on beekeeping are known to exist. Since 1995 Ive located only four other instances of this genre, one being the well known and exhibited oil of a woman beekeeper by Clara Southern, held at the Victorian Art Gallery. Its a fine work of art, a copy of it elegantly adorns one wall of my lounge room. Another, titled The Settlers Cottage, artist unknown, depicts a comical scene: a haggard looking broom-wielding woman surrounded by a collection of ducks, a goose, a mischievous cat and a dog; all the animals sensibly fleeing the potential angst of bees emerging from a straw skep knocked to the ground by the inquisitive cat. 70

The Bees Swarm, Edward Wilson, c1822. Note the bee house, skeps, beekeeper attempting to tang the bees with a key and bed warming pan.

This extract from Mrs Charles Merediths 1844 Notes and Sketches of New South Wales 150 describes a similar dwelling encountered on an afternoon trip from Sydney to Parramatta The habitations of the working classes, for poor there are none, are the least pleasing objects one meets with in this colony. Instead of the neat clean cottage of an English labourer, with its little glazed windows, and tidy though old curtains looped on one side; its small garden-plot of vegetables, pot-herbs, and sweet flowers, and cheerful, though humble aspect, - here you pass a wretched hut or hovel, built of heaped turf, or more frequently of slabs (rough pieces of split timber, set on end, like a strong paling), and thatched, and which, if plastered with mud, would be weather-proof and comfortable; but, for the most part, the slabs are all falling asunder, the thatch half torn off, the window, or rather the place for one, stopped with pieces of wood, hides, and old rags; and the door, without hinges, inclining against the wall. A heap of ashes and chips usually lies in front; broken bottles, old casks, old rags, bones, and shoes, and various similar articles are scattered around. Not a herb, not a cabbage is to be seen; no attempt at making a
150

Meredith, Mrs Charles (1844) Notes and Sketches of New South Wales, during a Residence in that Colony from 1839 to 1844, John Murray, London. Refer also pp.57-58, Penguin Books, 1973 reprint

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garden, although a fence might be had for the trouble of cutting it, and, by very little labour, abundant crops of vegetables and fruit produced. Third and fourth are a pair of drawings, held in the Dixson Collection, State Library of New South Wales, of an aboriginal running after his quarry. Titled The Bee Hunter, they are attributed to Samuel Thomas Gill (1818-1880). One drawing was reproduced in Volume II of The Immigrant Bees. Its partner can be seen herein following page 46. Edward Wilson was a prominent man of his time. He made a difference. Place him into todays political and social climate, driven by his energy 151 and fiercely held beliefs, he would have been a positive influential force working for the social good, particularly of those most in need of his support. After selling the Argus His chief interest early in his retirement was the introduction of European birds, fish and animals; in February 1861 he formed the Acclimatisation Society, as an offshoot of the Victorian Zoological Society, and was largely responsible for the foundation of parallel societies in the other colonies and of nine Victorian branches. The following was extracted from the web site at the State Library of Victoria Edward Wilson was a man of diverse abilities and achievements, but perhaps his most notable accomplishment was to build the Melbourne Argus, which he purchased in 1848, into the most successful and influential newspaper in Victoria. Apart from political and journalistic activities, he took a very active interest in animal husbandry and was a breeder of prize-winning pigs. His nearobsession with this subject is reflected in some of the items on display. He also founded the Acclimatization Society of Victoria, which undertook the now-questionable work of introducing foreign plants and animals to Australia. On his return to England in 1864 he established a menagerie which included kangaroos. Wilson was a trustee of the State Library, and his bust, sculpted by his friend Thomas Woolner, can still be seen in the foyer. Its stern, classical aspect gives little hint of the playful humour evident in these manuscripts.
151

The Argus, 20 Jan. 1864, in a long article on his Acclimatisation efforts the labours of Mr. Wilson in England on behalf of his favourite society show us what one earnest and persevering man can accomplish whose heart is in his object.

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The Settlers Cottage, artist unknown

Tony Dingle in The Victorians Settling (1984) provides insight into the acclimatizers 152 As the scientific community grew larger, societies were formed for the exchange of information and ideas. For a time the most energetic and active body was the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria. Formed in 1861 out of an earlier Zoological Society, its purpose was the introduction, acclimatisation, and domestication of all innoxious animals, birds, fishes, insects and vegetables, whether useful or ornamental, as well as the export of native species to the rest of the world. The energizing force and organizing genius behind the Society was Edward Wilson, former editor, by then part-owner of the Argus, and a fanatical acclimatizer.

152

Dingle, Tony (1984) The Victorians Settling, pp. 142-144

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Partner painting to The Bees Swarm, this one titled But settle in an inconvenient place, Edward Wilson, c1822. The key and bed warming pan cast aside, the beekeeper pursues discretion rather than valour.

At first sight it appears curious that scientists whose lifes work was the study of indigenous plants and animals should tolerate, let alone encourage, the import of exotic species, but they were unaware of the concept of ecology and untroubled by the nightmares which haunt generations of scientists who have grown up with the rabbit and the prickly pear. In a sense they were conservationists, for they wished to nurture familiar plants and animals, but in a new environment. This was partly an exercise in home-making and nostalgia; English songbirds in the Australian bush would help to strengthen home associations, and serve to convert Victoria into a new Britannia in another world. The enthusiasm for acclimatisation waned as rapidly as it had grown. Within a decade the Society, short of money as government grants dried up and deprived of energetic leadership by the death of Edward Wilson, limited itself to the acclimatisation of trout and the establishment of the Melbourne Zoo. Most of what it had introduced did not survive, but the carp, trout and redfin, the myna, house sparrow, starling and blackbird, the fox, deer and hare, flourished. They joined the feral pigs, cats and other domesticated imports which had escaped from human custody to become a permanent part of the local fauna. In retrospect the acclimatisation campaign can be seen as a sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious catalogue of disasters. 74

Acclimatizers have been treated harshly by posterity. Their historian, Eric Rolls, concludes that there was never a body of eminent men so foolishly, so vigorously, and so disastrously wrong. This is to judge them with the benefit of knowledge they did not possess. Their activities flowed from the same stream of thought and action which had created Europes overseas empires in the first place. These they now sought to beautify and render more productive. Wilson never married but he was an adored uncle to many nieces and nephews, one of whom wrote this letter during a stay at Wilsons home in Kent, England, to which he returned from Victoria in 1864. In England he established a menagerie which included kangaroos. Wilsons devotion to pigs has obviously been transmitted to the young relation. The full text of the letter, is as follows: My dear mama marie & Burleigh are here and the rest came today. One of the kangaroos is dead and skinned. Uncle Edward gives 3 pence a 100 for ladybirds & yesterday Annie and I got 241. I have no more news. So I remain your affect. child Katie P.S. Kiss from the pig.

Four hives of Ligurian bees arrive safely, 9 Dec. 1862

In 1999 I provided an extract from the Yeoman journal of 20 December 1862 in my Volume II, which confirmed that all of the four Ligurian hives of bees dispatched from Southampton aboard the steam ship Alhambra in September 1862, had arrived successfully. Working forward from the 79 day confinement 153 the arrival / release date must have been 9 December 1862. In late 2004 I located a report in The Argus for Thursday 11 December 1862, which gave details of the weekly meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society, held two days previously on Tuesday, 9 December. Thus it appears the arrival date coincided with the day of the weekly meeting. The Alhambra must have been a floating menagerie. From the report of that same weekly meeting By the Alhambra, under the kind care of Captain Godfrey, have arrived for the Acclimatisation Society 1 hare, 5 white swans, 5 Egyptian geese, 20 Algerian sand grouse, and 4 hives of Ligurian bees, all in excellent 154 condition. These were all selected by Mr. E. Wilson, in London, and, with the exception of the hares (of which five died on the voyage), must be looked upon as a very successful introduction, only 1 swan, 1 goose and four grouse having died.
153 154

Refer page 114, The Immigrant Bees Volume II The adjective excellent, though an overstatement, however

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A Ligurian swarm escapes, Jan. 1863

My 1999 Volume II (p.114) reported that one of the original four hives had absconded, 155 one I believe afterwards deserted its hive. The Argus for Thursday 8 January 1863 adds detail from the weekly meeting (Tuesday 6 Jan.) of the council of the Society We are sorry to learn that one of the swarms of the Ligurian bees, so recently imported by the Acclimatisation Society, has left the hive at Richmond, and has not since been heard of. As this is not the time of year for bees to swarm, any person having seen a swarm will oblige by detaining it, and giving information either to Mr. George Sprigg, 30 Swanston-street or Mr. T. MMillan, 60 Elizabeth-street. A reward of 80s. 156 has been offered for the recovery of the bees, and as these bees are easily identified, any person keeping possession of them will, of course, render him or herself liable to be prosecuted.

Mr. Templeton reports, Feb. 1863

Amidst reports 157 of deer to be transported to and released at Wilsons Promontory by Commander Norman aboard the Victoria; the export home of Wonga and bronze-wing pigeons; there also appears Mr. Templeton, who has in his charge one of the hives of Ligurian bees, lately arrived, was present, and gave the council a most encouraging account of the success that has attended his efforts, in bringing the stock of bees from the weak and feeble state in which they landed, to their present strong and healthy condition. Mr. Templeton is also sanguine of being able, if the fine weather lasts for another month, to increase the number of stocks this season, by artificial breeding.

Mr. J. Sayce reports, April 1863

The following report 158 to the council of the Acclimatisation Society, upon the present state and prospects of the Ligurian bees recently sent out by Mr. Edward Wilson, dated 23 March 1863, was delivered by J. Sayce, President of the Apiarian Society. 159 Thus a trio consisting of Messrs. MMillan, Templeton and Sayce were each
155

Woodbury, The Horticultural Journal, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman, 14 July 1863 156 80 shillings = 4 pounds, a considerable sum of money 157 from the weekly meeting (Tuesday 24 Feb. 1863) of the council of the Acclimatisation Society, from The Argus, Thursday 26 February 1863 (p.5a) 158 The Argus, Thursday 2 April 1863 (p.5b) 159 See also p.114, Volume II, The Immigrant Bees

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placed in charge of one of the three remaining stocks of Ligurians held in captivity, the fourth stock having absconded. Rather than place the burden and responsibility of care for all three stocks upon one person, the Apiarian Society wisely spread the risk of nurturing the three stocks across these three gentlemen. Since the last report which the Apiarian Society had the honour of submitting to your council, respecting the Ligurian bees under its charge, I have now much pleasure in stating that the three stocks then remaining have been progressing quite satisfactorily; indeed, one of these stocks has been artificially increased to four. That these bees have been brought from the very weak state in which they arrived to their present prosperous condition, and this after the best part of the bee season was over, is, I submit, not only cause for much gratification, but it affords some evidence of the truth of the reported superiority of the Ligurian over the common bee. Indeed, I think it may now fairly be stated that the Ligurian queen bee is a more prolific insect than that with which we have been so long familiar; and I do not hesitate to say that the industry exhibited by these bees is unapproachable by that great as it is which characterizes the others: or perhaps I should speak more correctly were I to say that the Ligurian bee is the more puissant insect, and that this, added to a most extraordinary gift of scent, which enables it to discover the existence of honey, however remote or hidden its receptacle, gives it a superiority in the collection of food. I have also observed that its labours are less interfered with by the weather; for during the recent rains, except when very stormy, the bees went out, and returned laden with their stores, apparently quite unconscious or indifferent to the existence of anything which could occasion them of inconvenience or discomfort. As a proof of their honey-finding instincts, I may just mention circumstances which, at the time, caused me some perplexity. From one of my hives, from which a strong stock of common bees had been driven, to add (after the extraction of the queen) to the Ligurians under my charge, a super was taken, containing about thirty pounds of the purest new honey of the season in course of being sealed; this super, a tight compact box, was placed on a shelf in my apiary, and the more effectually to prevent the scent of the honey from attracting any stray bees, a cloth was fastened, as we thought, securely around it. Judge of our surprise when, on going to the box, we found every cell quite empty, not a vestige of honey remaining! The Ligurians had 77

found it out, and forced an entrance between the folds of the cloth; they had frequently been seen to enter the apiary underneath the door, no one, however, for a moment supposing that, thus easily, they were appropriating the produce of others labours. Nevertheless, they appear to have thriven on these stolen sweets, which, perhaps to them, as to some other culpable subjects of a revered Queen, are always sweetest, for much of the success of the stock in my possession is, no doubt, owing to the circumstance just related. It may serve also to convince those who have hitherto opposed the feeding of bees in unfavourable weather and in particular cases, that nothing is so well calculated to insure success as abundance of food, which, if not furnished naturally, must be artificially supplied. These bees purloined in a fortnight what would appear to have been an almost inexhaustible supply. My friend, Mr. Templeton, conveyed his Ligurians to a distance from town, where they were naturally supplied, and they collected about, I think, a similar quantity in the same time. But it may be well to observe, that bees must be in health at the time of feeding, or little good may result from it. A great number of stocks died here during last winter (although many of these had been abundantly fed), merely because, prior to additional food being given, the combs containing abortive brood and decomposing larvae (the cause of the existence of which I need not now explain), had not been cut out. In taking charge of your bees, we were actuated by the desire, in the first place, that the lives of the queens should be insured until the usual great breeding season, the spring. This we effected by adding, at various times, to stimulate them to the healthy exercise of their functions, small stocks of common bees, which, except in one single instance, were most successfully united with the others. Then our attention was directed to increasing, if possible, the number of colonies before winter, and with favourable weather, and the bestowal of a great deal of time and attention, this also, as before stated, has been achieved by one of the gentleman in possession, and partly so by another. Some risk was incurred, doubtless, but with the certainty of the preservation of the three queens, we considered the experiment was warranted, and worth trying, especially as the gentleman conducting it (Mr. Templeton, to whom very great credit is due for his assiduity and skill,) had more choice of time for performing the many necessary operations, if anything untoward had occurred, than either 78

of the gentlemen. These efforts, as I have previously stated, have been amply rewarded by the addition of three colonies in a few days over three months after the bees were landed. As a detailed account of Mr. Templetons labours may prove of interest to some of the numerous of the interesting reports of your transactions, a copy of his diary is appended. With respect to the two other stocks, the one in charge of Mr. MMillan, was transferred to a new hive, which, after the addition of only one stock of common bees, is about two-thirds filled with combs and brood, the workers now consisting solely of Ligurians. The charge of the other stock has devolved upon myself, and I have had the pleasure of giving to it as much of my attention as, under the circumstances of limited time, and that at an unsuitable period of the day, I have been able to afford. This stock was also placed in a new hive, the box and combs of the one in which the bees arrived being too foul, from disease, to afford any guarantee for their recovery from the extremely weak state in which I found them, the number (two or three hundred only) being diminished at the rate of about twenty bees a day for some days after the transfer. At different periods, one small and one tolerably strong stock of common bees were successfully added. Young Ligurian bees were visible two days earlier than the time required at home for the maturation of the brood, proving, as I have before noticed, that a high temperature materially facilitates this process, and that a low one retards it. This hive was filled three weeks ago, the last comb being made in two days; and the bees have now commenced working in a super. A few drone cells are sealed up, but except with continued fine weather for a fortnight at least, any drones that may be matured, may be destroyed by the other bees, as not being then necessary for the purposes for which their instincts dictated the need for their creation; and it would not, the season being so far advanced, be prudent to risk an artificial multiplication of stocks now. The bees are, however, in a fine healthy state; and I trust will remain so, until the advance of spring may warrant the fresh use being made of the great prolificacy of the queen. Mr. MMillans also, by that time, be very strong and vigorous. The mortality in these two hives, during the voyage, was very great indeed; or, probably, the stocks 79

were not so strong to begin with as that which fell to the lot of Mr. Templeton, whose hive contained near upon a thousand bees. In choosing the sites for these bees, our aim has been to assimilate the temperature in which they have been placed to, as nearly as practicable, that of their native haunts; with this view they have all been placed under cover, but where the air could circulate freely around the hives. However, my own impression with respect to their suitability to this climate is, that whilst they can endure greater cold, and will thrive in rougher weather than the common bee, they will, at the same time, be able to endure the heat and variable weather of an Australian summer with greater impunity also; that, in short, the introduction into the Southern Hemisphere of the Ligurian will prove, although one of the minor blessings, at least an acceptable one, and one also that will, ere many years have revolved, be extensively diffused over the southern portions, at least, of this wide continent.

Mr. Templetons Diary, April 1863

Immediately following Sayces report 160 in The Argus, there appears a correct copy of my diary in connection with the management of a hive of Ligurian bees, the property of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria. H. Templeton, George-street, Fitzroy. His report was dated 24 March 1863. Wednesday, Dec. 10 Received a hive of Ligurian bees, the property of the Acclimatisation Society, which upon examination proved to be in a most wretched condition, the inner surface of the hive bearing testimony to the great distress which the swarm had endured on the voyage. Found about three quarts of dead bees in the empty box placed under the hive for the purpose of ventilation, which I at once removed. On examining the comb, I discovered a few living bees not more than a large teacup might contain, and many of these in a sickly dying state. Left them to gain a little strength before further troubling them. Thursday, Dec. 11. Allowed them this day also for recruiting. Friday, Dec. 12. Took out the frames containing the combs, one by one, in order more fully to ascertain their true state. Found on both sides of one comb, and on one side of the combs adjoining on each side of it, a number of fine looking bees, by this time much revived, each having an orange belt round the upper part of the abdomen, and
160

The Argus, Thursday 2 April 1863 (p.5b)

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yellow rings distinctly marked back to the point. Discovered the Queen a fine large yellow one actively running about on the centre comb occupied by the living bees, evidently enjoying excellent health. On account of the filthy state of the combs, many of them containing dead bees, I determined to place them in a new hive. Saturday, Dec. 13. Engaged preparing new hive for the bees. Monday, Dec. 15. Took out the combs, and removed the bees to their new hive, being particularly careful of the queen. This being done, I made a minute examination of the combs, upon which I discovered in three of them fresh-laid eggs. Lost no time in cleaning the combs, removing the dead bees from the cells, and carefully replacing the frames containing the combs in the old hive, into which also I reinstalled the queen and her small family. Gross weight, sixteen pounds. Tuesday, Dec. 16. Determined to feed them every night, in order to increase the temperature of the hive. Gross weight, seventeen pounds. Wednesday, Dec. 17. Gross weight, seventeen pounds. Friday, Dec. 19. Examined the comb in which the eggs were deposited, and found the grubs well developed and curved round the bottom of the cell. Gross weight, eighteen pounds. Thursday, Dec. 25. Brought a stock hive from the vicinity of Frankston, and, having removed their queen, I joined them with the Ligurians so successfully that no fighting ensued. Found the brood which I examined last week sealed up. Gross weight, eighteen pounds. Friday, Jan. 2. Brought a small swarm, without a queen, from the country, and joined them with the Ligurians as successfully as before. The purpose of this second union was twofold viz., first, to increase the temperature of the hive; and second, to enable the queen to breed more quickly, more of the surface of the combs being now covered with live bees. Finding that they did not increase in weight, I began to feed them more extensively. Friday, Jan. 2. to Friday, Jan. 9. Notwithstanding the additional feeding they did not increase in weight, but as they were busily carrying in pollen, I was satisfied that the breeding was progressing favourably. 81

Saturday, Jan. 10. On visiting a friend near Oakleigh, I found the bee pasture in that neighbourhood very rich, many large trees being in full blossom, and many more richly covered with buds ready to burst into bloom; and finding my friends bees carrying in honey plentifully, I determined to remove the Ligurians to his place, he having kindly consented to give me a stand in his apiary. But before removing them, in order, first, that they might be enabled to receive the greater benefit from the rich pasture, and second, that, the hive being filled with vigorous young bees, the queen might be induced to breed drones, by which I might multiply stocks of pure Ligurian bees during the present season, I determined, if possible, to secure for them another addition of live bees. Monday, Jan. 12. Visited a friend beyond Pentridge, and succeeded in persuading him to let me have one of his hives, which I turned up, and ran the bees into an empty hive, watching for and securing the queen, brought home the queenless swarm, and joined them with Ligurians same evening. Tuesday, Jan. 13. Found the hive quiet, and no bees killed, but discovered some drones which had been added with other bees the previous evening. The bees, however, towards the afternoon began to banish the drones, and I determined to let the hive remain a few days until all the drones were killed, in the meantime, assisting them myself in so doing. Saturday, Jan. 17. Removed the hive to my friends near Oakleigh. Gross weight, with floor-board, 26lb. Tuesday, Jan. 20. Gross weight, 28lb. Thursday, Jan. 22. Gross weight, 30lb. Saturday, Jan. 31. Gross weight, in the morning, 34lb., in the evening, 36lb. Monday, Feb. 2. Gross weight, 34lb.; both today and yesterday being hot wind, they lost 1lb. each day. Saturday, Feb. 7. Although the weather intervening had been stormy, they regained more than they had lost. Gross weight, 37lb. Examined the combs, and found eight of the ten frames full of combs, nearly every cell of which was filled with brood of honey. The ninth frame was about three-fourths full of comb, chiefly containing drone cells; and they had just commenced to make comb in the tenth frame. 82

Thursday, Feb. 12. Gross weight, 44lb. Friday, Feb. 13. Many bees remained outside during the night. I therefore resolved to give them more room. Gross weight, 48lb. Saturday, Feb. 14. Fitted frames into a box six inches deep (weight, 6lb.), and put it under the original hive, as a nadir, about noon; and at four oclock in the afternoon many of the bees were in the lower frames. Gross weight, 55lb. Saturday, Feb. 21. Nadir about one-fourth full of bees and combs. Gross weight, 57lb. Wednesday, Feb. 25. Nadir nearly half full. Gross weight, 60lb. Saturday, Feb. 28. Weather having been unfavourable, they lost 1lb. Gross weight, 59lb. Wednesday, March 4. Nadir more than half full. Gross weight, 62lb. Brought them home to my own apiary, in Fitzroy, where I had greater facilities for manipulation. Got them home safely. Thursday, March 5. Found, on making a careful examination of the internal condition of the hive, a considerable quantity of drone brood, in an advanced state. Having now succeeded in causing them to breed drones, I immediately commenced operations for breeding queens. Friday, March 6. Made a careful search for the queen, which, after considerable difficulty (there being so many bees in the hive), I found, and succeeded in placing her with a portion of the swarm in a hive previously prepared for them. My prospects of having artificial swarms towards the end of the present month are now very good. Thursday, March 12. Saw several queen cells, three or four of them being sealed up. Monday, March 16. Saw a number of live drones. Tuesday, March 17. Visited Mr. Robertson, beyond Pentridge, and bought a common hive, in which to place one of the young Ligurian queens. Wednesday, March 18. Commenced running off the bees from the hive bought from Mr. Robertson, but was stopped by the heavy rains. Thursday, March 19. Found and killed the queen of the hive bought from Mr. R. Cut the combs out and fixed them in frames, and placed them in a hive previously prepared, which I then caused the queenless 83

swarm to enter, and as soon as they missed their queen I gave them a comb with a royal cell containing a young Ligurian queen, when they appeared to be satisfied. Monday, March 23. The young queens have come to maturity, and are out of the cells. I have supplied two common hives with Ligurian queens; and have, therefore, four hives, two of which I know to be all right, and the two others are hopeful. Portions of this diary also appear in my Volume II, essentially for 10 and 12 December 1863, as well as subsequent entries for 3 and 11 April.

Mr. T. MMillan reports, April 1863

MMillans report on the stock of Italian bees under his care followed those of Sayces and Templetons. On receiving the box of Italian bees allotted to my care, on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 10th of December last. I immediately proceeded home with them, and on examination found only a small number of bees alive, and many in an apparently dying condition. Most of the dead and dying bees were in a heap at the bottom of the hive, which was a nadir hive, and the remainder were in the combs. There were about 500 living bees, and about 6,000 or 8,000 dead. The hive contained no drones, either dead or alive. The combs, which were beautifully built on frames, were in good condition, and the amount of discolouration not great. They contained one pound (1 lb.) of honey in which could be detected a slightly acid flavour. There was no bee bread. I immediately cleared away the dead bees, and cleaned the zinc and woodwork of the hive. Having satisfied myself of the existence of a queen by inspection, I determined to place her at the head of a strong stock of black bees. I therefore secured the queen, and placed her, with a few subjects, under a glass, to which I adapted a perforated zinc floor, and on this was fixed a nice piece of virgin honeycomb. I had in the apiary a fine stock in a large sized gin-case, containing cross-sticks and other primitive fixings, on which account it had already been condemned. I cut out all the combs, and brushed the bees into a new hive, which I placed on the old stand. During the operation I secured the queen. A bar of nice honeycomb was placed at each end of the new hive. I placed the glass containing the Italian queen over the bees at the right or north side of the hive exposing only a very small portion of the perforated zinc, through which the 84

bees could hold communication with the queen during the afternoon and evening, but shutting off all communication at night. In the morning, as expected, great commotion existed amongst the bees, and while the great body of them were still clustering in a mass at the right or north side of the hive (it being yet early in the day), great numbers were disposed over the front of the hive outside, and in small groups and clusters on the floor and alighting boards; numbers were rushing out of and into the hive, in a state of excitement. I now deemed it time to introduce the Italian queen: separated, however, by a cage constructed of perforated zinc with a movable end, which I fixed to one of the bars at the left or south side of the hive. In a few seconds the whole of the bees in the hive, and most of them outside of it, rushed to that part of the box where the queen was, and the voice of mourning became what has been described as a perfect jubilee of humming. Favourable symptoms having continued, I liberated the queen on the following morning. I may here add, however, that I had previously inserted next to the queen cage, a good piece of worker-comb from the Italian box. On the fourth day I examined the hive, and found the queen quite at home, surrounded by a loyal body-guard and loving subjects. On the 20th of December, I observed a considerable number of eggs and grubs in the combs, and new combs were being rapidly constructed. Young native born Italians I first noticed in the hive on the 5th of January. How gratifying this was I need not here dwell upon. I abstained on this occasion from interfering in any way which could tend to disturb the bees, or which was not absolutely necessary to the prosperity of the hive. No black bees now exist in the hive, indeed I have been led to conclude that the life of the worker bee in this country is of very short duration. Dzierzon, I think, considers that worker bees born in spring do not live beyond a period of three months; but short as this is, I am inclined to think that it will be found to exceed its term of life in this country; and if so, this will explain away what has been to so many a mystery the sudden disappearance of the population of hives. Cessation of breeding for a short period (from whatever cause) must soon tell sadly on the population of the hive, on account of the incessant activity of the worker bees throughout the year. 85

There is one other point on which I will say just a word. From the few hurried observations I have been enabled to make relative to the age at which the young bee leaves the hive, I am inclined to think that, after coming forth from its warm cell, it eats honey and acquires strength for some days prior to its emerging from the hive as a honey-gatherer; but when we have increased our stock of Ligurian or Italian bees, by which, from their distinct colour and being nursed by black bees, correct observations are facilitated, we can afford to carry out wellconducted and satisfactory experiments. I will now conclude by stating that the hive of Italians, up to the present moment, are progressing most favourably; and I shall prepare for a large increase by artificial swarms early next spring.

Templeton on Ligurian beekeeping, Oct. 1864

The Argus for 19 Oct. 1864 carried a report on beekeeping from Mr. Templeton. Its interesting for it sheds more light on the advanced methods in use at that time. In part it reads In 1860, he took from one hive 112lb. of honey, leaving a stock of 45lb. weight minus the floor-board; and in 1861 one of his hives multiplied into seven, all of which did well. The parent hive swarmed twice, and each of these swarms threw off twice during the season. If such results were obtained with the common bee, in inconvenient hives, what might not be expected now with the far-famed Ligurian bee, and the improved frame hives? The common black bee he was very far from despising, but the Ligurian was a hardier insect, and was wonderfully prolific. Experiments had shown him that the queen Ligurian laid eggs at the rate of 3,300 per day. When her habits and powers were more fully understood, results would be obtained not even dreamed of. He was satisfied that the first step towards ruin in any hive was not having sufficient bees to cover the combs the queen was capable of filling. She was obliged, in consequence, to drop eggs into the cells she had previously supplied; the grubs pressed each other to death, and their putrid remains proved a certain poison. This was the true cause of the abortive brood which had proved fatal to thousands of hives, and had caused so much perplexity to apiarians. Mr. Templeton then exhibited and explained one of his own improved frame-hives. The advantages of the frame hive he stated to be that the interior could be readily examined, so that the operation of the bees could be ascertained, and the queen could be supplied with bees when she required them; that 86

the frames could be changed so that a weak hive might be strengthened from a strong one; that the honey could be conveniently removed whenever desirable, and that the bees could be multiplied by artificial swarming to almost any extent. Mr. Templeton mentioned the successful result of a singular experiment he had made with a hive supplied to Mr. T. J. Sumner. After throwing off the first swarm it was discovered that the young queens were all dead, and as the old queen had, of course, gone with the first swarm, the hive might be considered dead, at least all apiarians would have put it down as gone. However, he waited until all the bees left by the queen had arrived at maturity, and then transferred them to empty hives, in the centre of which he placed two frames from the swarm which had bred at the proper time, and in a fortnight he discovered a lively young queen running about. A great deal has been said recently about swarming, but swarming was not a proper test of strength unless the hives were of the same size. In answer to questions, Mr. Templeton stated that persons desirous of purchasing Ligurian hives could obtain a few now, and by Christmas he hoped to have twenty hives to dispose of.

Ligurian Bees Making Progress, Dec. 1864

Copied from the Riverine Herald of 3 December 1864 and appearing in The Argus for 6 December 1864 The Ligurian bees appear to be making progress in Victoria. The Riverine Herald of Saturday states that the hive of Ligurian bees exhibited at the show yesterday was secured by Mr. Hopwood, and was the twenty-sixth swarm from one hive thirteen months since, showing the extraordinary prolificness of this famous importation of the Victorian Acclimatisation Society. The expression thirteen months since infers this one hive of Ligurian bees was introduced on the Murray around November 1863.

Echuca on the Murray, 1864 & 1865

Copied from the Riverine Herald in The Argus for 7 April 1865 Mr Cooke, of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, is at present on a visit to Echuca, 161 for the purpose of procuring the Murray cod and other fish, with a view of stocking the Glenelg and other western
161

Echuca on the Murray receives another mention on page 265: the story of the Andrews brothers who took up beekeeping there in 1885, presumably with Ligurian bees. Of coincidence, the two brothers arrived in Victoria from London aboard the Liguria.

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rivers. Now that the railway is completed, there will be little difficulty in conveying the young fish to the coast, and thence by steamer to Discovery Bay. If this experiment succeed, we understand Mr. Cooke will follow it up with obtaining and preparing a consignment of cod-fish for transmission to Europe. This gentleman has also brought with him another hive of Ligurian bees, which is the twenty-second swarm from one hive during the last twelve months. He yesterday weighed the hive which he previously introduced on the Murray, in November last, and found it to be upwards of seventy pounds, the original weight being twenty-one; thus demonstrating that this district is par excellence the honey producing portion of the colony. 162 QUEENSLAND The Greater Wax Moth and the First Ligurian Bees, 1866, 1877 In The Australasian Beekeeper of November 1957 163 there is an illuminating note titled First Record of Larger Wax Moth in Queensland 164 The precise history of the Introduction of the larger wax moth, Galleria mellonella L., into Queensland is obscure. In this regard, therefore, the following note extracted from the minutes of the Acclimatisation Society of Queensland is of interest, as it shows that by 1875 this insect pest was severely infesting colonies of English bees, Apis mellifera var. mellifera L., in Brisbane apiaries. Then follows the Minutes of the Acclimatisation Society of Queensland for 8 April 1875 165 Dr Waugh made mention of the terrible ravages among the hives of the common English bee committed by a species of American moth recently, unfortunately, imported, and, which devours the young bee in the cell, causing the most complete destruction of every hive into which it enters. He stated that hardly a hive existed free from this moth in the direction of Milton, while the secretary gave evidence that it had reached at least three miles in the other direction (Breakfast
162 163 164

The Argus, 7 April 1865 (p.5c)

p.125 The item was contributed by C. Roff, Adviser in Apiculture at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock. 165 p.91

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Creek). Dr Waugh brought the matter forward in the hope that the society might aid in the importation of the Ligurian bee, which, it seems, is able to cope with this moth. It was resolved that the society should give every assistance in its power towards so excellent an object, and that Dr Waugh should ascertain from Mr Carroll what steps he had taken towards introducing the Ligurian, so that the societys help might be given in the most effective manner. The pest, it seems, entered Queensland sometime before April 1875 and prior to the successful introduction of Italian honeybees. Its likely the Greater Wax Moth was accidentally introduced from North America as a result of previous unsuccessful attempts to introduce Ligurians. It does not make sense to think the moth came with the common English bee for this would have been the apiarian equivalent of bringing coal to Newcastle. Only by great effort and expense was the Ligurian bee brought to Australia, from both California and England. Hearsay from the 1979 Queensland Department of Primary Industries publication, Beekeeping, reports that J. Carroll imported a colony of Italian bees from the United States of America in 1866 but it did not survive. No prime source was quoted to substantiate this claim. However, could this reputed failure to introduce Ligurian honeybees have been disastrously successful by another measure: the introduction of the Greater Wax Moth? The 1979 publication continued Mr Between 1866 and 1872, Messrs. A Mackay, M. Blasdall and J Carroll, of Brisbane, succeeded in importing safely an Italian Colony from which Mr. Carroll subsequently introduced the coloured Italian queens to all his hives. From 1872 to 1880 he sent many of these Italian colonies to different parts of Australia. Success between 1866 and 1872 must not have been achieved if in 1875 Carroll was still attempting to introduce Ligurians. The Queenslander of 6 December 1873 reported Mr Carroll has again failed in an attempt to introduce Italian bees to Queensland. Last year he had two stocks forwarded from one of the largest apiaries in America, per Californian mail; and upon arrival nothing but a mass of dead bee-moths and their refuse was found in the hives ... earlier this year, finding that a friendly Queenslander was about to visit England, he arranged for a stock 89

of Italians, under his care, from the famous apiarians, Messrs. Neighbour and Sons, of London. The stock arrived by last mail every bee dead. (p.11). Dead bee moths certainly but there may have been viable eggs which subsequently hatched most successfully. However, it seems these were not those of the Greater Wax Moth, otherwise special mention would have been made of them. In 1886 Isaac Hopkins 166 stated Mr. Fullwood ... determined to introduce Italian bees ... In the year 1880 he brought five queens with himself from Liverpool to Melbourne, and thence to Brisbane. Weatherhead 167 supplies the following on the 1880 importation They all survived and credit is given to the constant daily attention by Mr Fullwood when on board ship. (p.11). Its implied these details appear to have been sourced from The Queenslander of 1881. And from Hopkins (1886) In 1882 he (Fullwood) got twelve queens sent direct from Charles Bianconcini of Bologna, and of these five arrived alive; and again in 1883 he got a second consignment of twelve, of which seven arrived safely. (p.15). Trevor Weatherhead in From Boxes to Bar Hives 168 supplied In 1881, in The Queenslander, it is stated that the Italian bees had been landed in the Colony by Mr Carroll but they proved a failure, most likely through the enfeeblement of the queens owing to long confinement. Though this attempt failed, through Fullwoods achievement of the previous year, Ligurians had successfully reached Queensland by at least 1880. To finally refute the 1866 - 1872 date range from Beekeeping, the 1979 Queensland Department of Primary Industries publication, and narrow down further the correct date for their introduction by Carroll, The Adelaide Observer 169 for 29 December 1883 reported a shipment of bees from J. Carroll, beemaster near Brisbane, to Bonney of Upper Kensington, by order of the Chamber of Manufactures in Adelaide. From these, it stated, Kangaroo Island was successfully seeded with Ligurians. And so it was.170 The window for success may now be
166

Hopkins, Isaac (1886) The Illustrated Australasian Bee Manual and Complete Guide to Modern Bee Culture in the Southern Hemisphere. 3rd ed. 167 Weatherhead Trevor. (1986) Boxes to Bar Hives,Beekeeping History of Queensland 168 ibid., p.11 169 p.11, col.e 170 see the chapter in this volume on Kangaroo Island.

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placed as early as sometime in the year 1880, up to the last week of 1883, for by then there were sufficient stocks to allow export of some Ligurian bees to Adelaide, South Australia, and possibly elsewhere. And possibly the final word, an extract from Trevor Weatherheads Boxes to Bar Hives, sourced from the Australian Bee Bulletin of 23 September 1893. It tells the story of Angus Mackays voyage on the City of New York from California to Brisbane via Sydney 171 In 1877, it was my good fortune to bring from California the first lot of Ligurian bees, so far as I know, that have reached this section of Australia. I got them from Harbison, of the Santa Clara Valley! They had a spell in Sydney of a week, and landed safely in Brisbane. What a delighted man was Jas Carroll to get the fist lot of Ligurian bees, and the bees were then as full, to all appearance, as when Bee Master Harbison put them up. According to the report of the Acclimatisation Society of Queensland in April 1875, Carroll had in his possession viable hives of Ligurians upon Mackays arrival in Brisbane in 1877. Jeannie River (Princess Charlotte Bay), 1901 Walter Roth, the Northern Protector of Aboriginals, Queensland, wrote in his 1901 Ethnography, Bulletin No. 3. Food: Its Search, Capture, and Preparation I have not met with English bees anywhere to the west or north of the Jeannie River (Princess Charlotte Bay). South of this, the blacks here and there smoke them, having probably seen the examples set by Europeans. 172

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: KANGAROO ISLAND

Bonney, Buick &Turner The following well intentioned but unfortunately incorrect information regarding the events of 1884 appears in an educational leaflet supplied by the Vivonne Bay Outdoor Education and Environmental Field Study Centre. The first five hives of Ligurian bees, including seven queens, were brought from Italy, and were introduced to Kangaroo Island in 1884, by three Kangaroo Island
171

full text is in The Immigrant Bees (Volume I) and Weatherheads Boxes to Bar Hives 172 See p.17. Roth also detailed how the aborigines detected the bees presence eg., locating minute pellets of dung at the base of a bee tree; listening for the buzz of bees within a trees hollow.

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settlers who were interested in beekeeping, their names were Bonney, 173 Turner and Fiebig. 174 The following year five extra swarms were obtained. In 1886, another 20 Ligurian queens were obtained from Italy, and 59 daughter queens were reared and purely mated. Kangaroo Island was declared a sanctuary with the passing of the Ligurian Bee Act in September 1885 and this Act is still in force . The misinformation is added to by the contents of Mildred Willsons (1994) Kangaroo Island Honey Cookbook. Mildred honestly tried to clear up the confusion but the research conclusions of her historical advisers are not accurate. There is still confusion about the correct date of the above begins the legend to the photograph of the National Trusts Memorial to August Fiebig for his introduction of Ligurian bees from Italy. The bronze plaque affixed to the stone memorial erroneously declares the year to have been 1881. To demonstrate this confusion, throughout the honey cookbook there are attractive illustrations of local honey labels, each carrying one of the following dates for the introduction of Ligurians: May 1881 (Fiebig) August 1881 (Fiebig, 12 hives to his apiary near Penneshaw) 1883 1884 (three examples) October 1885 (10 queens on the ship Cuzco). The photographs legend continues in an attempt to remove the confusion August Fiebig of Penneshaw and John Turner of Sutton Apiary, Smith Bay, were both involved in the Chamber of Commerce 175 import of Ligurian bees in 1884. The year 1884 is correct. Unfortunately, that Fiebig was involved or the implication that the bees were imported direct from Italy to the Island are not supported by any evidence. Extracted from primary sources, the story is chronicled in The Immigrant Bees (Volume 2). The 1881 date is clearly anecdotal, for
173

Classifying Bonney as a settler is incorrect. He facilitated the bees introduction but theres no evidence this Adelaide beekeeper ever kept bees on Kangaroo Island. 174 Inclusion of Fiebig in the 1884 introduction is incorrect. 175 Chamber of Commerce is incorrect, it should read Chamber of Manufactures.

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the bees were imported from Brisbane in 1883 (from where they were first imported from Italy), and subsequently forwarded to Kangaroo Island, via Adelaide, through the efforts of A. E. Bonney 176 and the owners of the bees, the Adelaide Chamber of Manufactures. As reported by Bonney in The Adelaide Observer for 19 January 1884, the islands recipients in 1884 are clearly defined I shall have two colonies ready at Easter to go to Kangaroo island and should like to receive permission to send one to Mr Buick, of American River ... although I have written to Mr Turner, of Smiths Bay, relative to withdrawing his black bees, and giving him Ligurians in exchange, he has not sent me any reply ... It was resolved that one colony of the Ligurians (be conveyed) to Mr Buick at American River, Kangaroo Island. Mr Bonney to be requested, if possible, during Easter holidays, to take another colony to Mr Turner, of Smiths Bay. Turner subsequently received his hive of Ligurians on 25 June 1884. The ketch Hawthorn which carried the bees to the Island, was to bring away the black bees on its return. Though David Woodwards The Ligurian Bee Story chapter in the cookbook clears up some details 177, it paradoxically adds to the confusion: The survey of 44 178 public officials (should read public officials and residents 179) was carried out after 180 (not before) Ligurians were shipped to Buick and later to Turner. The Island was not black bee free when the Ligurians first arrived 181, though the
176

In 1886 Bonney was the Hon. Secretary of the South Australian Beekeepers Association 177 Correctly names the Chamber of Manufactures (not Chamber of Commerce) as the importers; also gives the correct year of 1884 for arrival of Ligurians on the Island. 178 The number was also reported by the Chamber as 45 179 see Second Annual Report of the Chamber of Manufactures, Year Ending 30 June 1886 180 The survey results were reported on in 1886: In the section titled The Beehive in The Adelaide for 1886 (either July or a later edition) taken from the Second Annual Report, Year Ending 30 June 1886 At the last meeting of the Chamber of Manufactures a report was submitted showing the result of enquiries addressed to residents on Kangaroo Island as to the black bees reported to be existing on the island. Of the 45 circulars issued 23 have been answered. The result is eminently satisfactory, as it shows that there are no black bees on the island, and that the Ligurians introduced through the actions of the Chamber are almost all doing well. 181 The satisfactory results of the survey were not declared until 1886

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presence of at least one (Turners) was likely to have been short-lived courtesy of the Hawthorn. Additionally, the two hives brought down from Queensland in 1883 (not 1884) were already Ligurians, so Woodwards report that Bonney introduced Ligurian queens into the Queensland sourced hives is also incorrect. Initial efforts to discover any detail about August Fiebig proved difficult and mostly unrewarding. Around 1887 L.T. Chambers of Victoria tested some thirty of Fiebigs Kangaroo Island queens. (see the chapter on Leonard T. Chambers on page 264) Also, on 8 July 1886 Fiebig read his papers The Various Races of Bees and Artificial Increase in Bees before the South Australian Beekeepers Association. In a personal communication from Bridget Jolly of South Australia, dated 28 June 2002: You quite rightly say that August Fiebig is illusive for biographical research. But fortunately I have recently seen his direct descendant, and some points are falling into place. I have some material from him which is highly valuable, but it is small in quantity, and it seems that the family did not keep a great deal through the years. One piece of misinformation, of which you are aware that Fiebig had Ligurians on KI in 1881 is now again (finally?) quashed: he came with his family to SA in 1882. Around March 2005 I was made aware of some interesting historical research by Bridget Jolly (2004), available on the internet, on early South Australian beekeepers titled Bee breeding show and tell in the city. Supported by her solid research, Bridget has added more to the Fiebig story. August Fiebig, an experienced bee-breeder from Silesia, who played at the Theatre Royal Orchestra, and conducted a business in Pirie Street as Herr A. Fiebig Musical Instrument Maker, also managed J.H. Weidenhofers apiary at his Kent Town home. Fiebig and Weidenhofer favoured the Silesian Dzierzon hive (that could be fitted with Berlepsch frames) in preference to the American Langstroth hive. Tonia C. Eldridge, Research Librarian, State Library of South Australia, in a personal communication dated 3 Aug. 2006, has provided invaluable items of feedback. As well as the negative footnotes attached to my evaluation of an errant correspondents thesis extract, is this brief item located in the South Australian Register for Monday, 23 Nov. 1885 (p.5a) On Saturday the 94

steamer Dolphin 182 took some boxes containing several swarms of Ligurian bees for Kangaroo Island. The bees belong to Mr. Fiebig, who has taken up some land at Hog Bay, and has already sent over twenty-four swarms. He proposes to breed queens. It remains unknown what date previous to 21 Nov. 1885 Fiebig sent twenty-four swarms to KI. Tonia added But that, I am afraid, is all I was able to locate relating to Mr Fiebig. I could find no mention of him in any of the other newspaper sources, nor in the archival material relating to the SA Chamber of Manufactures (their minutes mention Ligurian bees, but only talk about Mr Bonney). It would seem that whatever Fiebigs role was in bringing the bees to KI, it has been well and truly overshadowed by the South Australian Beekeepers Association and Mr Bonney. For accuracy, with the research details currently available, to Mr Buick of American River in Easter 1884, not August Fiebig of Penneshaw in 1881, goes the credit of being the first Ligurian beekeeper of Kangaroo Island. Eva Crane, in her mammoth 600 page exposition titled The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting, 183 states Ligurian bees were introduced to Kangaroo Island in 1883 In 1883 Fullwood supplied the South Australian Chamber of Manufacturers 184 with a pure colony of imported Italian bees which was established on
182

The Dolphin, a carvel-planked screw steamer of 146 tons, measured 100ft long (30.48m). She was originally used as a goods steamer before conversion to a training ship for the WA Sea Scouts. Thanks to the VOC Historical Society Inc. for their website http://www.voc.iinet.net.au/rockcoast.html which addresses Western Australia's Maritime Heritage Coast, specifically Shipwrecks off the Rockingham Coast, and to research performed by students from Rockingham Senior High School. The Register for 10 Oct. 1881 (p.6d) reported the Dolphins launching. See http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/sa/industry/fishmisc.htm, owner presumably the SA Fishing Co. From Loney, Jack. Wrecks on the Queensland Coast and web site http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/qld-wrecks.html Shortly after being requisitioned by United States military forces, the 151 ton wooden steamer Dolphin sprang a leak and foundered off Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, 26 July 1942. 183 Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd., London, 1999 184 A small point, however Manufacturers should read Manufactures.

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Kangaroo Island 13km off the coast. 185 And again There was much beekeeping activity here (in South Australia) in the 1880s, including the establishment of Kangaroo island as a bee-breeding station in 1883. 186 My 1999 publication of Volume II of The Immigrant Bees firmly established the correct year of introduction as 1884, however Eva Crane published prior to the availability of my additional research. Her year 1883 is correct for the bees arrival in Adelaide. SS. Cuzco, 1885 In my Volume II (p.106-107) I presented two paragraphs titled Another 20 Queens from Italy on the Cuzco, 187 1885. I made no analytical comment at the time. With hindsight some observations are now required. Cliffords phrase and 58 daughter queens were reared and purely mated is drawn directly from the American Bee Journal, Feb. 1993, (p.124), as quoted in the second indented paragraph below. The statements are unsupported by references to 19 th Century historical source documents. As with most historical reports on the introduction of Ligurian bees to Kangaroo Island, the facts presented are a confused mix of distinct and separate historical events blended into a misleading mlange. Please read my footnotes to see the numerous inaccuracies in the ABJ article, and as a result, the misinformation presented by those who subsequently drew from it. David Clifford of Kangaroo Island states three queen bees arrived on the Cuzco on 17 October 1885. In 1886 another 20 Ligurian queen bees were obtained from Italy and 58
185 186

see section 36.51, p.370b. see section 41.51, p.435b. 1883 is incorrect. 1884 or certainly 1885 is more accurate. 187 The Cuzco was launched on 18 October 1871 in Glasgow. Built for the South American service of the Pacific Steam Navigation Co., she was a 3,898 gross ton ship, length 117.09m x beam 12.62m (384.2ft x 41.4ft), clipper stem, one funnel, three masts, iron construction, single screw, with a service speed of 12 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 72-1 st, 92-2nd and 265-3rd class. She was bought in 1878 by the Orient Steam Navigation Co. She commenced her last London - Sydney voyage on 23 May 1902 and was scrapped at Genoa in 1905. (North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber; South Atlantic Seaway by N. R.P. Bonsor; Posted to The ShipsList by Ted Finch - 24 Feb. 1998) see also http://www.fortunecity.com/littleitaly/amalfi/13/shipc.htm

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daughter queens were reared and purely mated. Davids information is based upon a fact sheet put out by the S. A. Department of Agriculture and an article written by David Woodward, then Senior Apicultural Advisor for the South Australian Department of Primary Industries. From the American Bee Journal, 1993: In October 1885 the South Australian Chamber of Manufacturers 188 imported ten live honey bees 189 from Bologna in the province of Liguria in northern Italy. A survey of Kangaroo Island residents disclosed that only one hive of black bees occurred on the island. This was destroyed 190 and replaced by a hive of Italian bees from Queensland. The secretary of the South Australian Beekeepers Association, Mr. A. E. Bonney, introduced three 191 of the queens imported from Liguria onto Kangaroo Island after ensuring all black bees had been destroyed. 192 Twenty queens from Liguria were sent to the island the following year and 58 daughter queens were reared and purely mated. One passage 193 by the Cuzco 194 from London to Adelaide took 43 days 195: she departed 28 July, with arrival on 8 September 1882, steaming via Cape Town and, I believe, on to Melbourne and Sydney after Adelaide.

188

Manufacturers should read Manufactures. No source for this 1885 date provided. 189 This is sloppy reporting: it should possibly read ten live Ligurian queen bees 190 Incorrect, the hive was not destroyed but returned to the mainland in exchange for a hive with a Ligurian queen. 191 Incorrect, the original introduction consisted of one hove to Buick, then a second to Turner. Ive found no reference to a third hive. 192 This erroneously suggests an 1885 introduction was the first. 193 See http://members.optusnet.com.au/margettsb/SS%20Cuzco.htm 194 See Illustrated Sydney News, 22 Dec. 1877 (Vol.13, no.26, p.5) for scenes on a voyage from England. Refer http://www.anmm.gov.au/LIB/isnidx.htm#C 195 Just over half the time of the 79 day voyage for Edward Wilsons 1862 importation of Ligurian bees into Victoria

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SS. Cuzco, c1889, artist unknown 196

Mr Justice Boucaut, Quambi Estate, near Mount Barker, 1884 Mr Justice Boucaut 197 shipped the first hive of Italian bees to Kangaroo Island on his yacht, consigned by A.E. Bonney, bound for Mr Buick, of American River 198, on Easter Sunday, 13 April 1884. Since publication of my second volume in 1999 Ive located some additional details on The Honourable, Sir James Penn Boucaut. K.C.M.G., lawyer parliamentarian, Premier, knight, judge. Amongst other bountiful praise in his biographical entry in The Cyclopedia of South Australia 199 during a long and busy public life he infused a new spirit into the province, lifted its politics to a higher level, and inaugurated a new era in the conduct of its affairs. Sir James spent some time during his earlier colonial life in the country, and has never lost his interest in rural pursuits. From my research I was unable to determine if Boucaut
196

Image captured on 11 Aug. 2006 on web site http://www.antiqueprintroom.com/catalogue/view-print? id=554a832a8d988be43000a15967545943 197 See The Immigrant Bees, Vol. II, p.104 198 The Adelaide Observer, 19 January 1884, (p.12, col. a) 199 The Cyclopedia of South Australia, 1907, 1909, Vol.1, pp.249-250

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was simply a good neighbour or additionally, a fellow beekeeper. From Bridget Jolly (2004) One of several publicly well-known supporters of the apicultural industry was Justice James Penn Boucaut (1831-1916). Boucaut, himself a beekeeper at Mount Barker Springs, conveyed in his yacht the first Ligurian bees to be taken to Kangaroo Island at Easter-time 1884. An agricultural link and a love of sailing suggest rational reasons for his selection for beehive delivery to Kangaroo Island. Boucaut owned the Quambi Estate, near Mount Barker, where he bred pure Arab horses. Also located near Mount Barker was Fairfield Apiary on the Echunga Road, owned by Messrs Coleman & May. In 1885 These gentlemen, commencing with twenty-seven hives, increased the number to 109, and obtained in the first season nearly 6 tons of honey. 200 Its possible either Bonney or Boucauts beekeeper neighbours called on him, requesting his assistance in delivering a hive of Italian bees to Kangaroo Island. Given Boucaut delivered a hive to Buick at American River via his yacht in Easter 1884 and the ketch Hawthorn 201 brought away Turners black bees in June 1884, I was tempted to assume Boucauts services were again being utilised and therefore his craft was the Hawthorn. A personal communication from Bridget Jolly of South
200

The Cyclopedia of South Australia, p.122. Each hive averaged an output of 531 lbs of honey. 201 In remembrance of the ketch Hawthorn the web site http://www.placenames.sa.gov.au/pno/pnores.phtml?recno=SA0029714 states Second Avenue, Kingscote, was renamed on 14 Oct. 1992 to Hawthorn Avenue. A note advises The ketch was owned by the local people and serviced the district out of Emu Bay in the early years. From Ketches of South Australia (1978) an 1887 verse is supposed to list every ketch in service out of Port Adelaide in the 1880s. The Hawthorn is in stanza 12 of some 18 stanzas: Down on the Hawthorn lying Like a true young Gambier Lass Was young Elizabeth Annie With a Capella on the grass The Hawthorn also appears in a later poem of 23 stanzas (pp.12-14): Here come the Hawthorn and the Eva Harold, Nelcebee and Hawk, Stormbird and Lady Doris, All competing for the work.

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Australia, 28 June 2002, questioned this: One of the trails Im on at present is Justice Boucaut and whether he had a financial interest in the ketch Hawthorn. He is not listed as her owner by any of the published research into South Australias ketches. And as he was renowned for his yachtsmanship, and owned a yacht, I wonder if it is incorrect to call the Hawthorn his? Having a copy of Ronald Parsons Ketches of South Australia (1978) to hand in August 2006, I decided to search the net to see what I could find. By the inevitable circuitous route I located the web site of the Australian Maritime Historical Association, Murray Bridge, South Australia. I emailed my query and who should promptly and helpfully reply on 17 August 2006 but 83 year old Ronald Parsons himself ! Boucaut owned the cutter 202 Mischief of about 11 or 12 tons (not registered so yacht measurement quoted in references to hand), member of Holdfast Bay Yacht Club 203 in 1884 so assume this the vessel. Parsons also advised No known association between owners of Hawthorn in 1884 and Boucaut, and unable suggest how such an association might be checked. 204 There is no specific entry on John Buick in The Cyclopedia of South Australia, however, some details are indirectly available through the biography of his eldest son, William Buick of Kangaroo Farm, Hog Bay, Kangaroo Island. To the subject under review and his parent, belongs the distinction of being the first settlers to open up the land in this district successfully, others having tried previously and failed. The country was covered with a forest of blue-gum trees, which presented enormous difficulties in the task of clearing the land and fitting it for cultivation. The Messrs. Buick, however, succeeded in the undertaking, and amongst their other enterprises planted the first fruit garden on the island.

202

Another popular type of small sailing ship in South Australia was a cutter a sharp built vessel of considerable breadth in proportion to its length and having but one mast. Parsons (1978), p.1 203 Now the Adelaide Sailing Club 204 Web site http://www.dcgrant.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=157 states ketch Hawthorn bought by the Von Stanke family, possibly mid 1880s or mid 1890s.

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The Honourable, Sir James Penn Boucaut, K.C.M.G., c1905

John Buick, American River, Kangaroo Island, 1884 Its clear one of these other enterprises was the keeping of bees. 205 On 5 April 1884 The Adelaide Observer 206 carried another of Bonneys Ligurian bee reports I shall have two colonies ready at Easter to go to Kangaroo island and should like to receive permission to send one to Mr Buick, of American River. A subsequent report 207 on 17 May informed ... During Easter holidays (Easter Sunday: April 13 1884) Mr J Boucaut took one queen in a full colony to Mr Buick ... John Buick was reported in The Adelaide Observer 208 for 18 October 1884 The bees to all appearance seem to be working splendidly. Id wondered what type of hive was used to house the Italian bees. A strong clue appears in the first number of the New Zealand and Australian Bee Journal, 1883, reproduced in Isaac Hopkins 1886 The Australasian Bee Manual. The extract detailed Charles Fullwoods reminiscences on old style beekeeping methods 209 Some years ago large quantities of bees were kept by farmers and others in a very primitive fashion Gin cases, tea, or any kind of rough boxes were appropriated to bee use bees appeared to thrive in any kind of hive, so long as they had a cover under which to build
205 206

Refer The Immigrant Bees, Vol. II, pp.104-105 The Adelaide Observer, 5 April 1884, p.30, col.d 207 The Adelaide Observer, 17 May 1884, p.11, col.e 208 The Adelaide Observer, 18 October 1884, p.12, cols.d-e 209 Refer The Immigrant Bees, Vol. II, pp.119-121 for full extract

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their comb and rear their brood. No skill was demanded in their management. Given a swarm put it in a box, on a stand, under a sheet of bark; then look out for swarms in a few weeks; and, after a while, turn up the box, cut out some honey, or drive the bees into another box to go through the process of building and storing, to be again despoiled in like manner. So rather than the rough box hives he remembered from former years, Fullwood looks to have adopted modern methods, namely the Langstroth style of hive. John Turner, Smiths Bay, Kangaroo Island, 1884 John Turner 210 was the second Kangaroo Island resident to receive a hive of Italian bees, as consigned by A.E Bonney. The Cyclopedia of South Australia 211 describes him as a J.P., agriculturist and grazier, of Sutton Apiary, Smiths Bay, Kangaroo Island.

John Turners residence, Smiths Bay

He arrived in South Australia at age twelve, and engaged with his father in pastoral pursuits at Cape Jervis. Later he farmed at Riverton then moved to Victoria where he contracted on the roads then tried his hand on the goldfields. In 1873 he returned to farming at Cape Jervis. In 1882 he selected 1000 acres of Crown Land at Smiths Bay. He subsequently acquired more land, putting it under grazing and
210 211

See The Immigrant Bees, Vol. II, pp.104-105 The Cyclopedia of South Australia, Vol.2, p.1007 (1907, 1909)

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cultivation.212 The Cyclopedia states Mr. Turner was the first to introduce the binder and drill on the island, and also the use of artificial manures. It does not add that he was a pioneer in another direction, that of adopting the Italian honeybee on 25 June 1884 to the exclusion of any dark European bees in his apiary.

John Turner, c1905

The dark bees at Sutton Apiary probably co-habited with the newly arrived Italian bees for only a short time, most likely loaded aboard that evening or the next morning as replacement cargo for the Italians just delivered. The Adelaide Observer reported on 9 August 1884 It has been arranged that on her return trip the ketch Hawthorn will bring away the black bees, and then, so far as I know, there will be no other than Ligurians on the island. 213 From Ketches of South Australia 214 by Ronald Parsons (1978), the timber hulled, ketch rigged Hawthorn of 53 tons measured 67 ft. x 19.2 ft. x 7 ft, she had one deck, a round stern and two masts. She was built in 1875 on the Huon River, Tasmania, and registered in February 1876 at Port Adelaide to George Foulis. The next registration was in 1885 to one J. B. Anderson with subsequent
212

Johns younger brother George along with another brother, were partners for a time on the island. George also farmed at Smiths Bay on his Silverton Farm. 213 p.13, col.b 214 Subtitled A record of small sailing ships on the coast of South Australia, 1836-1970. (p.70)

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registrations recorded to 1941. She was broken up in 1961. There is no mention of Boucaut as either owner or master.

The ketch Priscilla, of a similar type to the Hawthorn

Charles Rake, Enfield, 1883 Albert Molineux, mentioned in The Immigrant Bees, Vol. II (p.99) identified Mr Charles Rake, of Enfield, as the first South Australian to import Italian bees, giving the date of September 1883. In Garden and the Field of April 1884 there is an article titled Paper upon Bees by Molineux Mr Charles Rake, of Enfield, was the first one in South Australia who imported and who first received a colony of Ligurian bees. The honour belongs to him, and to him alone, as it was only as late as September last there ought to be no difficulty in establishing the fact. ...

An online search of the Manning database of South Australian history at the SA State Library revealed this reference for the: An obituary of Charles Rake is in the Register, 15 April 1907 (p.5a) and in the Observer, 20 April 1907 (p.38d) - the latter states, inter alia, "he was the first to introduce Italian bees to South
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Australia". Rake is not mentioned in any of Bonneys activities; this suggests he operating independently of Bonney.
Albert Molineux, 1832-1909

Albert Molineux, 1890 (1832 - 1909), by unknown photographer, courtesy of State Library of South Australia. SLSA: B6260

Albert 215 arrived in the Colony with his parents in 1839. He worked variously at farming, printing and gold digging, and finally returned to the printing industry. After working for the Government Printing Office and the South Australian Register, he resurrected the discontinued publication The Farm and Garden as Garden and Field, the latter first published in August 1875. Soon after he was appointed agricultural editor of The South Australian Register and Adelaide Observer, holding that role until 1891, when he also disposed of Garden and Field in order to devote all his time to the Agricultural Bureau, which he had been instrumental in establishing, and of which he was the first General Secretary. For nearly thirty years Mr. Molineux was closely associated with all advance movements in connection with agricultural progress in South Australia. 216 Refer also the entry on Molineux in the online Australian Dictionary of Biography.
215

Molineuxs extensive list of agricultural achievements and connections are detailed in The Cyclopedia of South Australia (1907, 1909). 216 The Cyclopedia of South Australia, Vol. 1, p.358

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A Simmering Controversy Web Page Misinformation A browse of the many websites dealing with Kangaroo Island will uncover many that make reference to the introduction of the Ligurian strain of honeybees. Unfortunately, its a hit and miss exercise to find accurate information: most of whats there appears to be the result of benign ignorance, copying, inaccurate transcription, even plagiarism. As a result, much misinformed half-truths and outright confusion of the facts exists. One earlier page addressing Hog Bay initially provides no specific year 217 In the early 1880's 218 Ligurian bees were imported by the South Australian Chamber of Manufacturers 219 from Bologna, in the province of Liguria in northern Italy. 220 Due
217 218

Refer http://kin.on.net/hogbay/hogbay2.htm Its unclear whether this refers to the alleged 1881 introduction by Fiebig or to Bonneys 1884 efforts, although Bonney is named in the next sentence. The imports sponsored by the Chamber of Manufactures did not come direct from Italy so the web page presents a merge of two different historical incidents. 219 Should read Manufactures, not Manufacturers, ie., a reference to things rather than people or businesses 220 Correct, though indirectly. Numerous source documents from 1883 and 1884 show the bees first came to Brisbane before they reached Kangaroo Island, eg., The Adelaide Observer for 29 December 1883 (p.11, col.e) reported a shipment of bees from J. Carroll, beemaster near Brisbane, to Bonney of Upper Kensington, by order of the Chamber of Manufactures. Bonney consented to raise colonies of these bees. In Garden & Field, April 1884: A Molineux reported the first successful introduction of Ligurian bees into South Australia occurred in September 1883. Mr Charles Rake, of Enfield, was the first one in South Australia who imported and who first received a colony of Ligurian bees. The honour belongs to him, and to him alone, as it was only as late as September last there ought to be no difficulty in establishing the fact. It is true that a gentleman a few years ago imported two Neighbour hives stocked with Ligurian (or Italian, as they were then called) bees, which arrived in good condition, but through mismanagement he lost them. Its unknown who was responsible for the Neighbour hive importation a few years prior to Sept. 1883. The earlier attempt from Bologna inferred by this web page could not have been Fiebigs in 1881, for he did not arrive in South Australia until 1882. The Adelaide Chamber of Manufactures Fullwood/Carroll hive was of Woodburys design, built of wood and conformed to the Langstroth

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to the efforts of Mr. A.E. Bonney, secretary of the South Australian Beekeepers' Association, these bees were introduced to the Island and the bee population rapidly expanded in the mild climate and plentiful pollen and nectar sources. The web page adds: Chamber of Commerce records 221 show that a Ligurian colony was forwarded to a Mr. Buick of American River transported via Justice James Penn Boucaut from his yacht on Easter Sunday April 13 1884. Boucaut was then a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia and a former Premier of that colony. 222 A Mr. Turner of Smiths Bay received a
specification. Angus Mackay in The Semi-Tropical Agriculturist and Colonists Guide of 1875, provided an illustration of the Woodbury barframe hive along with detailed measurements and description. (see Immigrant Bees, Volume II, p.111-112). From Elements of Australian Agriculture (1885) by Angus Mackay, in the chapter titled The Honey Bee in Australia The illustration shows Mr. Jas. Carroll, of Lizzielea apiary, Queensland, and amongst the first practical bee masters in the colonies. The position shows how the bar-frame hive largely introduced by Mr. Carroll facilitates artificial swarming, changing frames, for examination purposes, to strengthen another stock, or other necessary operation. (p.163) (see Immigrant Bees, Volume II, p.118-119). In 1886 Isaac Hopkins stated In South Australia, as Mr. Bonney informs me, the Chamber of Manufactures imported a colony of Italian bees from Mr. Fullwood, of Brisbane, in December, 1883, and succeeded in establishing them on Kangaroo Island, where they are doing remarkably well. Mr. Bonney himself has since successfully imported queens direct from Italy, a parcel of twelve queens from Bologna, to his order, having arrived safely in September 1884, at Adelaide. Hopkins, Isaac (1886) The Illustrated Australasian Bee Manual and Complete Guide to Modern Bee Culture in the Southern Hemisphere, 3rd ed. (p.16) 221 My original research, as published in my The Immigrant Bees, Volume II, June 1999, provides A report from Bonney to the Chamber of Manufactures in The Adelaide Observer for 17 May 1884 (p.11, col.e) ... During Easter holidays (Easter Sunday: April 13 1884) Mr J Boucaut took one queen in a full colony to Mr Buick ... In March I imported two colonies from Queensland. James Penn Boucaut (1831-1916) was at that time a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia and a former Premier of that colony. 222 The words I have italicized were borrowed directly from my Volume II, as well as the facts on Turner (refer p.104). Attribution to my original work

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hive in June 1884 in exchange for a hive of black bees, which was removed from the Island. The page makes no mention of 1881 or Fiebig, however it does picture the National Trust monument near Penneshaw which does name Fiebig. Another 223 is less specific, opting for a range of years Before the 1880's there were no honeybees on Kangaroo Island. When importations were made between 1881 and 1885, the intention was for them to breed up and provide a future source of purebred queen bees for the beekeeping industry. These bees originated from Liguria in Italy and so are known as Ligurian Bees. Note the term originated along with the absence of any statement they came direct from Italy. Another page addresses island tours and attractions. 224 It is more specific regarding the year: Also found on the island are the unique Ligurian Bees. Twelve hives 225 of the Ligurian Bee was brought to the island in 1881, by August Fiebig, from the Italian Province of Liguria. He established an apiary near Penneshaw and since then no other breeds of bee have been introduced to Kangaroo
was not provided. 223 http://www.kangarooislandshop.com.au/html/the_island.html#bee 224 http://www.ausemade.com.au/sa/destination/k/kangaroo-island-toursattractions.htm 225 Regarding Fiebig, the reference to 12 hives appears in other pages. The Adelaide Observer for 7 August 1886 reported the arrival of 12 hives ordered last year direct from Europe Could this be one source of web page confusion ? The committee is pleased to be able to report that the consignment of Ligurian bees ordered last year direct from Europe arrived in fairly good order. Of the twelve ordered nine arrived alive, but one died shortly after being landed. Of the eight queens three were reserved for Kangaroo Island, and were forwarded to residents there, who promised to give their best attention to them. The other bees were distributed to gentlemen in various parts of the province - in districts where black bees did not at present exist. The distribution of these bees was kindly undertaken by Mr. A. E. Bonney, Hon. Secretary of the South Australian Beekeepers Association, whose attention and trouble in the matter the committee desires to recognise and tenders him its best thanks for his services.

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Island. 226 The present-day honey bees on the island are now all descendants of those twelve hives and unique in the world. 227

National Trust monument near Penneshaw.

.
Plaque detail naming August Fiebig and 1881

226 227

Incorrect, there are clearly documented introductions in 1884 and 1885. By inference, if the previous sentence upon which this one relies is invalid, then it too must be invalid. Its false to claim these 12 hives are the forbears of all subsequent hives.

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The Cliffords Honey Farm page 228 (accessed 30 July 2006) again mentions the 1881 date and 12 hives imported from Italy. It invites one to: Savour the sweetness of Clifford's Honey Farm, where Kangaroo Islands own population of Ligurian bees (the only pure strain in the world) produces 10,000 kilograms of delectable honey each year. The bees were imported in 12 hives from the Italian province of Liguria in the 1880s, and remain protected from other breeds of bee by the islands isolation. An archived web page 229 I accessed on 30 July 2006, also perpetuates the confusion: In 1881, August Fiebig imported 12 hives of bees from Liguria in Italy. This bee has not interbred with any other bee, since no other bees have been imported. 230 Replicated in the Year of the Outback Postcard Competition website 231 dated Tuesday, 30 July 2002, contains a familiar but misleading phrase regarding Fiebig and 1881 A postcard from Kangaroo Island, could share its story as the oldest bee sanctuary in the world. The pristine wilderness of Kangaroo Island is the only area in the world where pure Ligurian bees are known to exist. Twelve hives were brought to the Island in 1881 by August Fiebig from the Italian Province of Liguria who established an apiary near Penneshaw on the Island. More of the same erroneous repetition from another web page 232 In 1881, August Fiebig brought twelve hives from the Italian Province of Liguria and established an apiary near Penneshaw. Since then no other breeds of bee have been introduced to Kangaroo Island. Due to the Islands isolation, all present-day honey bees are descendents of

228 229

http://www.southaustralia.com/product.asp?product_id=9002764 http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/trek/4wd/kanga1.htm 230 since no other bees have been imported is false eg., the Fullwood/Bonney Easter 1884 importation. 231 http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23804/20030222/www.nsw.liberal.org.au/s enatortierney/news/showfa28.html 232 http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/10082/20030620/www2b.abc.net.au/scienc e/scribblygum-old/posts/topic33412.html

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those twelve 233 hives. These bees are pure Ligurian and as such are unique in the world. 234 An Errant Correspondent In December 2004 I came across another page 235 on the web which, in part, gave details on the introduction of Ligurian honeybees to the island. I searched for this page again in July 2006 but could not locate it. Ive been informed that the NSW based internet service provider no longer exists. Based on my research at that time I believed the details presented were incorrect. My email to the web page author was as follows: Subject: First introduction of Italian honeybees to Kangaroo Island. Found your web page and advise some information on it appears to be incorrect. The 1881 date appears to be anecdotal, do you have documented evidence supporting this? Ive been researching introduction of bees into Australia for last 10 years and have published two books on the subject, namely The Immigrant Bees, Volumes 1 & 2. The correct (historically documented) year is 1884. Italian bees were imported to Brisbane in 1883, thence to K.I. via Adelaide through the efforts of A.E Bonney and the owners of the bees, the Adelaide Chamber of Manufactures. Refer the Adelaide Observer 19 Jan. 1884. The first Ligurian beekeeper on K.I. was Mr. Buick of American River who received a hive of bees in Easter Sunday, 13 April 1884. (Refer the Adelaide Observer 18 Oct. 1884, p.12d-e) They were conveyed on a yacht (possibly named the Hawthorn) owned by Mr. Justice Boucaut. They were NOT transported in straw skeps, but in modern frame hives, the same hive design for their transshipment from England. The second K.I. person to receive a hive of Ligurians was John Turner of Smiths Bay. An active campaign was carried out to ensure the removal of all black bees from the island so that the Italians would be able to continue as a pure strain. I have more detail if you are interested. Regards, Peter Barrett, Caloundra, Queensland.
233

This is incorrect. There were several separate introductions of Ligurian queens to the island. 234 Source was identified as Taken from Secrets of Kangaroo Island p15, 1999 Visitor Guide. 235 http://www.pnc.com.au/~degoble/KiBees/kiinfo/honeybki.htm

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My observations were not accepted and my correspondent replied early January 2005, maintaining his contrary yet confused view. Refer my comments in the footnotes. Hi Peter; Honey bees on Kangaroo Island where imported from a specific location in Italy, arriving on the island in 1881. 236 These honey bees where transported in skeps, made by weaving reeds together with a base of solid material and a hole in the basket dome for the entrance. 237 Your published material is wrong by some years. 1st The historical society, before the memorial plaque was erected in the late 1950's in Penneshaw, the history was researched, 238 including the transference of bees from Brisbane. 239 2nd 1881 has been correct for many years before the plaque was erected as the equipment and original hives have been preserved in the Kingscote and Penneshaw preservation society displays, 240
236 237

No evidence was supplied in support of the 1881 date. Skeps, I believe, typically sit on a bottom board with the entrance at the face of the base. A top-hole is sometimes provided, not as an entrance, but for ventilation, with an appropriate weather-proof hood; or in flat-topped skeps, to allow the addition of such as a bell-jar for the storage of additional combs. 238 This research must have been flawed as indicated by my fully documented and attributed research, supported by that of Bridget Jolly (2004) and Tonia Eldridge (2006), which clearly contradicts its claims. The 1881 brass plaque near Penneshaw, I believe, was erected by the National Trust. Refer the 2002 press release by the Director of the National Trust of South Australia which correctly proclaims the 1884 date. 239 Its unclear whether including the transference of bees from Brisbane either rejects or accepts this importation occurred. However, from the tenor of the whole reply it could read as an acceptance relative to 1883/1884. The accompanied route executed by Fullwood in 1880 with five Ligurian queens was Liverpool (England) Melbourne Brisbane. Ligurian bees were then supplied by Fullwood from Brisbane to Adelaide, subsequently transshipped to Kangaroo Island. Refer Immigrant Bees, Volume II, p.110 240 Confusion reigns: the author contends the 1881 importation involved the use of skeps, yet the original hives, one of which I saw at the Adelaide Show, is not a skep at all but a rear opening Dzierzon timber hive with Berlepsch frames, believed manufactured in South Australia by another and Fiebig in the 1880s. It was not used to transport the bees from Italy, Brisbane or anywhere else. I dont question its provenance ie, that it was one of Fiebigs hives. Anecdotal evidence from Betty McAdam of the Hog

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including being published in the tourist information yearly booklet. 241 Thirdly, Three beekeepers on the K. I. Beekeepers Association also have original hives (box) that was used to transport the bees from Brisbane 242 (1884), 243 and is at present manufacturing replica copies for their own displays. 244 fourthly, in 1881, there was a direct importation of Italian bees to K. I. which has been confirmed by the shipping
Bay Apiary Kangaroo Island Beekeepers Association has received a gift of an original hive used by August Fiebig, which has been restored for a display on the bee sanctuary history. A plaque on the hive reads as follows: Dzierzon hive (Gerzon) German origin 1845. This hive was manufactured by Messers Fiebig and Weidenhofer in the 1880s and was stocked with Ligurian bees and formed the nucleus of an apiary on Kangaroo Island. August Fiebig is reported (anecdotal evidence again) to have moved to Kangaroo Island from mainland South Australia, possibly Angaston. The qualification anecdotal evidence again is Bettys. Its no surprise that Fiebig, a German, favoured the German Dzierzon style of hive. Refer Bridget Jollys web paper for a photograph. Note the frames slide in one behind the other once access is gained by opening the rear mounted door. Unfortunately, to view the innermost frame, or preceding frames, all frames before it must first be removed. This is a highly inefficient design compared to the Langstroth design where any frame in an exposed box may be lifted at random. 241 Publication of flawed material does not make it correct, it merely perpetuates the misinformation. 242 Incorrect, the correct year is 1883 243 More confusion: is the original hive the one received by Fiebig from Italy in 1881 (as in his claim: 2nd 1881 has been correct for many years before the plaque was erected as the equipment and original hives have been preserved) or the 1883 Fullwood hive? Fullwood would have undoubtedly used Langstroth hives. Its inconceivable he would have sent bees to Adelaide in an obsolete Dzierzon hive. From the first number of the New Zealand and Australian Bee Journal, 1883, and reproduced in Isaac Hopkins 1886 The Australasian Bee Manual: this extract detailed Charles Fullwoods reminiscences on old style beekeeping methods Some years ago large quantities of bees were kept by farmers and others in a very primitive fashion Gin cases, tea, or any kind of rough boxes were appropriated to bee use bees appeared to thrive in any kind of hive, so long as they had a cover under which to build their comb and rear their brood. No skill was demanded in their management. Such memories only make sense if the author used modern hives based on Langstroth principles.

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documents 245 onto K.I. Mr Buick was master 246 of the ketch and owner, who brought bees to the island in 1881 247 & 1884, for an Italian immigrant (Friberg) 248 249 that commenced the island bee industry. 250 The 1881 hive have been authenticated from line drawings 251 of the skeps, 11 hives where alive out of the 12 252 sent directly from Europe. Regards My correspondent supplied the following in March 2005: Some more info;
244

Im pleased to hear that more 19th Century Dzierzon hives exist on Kangaroo Island, however their design is different from the Langstroth principle hives which were certainly in use in the 1880s in Brisbane, and which would have been the hive of choice of Charles Fullwood, the Brisbane beekeeper from whom the Kangaroo island bees were sourced. These Langstroth hives are essentially the same as hives used today in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., U.S.A. and elsewhere. 245 No evidence of these documents existence or content was supplied. Evidence supplied by the State Library of SA contradicts this claim. 246 Confusion again: Boucaut, not Buick, was master of the ketch / yacht in Easter 1884. See The Adelaide Observer for 17 May 1884 (p.11, col.e). Source documents support Boucauts involvement in the 1884 transference to K.I., nothing points to him being involved in any 1881 bee shipment activities. 247 1881 is incorrect, the correct year is 1884 248 Friberg should read Fiebig 249 This fourthly paragraph is a mess of confusion. There is ample evidence that the first 1884 delivery of Italian bees to K.I. was not by/for Fiebig, rather it was for Mr. Buick. 250 I dont doubt Fiebig was a Kangaroo Island beekeeper, but there is no documentary evidence he was the first. There is abundant evidence that others were. 251 Confusion again: line drawings (with dimensions ?) I believe could exist for a wooden hive so that replicas could be made by another party. Skeps were made from straw rope; the concept of line drawings for these does not make sense. No reference to the location of these line drawings was supplied. I note a sense of exasperation in the reply. 252 No documentary evidence is cited for this claim. Could the continual reference to 12 hives have originated from Fullwoodss second and third importations of 12 queens each 1882 and 1883 sent direct from Charles Bianconcini of Bologna Hopkins, 1886, p.15. Or was it simply that 12 queens was the common order quantity from Bianconcini ?

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http://www.history.sa.gov.au/chu/programs/history_conferenc e/BridgetJolly.pdf Regards Some time previously Id been contacted by Bridget Jolly regarding my research, especially that on August Fiebig. I was now grateful for two things, firstly that Bridget had subsequently concluded her research, resulting in her interesting and well researched 2004 web published paper; secondly that my contrary correspondent brought it to my attention. Its ironic for my correspondent must not have read Bridgets fine work 253 - it refutes his confused assertions beyond doubt and enhances the store of knowledge of August Fiebig. In a personal communication from Bridget Jolly of South Australia, dated 28 June 2002: You quite rightly say that August Fiebig is illusive for biographical research. But fortunately I have recently seen his direct descendant, and some points are falling into place. I have some material from him which is highly valuable, but it is small in quantity, and it seems that the family did not keep a great deal through the years. One piece of misinformation, of which you are aware that Fiebig had Ligurians on KI in 1881 is now again (finally?) quashed: he came with his family to SA in 1882. A Confused Masters Thesis Extracts from my correspondents Masters Thesis follow. It was available on the web in July 2005 but my search on 30 July 2006 failed to locate it, although I located numerous inoperable links to it. 254 Herewith my saved version with items not relevant to the
253

See web site, a simple search for Bridget Jolly will locate it http://www.history.sa.gov.au/chu/programs/history_conference/BridgetJolly .pdf 254 I did locate another web site contributed by my errant correspondent. It was cached by Google on 25 July 2005, but the original link was not active when I tried on 31 July 2006. It states regarding Ligurian bees on KI Since introduction in 1885 from Italy. What happened to the religiously held belief in the Fiebig 1881 date? Could this revised date of 1885 be the result of carelessness or: Acceptance that the Fiebig claim could no longer be justified ? and Rejection of the Bonney Dec. 1883 / Easter 1884 event, on the unsubstantiated claim that Bonney, after testing the bees, questioned the racial integrity of the strain soon after their arrival, as well as the claim that wax moth wrought destruction upon the imported bees? Im thankful his incorrect web contributions have all but disappeared.

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discussion edited out. Titled Kangaroo Island Beekeeping History, it supplied extracts from his Thesis with revisions dated 2005. My footnoted comments should be read in-stream with the Thesis extract. The Garden and Field Society in 1878, had one third (out of around 600) of its membership as apiarists, so in the early 1880's, South Australia believed 255 that it was the most advanced in beekeeping of all the Australian colonies, and second to New Zealand. 256 With this strong connection in beekeeping and as part of the co-operative instruction and practical demonstrations of the beekeeping-craft. In 1878 mandatory 257 use of standard moveable-comb hives were introduced to modernize beekeeping. Charles Dickins & Sons, operated a factory in 1880 at Wakefield street Adelaide, manufacturing the "standard Langstroth Improved Simplicity Hive, imported other appliances ie, wax making machines, honey and beeswax 258
255

believed but not in reality: Angus Mackay, a Queensland beekeeper, reported in 1875 the use of Langstroth style hives. He attributed their introduction to Jas. Carroll of Lizzielea apiary, Brisbane, Queensland. Carroll and Fullwood co-operated in the 1883 shipment to Bonney in Adelaide. Edward Wilson from Melbourne, Victoria, successfully procured in 1862 four stocks of Ligurian bees from Alfred Neighbour. Woodbury assisted the latter and the shipment proceeded using Woodburys Langstroth based moveable frame hives. It seems Adelaide beekeepers were catching up rather than leading. 256 This paragraph, an update to prior thesis extracts, though paraphrased, is borrowed, unattributed, from Jolly (2004). One original source is The Second Annual Report of the South Australian Beekeepers Association, as presented at the Chamber of Manufactures on Thursday 8 July 1886, by the Secretary, A. E. Bonney It is a fact that with the exception of New Zealand the beekeeping industry is in a more advanced state in South Australia than in any of the other colonies, and that this is mainly due to the efforts of the Chamber. 257 Mandatory use was not introduced, rather In 1878 the Garden and Field recommended the 'moveable-comb hive' as mandatory for modernising beekeepers. See also Garden and Field, vol. 3, 1 May 1878, p.190c. In Jolly (2002) refer http://www.history.sa.gov.au/chu/programs/history_conference/BridgetJolly .pdf

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and to import foreign bees "Brother Adam 259 & Ligurian Italians, Carniolan, and Cyprian", at 30 shillings ($Aus 3.00) each. As recorded in the Powerhouse Museum beekeeping display, Sydney, N.S.W. 260 Another champion of improved beekeeping was Albert Molineux (1832-1909), co-founder and editor for seventeen years of the city-published "Garden and Field". As agricultural editor also of the Observer and Register newspapers, Molineux had a double bite at disseminating apicultural information. 261 Importantly, two Adelaide families were linked professionally in beekeeping. August Fiebig, an experienced bee-breeder from Silesia, who played in the Theatre Royal Orchestra and conducted a business in Pirie Street as 'Herr A. Fiebig Musical Instrument Maker', also managed J. H. Weidenhofer's apiary at his Kent Town home. The Silesian Dzierzon Hive, with its Berlepsch frames where used by the Fiebig and Weidenhofer's apiaries. 262

258

Borrowed unattributed from Jolly (2004). She wrote Dickins sold the 'Standard Langstroth Improved Simplicity Hive' (a modification by the American, Amos Root) for 10/- in Adelaide. An importer and manufacturer of appliances, such as machines for making wax comb foundation (which he also supplied), Dickins offered accurate hive-carpentry, honey and beeswax merchandising, and to import 'Foreign Bees' (Italian, Carniolan, and Cyprian, at 30/- each). Note the similarity to the borrowed wording from Jollys paper, except for the inaccurate and shoddy reference to the 20th Centurys Brother Adam. 259 Reference to Brother Adam (1898-1996) in a 19th Century context is in error: Brother Adam was a 20th Century man. Crane (1999) Between 1950 and 1977 Brother Adam took queens of selected honey bee races from many parts of Europe and Mediterranean regions to Buckfast Abbey in England, for use in his breeding programme. (p.372, col.b) Refer also Adam, Brother (1968, 1983) In search of the best strains of bees; also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Adam 260 Jolly (2004) cited In January 1888, Sydney's Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences bought from Dickins & Son screw top and jar-shaped honey bottles, vegetable parchment jar covers, and a solar and a centrifugal honey extractor (pers. comm., Sandra McEwen, Curator, Biotechnology, Powerhouse Museum, e-mail 16 March 2004). 261 Borrowed unattributed from Jolly (2004).

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In 1881 263 August Fiebig received the importation from (Ligurian, Italy) twelve skep's, eleven still alive at his blue gum road Penneshaw Kangaroo Island, "Ligurian Bee Company as recorded in the weekly country news in the Adelaide register. 264 The barque rigged auxiliary steamship named Norfolk, transporting these hives via South Africa, on arrival transshipped to a local ketch for delivery to Penneshaw. Ron Parson's in his publications Ketch's of S.A. 265 indicates the 30 ton ketch to be Priscilla. 266
262

Major sections of this paragraph copied verbatim from Bridget Jollys paper, but not attributed 263 Fiebig family records accessed by researcher Bridget Jolly in 2002 on K.I. show Fiebig did not come to South Australia until 1882! How then could he have received an importation of bees in 1881? 264 No references cited in support. Although aware of anecdotal references to Fiebig / 1881, Bridget Jolly makes no mention of him in her 2004 research paper. 265 Parsons, Ronald (2005, 5th ed.) Ketches of South Australia: a record of small sailing ships on the coast of South Australia, 1836-1970. Murray Bridge. S.Aust. Parsons book does not identify the Priscilla as a candidate for this shipment. Rather, it eliminates it. It is not identified as a local ketch, but was one of many ketches registered out of Port Adelaide. The argument put forward is unsafe, particularly as the Priscilla was not built until 1885, 4 years after the target shipment. As well, it was renamed the Priscilla in 1901, 20 years after the alleged 1881 shipment. 266 My research to date has identified two ketches named Priscilla. The J. C. Taylor, a wooden ketch of 33 tons (60 x 16.2 x 5.4 ft.) built in 1885, was subsequently renamed Priscilla in 1901. (Sources: Loney, Jack. Ships and Shipwrecks at Port Albert; Loney, Jack. Ships at Port Welshpool. From Parsons, Ronald (1978, 3rd ed.) Ketches of South Australia, the Priscilla, a ketch of 33 tons, must be the same vessel identified by Jack Loney as above. Parsons reports the J. C. Taylor, of 33 tons (60.2 x 16.2 x 5.4 ft.), formerly of Sydney, was built in 1885 at Torquay, Tasmania, registered at Port Adelaide in Oct. 1900 and renamed Priscilla in Dec. 1901. This Priscilla then, on three counts (build date after 1881, registered at Port Adelaide 1900, acquired her name in 1901), cannot be a candidate for the alleged Fiebig 1881 shipment. From Parsons (1978) a poem of some 23 stanzas, names numerous personalities and craft: The harbour lights are burning, and the waterfront is still, As I sit alone and dream of days gone by. Through the window here before me, between the bollard and the tug,

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This information is supported by the Dudley Council meeting records of that time, as recorded in the application to the Australian Government for a grant for a commemorative plaque erected on the road side adjacent to the August Fiebig "Ligurian Bee Company apiaries site, first registered in late 1870's. 267 And supported by a number of articles in the Register and the weekly Kangaroo Island papers. 268

I can see the flood tide making up to high. Then from the storehouse of my mind, my memories of the past, Come ghostly, silent, gliding through the night. Close by in slow procession, they pass along their way, Past the mudbanks, and the mangroves out of sight. I can see the little ketches, that carried all the grain, And lightered to the big ships standing clear. I can see the crewmen waving, I sailed with them you see, And stowed the grain and helped them rig the gear. Dickie Megan and his One and All, Pass close by with Priscilla, Gus Bergland sails the old Gerard, And Bert Tainsh has Capella. Another Priscilla, a ketch of 34 tons (60.0 x 18.0 x 5.3 ft), was built on the Huon River, Tasmania in 1875 (Parsons, 2006, supplied 1876), registered in Hobart in July 1877. From web site http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/tas-wrecks.html this Priscilla appears to have spent all her life in Tasmanian waters. Her final sinking on 12 June 1909 (after loading timber at the Adventure Bay jetty, Tasmania, when strong east-south-easterly breezes developed and drifted stern first onto the rocks near the jetty, losing her rudder and being badly holed aft. River steamer Sea Bird was sent to tow her up to Hobart for repairs, but she sank) capped an accident prone career. She first capsized on 12 June 1876 in a gale off Huon Island, Tasmania, sinking with the loss of two lives; brought back into service On 9 February 1893, collided with the steamer Moonah off Long Bay in the DEntrecasteaux Channel (the web site is confused, reporting this same mishap with the Moonah in 1909; also gives Priscilla built Jervis Bay, NSW, in 1902) towed to Hobart by the steamer. She again capsized on 25 Sept. 1901 off Woody Island between Three Hut and Macquarie Points, this time without loss of life. On 18 February 1902 on a voyage from Port Esperance to Hobart, hit a rock off King Horn Point and arrived at her destination in a sinking condition. To add to the confusion, web page http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/qld-wrecks.html which addresses Queensland Shipwrecks, including Central and Southern Great Barrier

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August Fiebig took prizes for the Ligurian observatory hive in many shows of the time as recorded in the Fiebig Business History 2000, courtesy Ronald Fiebig, Meningie, S.A. By 1883 the sheet metal worker Simpson & Sons rallied to the beekeepers needs and was making cylindrical centrifugal honey extractors and smokers. 269 Simpson & Sons also produced square cans, each holding 60 lbs (27Kg) like kerosene cans to go in a wooden box, so that honey may be shipped to any part of the world. 270 James Boucaut of Mount Barker Springs, conveyed in his yacht Ligurian bees to Kangaroo Island at Easter time 1884, provided by Queensland 271 Chamber of Manufactures (However there is limited records to this). 272
Reef advises: Priscilla, ketch, 37 tons, wrecked near Cooktown, Queensland, 1945. (Loney, Jack (1993) Wrecks on the Queensland Coast, p.123); Also web page http://eheritage.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/Resources/Detail.asp? STARTFROM=441&LOCATION=Maritime+Museum+of+Tasmania &ID= 125758 advises holding in its collection a photograph of the ketch Priscilla, c1911, 35 tons, under full sail, mounted in a black and gold frame. Priscilla dragged her anchor under Fluted Cape in June 1909 and was a total loss. 267 The 1870s date cannot be correct as Fiebig did not arrive in South Australia until 1882. On this fact (unknown to the correspondent?) its illogical to argue for an 1881 Ligurian bee introduction as well as claim the Ligurian Bee Company was registered to Fiebig in the late 1870s. Considering the wealth of inconsistencies and inaccuracies the Thesis extract contains, I can only conclude it was poorly researched, carelessly written or never proof read, possibly all three. Then again the whole argument could have been a conscious deception. 268 No references cited for this claim. 269 Not germane to the 1881 / 1884 debate; yet another paragraph copied from Bridget Jollys paper without attribution. 270 Another paragraph inaccurately transcribed from Bridget Jollys paper, again without attribution. each holding 60 lbs (27Kg) like kerosene cans to go in a wooden box should read, with a totally different meaning each holding 60 lb. like kerosene cans, 2 to go in a box. Reckless copying at best. 271 Queensland is incorrect, it was the Adelaide Chamber of Manufactures. 272 There are ample records: see Barrett (1999) The immigrant Bees, Volume II, and enhanced by this Volume III, and Bridget Jollys 2004 research paper. I also supplied ample relevant period newspaper references in my

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Arthur Edwin Bonney, cultivated and "tested" these bees at upper Kensington Home, immediately questioning the purity of the strain! 273 Unfortunately these imports came with bees' wax moth that made any advancement of these imported bees from Italy via Queensland, a disaster. 274 With Adelaide queen bee breeders selling Italian (Ligurian) queens to all states of Australia, why would Queensland import Ligurians, then send them on to S.A? 275 Also, the Queensland Chamber of Manufactures, was formed in 1911!
276 277

email to my correspondent which, if checked by him, would have demolished his limited records assertion. 273 This is an interesting claim but no references are cited. Bridget Jolly, a professional history researcher from Adelaide, wrote in her 2004 report: From the time of the importation of Ligurians from Queensland to South Australia in late 1883 by the Chamber of Manufactures, Arthur Edwin Bonney had cultivated and 'tested' the bees at his home at Upper Kensington. She makes no reference to any doubts on Bonneys part regarding the purity of the strain. 274 An interesting claim re a disaster, inferring that the 1883 importation was a failure, but no references were cited. One advantage of the Ligurian bee over the common German or English black bee was that it was better at keeping the wax moth under control. Jolly (2004) mentions no disaster, rather The Chamber's introduction of this bee to South Australia gave great encouragement to the nascent industry. Unfortunately the imports came with the bees'-wax moths The presence of the moth was a major reason for forming a Beekeepers' Association. Yet the bacterial affliction foul brood added greater urgency to the need for organised association, and for education about efficient hives that could be inspected and treated for diseases. They became the new order. Jolly quotes from Bonney, 'Notes on the Bee Moth', Garden and Field, vol. 22, October 1896, p.123a -b. 275 This is a timeline issue. That SA Beekeepers sent Kangaroo Island bees to other states from or after 1885 does not invalidate the earlier 1884 original importation from Queensland. 276 The author of this statement is confused. It was not the Queensland Chamber of Manufactures but the Adelaide Chamber of Manufactures which sponsored the bees introduction. 277 The year 1911 is incorrect. My research in July 2006 on the web to http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE0732b.htm found The growth of manufacturing activity in the late 19th Century led to the formation of the Queensland Chamber of Manufactures in 1899.

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There are a number of Island people still claiming Boucaut queen's where the first importation of pure Ligurian Queens even though the S.A. Mortlock Library hold the shipping register details of the Fiebig importation, and the ships cargo records. 278 I would like to thank the assistance of the Adelaide Reference Library and the Mortlock Achieves (sic.) Library. 279 (Personal observations and inclusions in Master's thesis of author (identity deleted to avoid embarrassment to my errant correspondent)) When one publishes on the web or in traditional print, feedback both positive and negative is to be expected. Unfortunately, while this inaccurate and inconsistent thesis extract was available on the web, its contents may have been relied upon by others and accepted as true and correct. One accurate web page Though misinformation regarding the original introduction of Kangaroo Islands Ligurian bees continues to abound on the web. Thankfully, there are some web pages that accurately report the history. The following was extracted from a News Archive, dated April 7, 2002, issued by the Bank of South Australia: 280 Eight new South Australian Icons heritage-listed. The 2002 BankSA Heritage Icons List has been announced by National Trust South Australia, recognizing eight items of major importance to the State. The inaugural BankSA Heritage Icons List (consisting of the Balfours Frog Cake, Burra Jinker, Pop-eye, the Bay Tram, Vickers Vimy,
278

No supporting references cited by my correspondent. His claim is refuted by the following: On 31 July 2006 I emailed the Library requesting if they could confirm holdings of specific (ie., Fiebigs importation) ships cargo records. Research Librarian, Tonia C Eldridge, of the SA State Library, replied to me on 3 Aug. 2006 Whilst we do hold some ships manifests, it is only for the period spanning 1838-1842, far too early for your purposes. 279 Another erroneous claim by my correspondent: Tonia Eldridge (3/8/2006), Research Librarian, State Library of SA, opened her letter We have received your request for information about the history of Kangaroo islands Ligurian bees. Unfortunately, I am unable to confirm the fact that they were imported in 1881, by August Fiebig. The information (ie., specific ships manifests) provided to you by ______ is, in fact, incorrect. 280 http://www.banksa.com.au/about/news/ZZZUFX9S1ZD.asp?orc=about

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Penfolds Grange, Hills Hoist and the war horse memorial) was announced to great acclaim in 2001 and the List is now a major part of the National Trusts ongoing program to ensure the history of South Australia remains accessible to the community. The List is designed to recognize, celebrate and protect South Australian items that are of an historic, scientific, social or spiritual significance to past, present or future generations. The National Trust uses the skills of a panel of highly qualified and respected heritage professionals to develop the annual BankSA Heritage Icons List. The following eight items have been designated as 2002 BankSA Heritage Icons. Haighs Chocolates Stump Jump Plough Adelaide Christmas Pageant Police Greys Green and Gold Cookery Book Stobie Pole Ligurian Bee Checkside Punt "These items have been recognised because they have made a significant contribution to the States cultural history," Mr. Rainer Jozeps, Director of the National Trust of South Australia. (Ph. 0412 222 807) "Some are well known, some not so well known, and others may be considered controversial, but all are unique to South Australia, contributing to our own unique culture and helping to define us as a community. Some also allow us to laugh at ourselves, presenting another way we can celebrate our individuality. If one imagines South Australia without these heritage items, it would be a characterless and hollow place to live. They give our State soul and should be protected. Mr Jozeps said. "BankSA is delighted to continue its support of the National Trust and the compilation of the BankSA Heritage Icons List," Mr Lou Morris, BankSA Managing Director, said. "Being a part of the South Australian community for more than 150 years, BankSA is very aware of the things that South Australians consider important. We hope the owners and current guardians of the 2002 Icons do everything possible to continue to preserve their integrity for future generations to enjoy," he said. Kangaroo Island is the only place in the world where a pure strain of Ligurian bees survives. Named by Roman historians after the Italian province in which they were found, Ligurian bees were introduced to Kangaroo Island in 1884. 123

A second accurate web page A presentation extract 281 for apiarist, Peter Davis, for the National Association of Agricultural Educators National Conference, January 2004, Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, provides, among other beekeeping information Easter 1884 established colony of Ligurian bees on Kangaroo Island which was supported by the South Australian parliament. Analysis of Ligurian introduction dates In August 2006 I realized that an analysis was required to rationalize the various claims made regarding the first successful introduction of Ligurian honeybees into South Australia and Kangaroo Island. The results of my analysis follows. Viewing the resulting table Im comfortable in making these conclusions regarding South Australia. Activity in other States and New Zealand is provided to provide some context. Victoria was undoubtedly the first State to succeed this on 9 Dec. 1862. In the absence of a geographical sanctuary, keeping the Ligurian strain pure and free from hybridization would have been an unwinable challenge. The same may be said for Angus Mackays 1877 successful accompanied importation to Brisbane, Queensland, via Sydney from Harbison of California. In 1880 a Mr. Fullwood successfully brought five queens with himself from Liverpool to Melbourne, and thence to Brisbane. In 1882 he got twelve queens sent direct from Charles Bianconcini of Bologna, and of these five arrived alive; and again in 1883 he got a second consignment of twelve, of which seven arrived safely. As all these queens would have been mated before dispatch from Italy, any subsequently forwarded to South Australia could not be in danger of hybridization. There is overwhelming evidence the claimed Fiebig 1881 introduction never occurred. Around 1882, working back a few years ago from April 1884, there was at least one pre-Bonney attempt: a gentleman a few years ago imported two Neighbour hives

281

http://naae.asn.au/atasa/newsletters/Term2_04.htm

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stocked with Ligurian bees, which arrived in good condition, but through mismanagement he lost them. Though unsuccessful in Sept. 1883 Charles Rake, of Enfield, was the first one who imported and who first received a colony of Ligurian bees. The honour belongs to him, and to him alone Along with Bonney and Weidenhofer, Rake may have successfully imported at least one hive from Sydney around April 1884. As of 29 Sept. 1883 there had not occurred a successful importation. Bonneys efforts in 1883 / Easter 1884 were the first to succeed. Bonney instigated at least another 3 importations, sourced from Brisbane, Sydney and Italy, his 4th ordered as late as Oct. 1885. By the end of 1885 Ligurian queens were commercially available from Adelaide. Fiebig sent several boxes of Ligurian bees to KI on 21 Nov. 1885. Hed some time previously sent 24 swarms there. By 1886 in NSW the Italian Bee Co., Parramatta, had Ligurian bees for sale, sourced from America and Italy. By 30 June 1886 One apiarian has already reared fifty-eight Ligurian queens, and says that not one was impurely mated. Around August 1886 Messrs. Coleman & May, apiarists, of Mount Barker, ordered ten Ligurian queen bees from Mr. Alley, of Massachusetts (U.S.A.) only one still survived. In August 1886 Bonney had eight queens alive from 12 ordered, presumably from Italy three were reserved for KI The other bees were distributed to gentlemen in various parts of the province - in districts where black bees did not at present exist. Another importation in September 1886, and very likely not the last By the Potosi Mr. H. H. Dollman received a shipment of Ligurian queens from Mr. C. Bianconcini, of Bologna, Italy. Signaling a prior shipment As on a former occasion, the whole number (twelve) arrived in good order.

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Part IV By Sea & Land in the 19th Century

Since publication of Volume II, Ive managed to locate a photograph of the Potosi. From The Adelaide Observer, 18 September 1886 Successful Shipment of Ligurian Bees: By the Potosi, which arrived on Tuesday morning, Mr. H. H. Dollman received a shipment of Ligurian queens from Mr. C. Bianconcini, of Bologna, Italy. (p.101).

the Potosi

Across the Atlantic to North America

Horn (2005) using straw skeps, the English colonists brought German bees, or the dark bees, to the New World in 1621. In terms of storing the bee colonies for the voyage across the Atlantic, there are few records according to Crane, the voyage would have taken six to eight weeks. (p.35) The Boston Patriot published an account of the wax moth for the first time in 1806. during the early nineteenth century, beekeepers had very little control because hives that they could open on a systematic basis had not been developed at this point. historian Wyatt Magnum 282 suggests that wax moth might have been a problem much earlier as a result of the method used to ship bees across the Atlantic. Because straw skeps were
282

Horn (2005) interviewed author Wyatt Mangum, 18 Dec. 2003

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placed in crates, the chance that moths would be nested in the hives would have been not only possible, but probable. (p.66) Horn (2005, p.36) quotes selectively from Edward Goodell (1969) 283 on the method used to secure skeps held within crates upon an oak platform built on the stern of a ship. Suspecting more useful detail might be found in the original article I contacted staff from Gleanings in Bee Culture in August 2006, and for a small fee promptly received a January 1969 copy of their journal, air mailed from Medina, Ohio. Thanks to Edward Goodell of Kansas City, who, through his research over 30 years ago, has added to the pool of knowledge on how bees were transported long distances by sailing ship and overland in the 19th Century. His contribution needs little annotation: I had always wondered how those early emigrants from Europe had managed to bring their bees by slow sailing vessels on that long journey to the New World. very little had been written Finally, I found one small book published in 1830 which described how the cargo was placed in a sailing ship leaving Antwerp, Belgium, and bound for a port in the New World. It described among other things the placement of eight colonies of bees. The instructions for placing them on board are as follows: A strong crate or chest was built to hold the hives. (I presume they were straw skeps.) This crate had two shelves built into it, one above the other then was divided into four compartments into which each of the skeps fitted snugly. Across these shelves and skeps two boards were fastened, each of them raised an inch or so above the skep entrances to permit the bees to fly. Ventilating holes were bored through the bottom of the crate, and last of all a pair of strong shutter type doors that could he closed with a strong latch was fastened to it to be closed to protect the bees if the ship encountered bad weather. The people into whose care the bees would he placed during the long voyage realized that the bees would fare very poorly if they were shut up in their hives in a dark ships hold for a voyage of what might be three months or longer, depending on how many ports of call the ship would stop at before reaching America. So they were placed on deck us follows: A strong oak platform was built in the stern of the ship, the crate containing the skeps was
283

Goodell, Edward, Bees by Sailing Ship and Covered Wagon. Bee Culture, 1969 (97,1): pp.38-40

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securely bolted to this platform facing the sea This kept the bees as far as possible from the ships crew and passengers so that both could go about their business, neither interfering with the other. On the night before the ship was to sail with the mornings tide, and while the bees were in their hives, the entrances were blocked - I suppose by some sort of mesh material to confine the bees, and the shutter doors were closed to keep it dark and the bees quiet. The bees were confined in this manner for a day or so until the ship was far out upon the open sea; the doors were then opened and the bees released. We might ask why the bees, upon flying out and away from the moving ship, would not be able to find it on their return and would fall from exhaustion into the sea and perish. As see know, a bee upon leaving the hive in strange surroundings, will fly in ever widening circles, taking notice of different landmarks as these circles widen away from the hive. These bees being on the open sea with no landmarks to orient themselves with but the ship itself, probably stayed within sight or smell of the slow moving sailing vessel. narrow shallow wooden troughs filled with tow 284 soaked with honey were always kept filled before the hives so that the only reason the bees had to leave the ship was to cleanse themselves. Thus we see the bees were able to live a normal life, more or less, which was much better than being shut up in a dark ships hold. Having read the 1830 technique detailed above I immediately noted some similarity to the method used by Thomas Braidwood Wilson in 1830 to ship his hive of bees to Tasmania, particularly the use of wire mesh. However, Wilsons bees were always confined within the wire mesh cage. From my Volume II, an 1834 quote from Wilson During the voyage, the hive was placed on the front of the poop, and protected by a large wire frame, the bees were thus at liberty to take the air, without being enabled to escape. Notwithstanding the greatest care, vast numbers of the bees died; many of them from injuries received by flying against the wire-work, especially during the hot weather.

284

From the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: (refer http://www.bartleby.com) Within the definition for gunnysack - The word tow is another synonym for fabric made from jute or hemp and probably derives from an Old English word for spinning.

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By Covered Wagon to the American West

From Edward Goodells (1969) contribution to Gleanings in Bee Culture, January 1969: how (were) the bees transported by covered wagon into the cities of eastern America to the ever westward pushing frontier. I searched all of the sources of information I had at hand, and found nothing to tell me how it was done, until one day through a friend I was introduced to an 84 year old man of Pennsylvania Dutch descent who told me that his grandfather and grandmother had brought four hives of bees with them when they came west from Pennsylvania in a covered wagon many years ago to settle on what then was the frontier. The old man was very alert, and easy to talk to, and he gave ease a good clear, and I am sure, accurate account of their trip through the wilderness, as they had told it to him. A light four wheeled cart was built especially to carry the skeps. Below the floor of this was built a watertight compartment to aid in floating the cart across streams. The floor was slanted slightly toward the rear so that water wouldnt run into the hives in bad weather. The four skeps were then fastened tightly into a strong frame, which was then fastened securely to the floor of the cart. A framework of hickory poles was built over the cart, and over these a strip of canvass could be pulled in bad weather; in fair weather this was taken off, and fresh cut green boughs were laid across the frame to provide shade for she bees. A long detachable double length tongue with a metal ring in the end of it was used to fasten the cart to the rear of the covered wagon in which the family traveled. This was fastened to a metal plate with an iron thole-pin. 285 The purpose of that long tongue to the bee-cart was of course to keep it as far as possible from the covered wagon pulling it. Also a strong line tied to a ring in the top of the thole-pin enabled the family to quickly disconnect the cart and wagon in case of some mischance, emergency, or accident, by simply jerking out the pin. On the night before the pioneers were to leave, the entrances of the skeps were covered with a material called copper mesh, a sort of
285

From the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: (refer http://www.bartleby.com) A short, straight, stiff piece of wire with a blunt head and a sharp point, used especially for fastening; A slender, usually cylindrical piece of wood or metal for holding or fastening parts together, or serving as a support for suspending one thing from another.

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screening material used in those days. The families carrying bees or live stock as a rule tried to join a supply wagon train carrying provisions, supplies, and machinery, to the settlements springing up in the West. The reason for this was that frequent stops were made to let the farm animals rest. While the danger of Indian attacks was great because of the attraction of the goods the wagons were loaded with, they were also strongly protected by soldiers traveling with the train. The officers in charge always put those bringing bees with them at the end of the train, and some distance apart from the other wagons. These trains of supplies and live stock traveled very slowly, traveling a day or so, then resting for a day; during these rest stops the bees were permitted to fly, then shut up again as the wagons rolled onward. Of course, if they were in hostile Indian country, the wagons and animals were hurried through as quickly as possible. But that was the way of the pioneer, and no one thought much about it. It was understood, that in the event of an Indian attack the bee carts would be abandoned when the other wagons were pulled into a circle for defense. However, after a few painful encounters with the bees in those carts, the Indians learned to leave them strictly alone, except for burning them occasionally. It was understood that if the wagon train stopped at an army fort, the carts loaded with bees were to be left at some distance outside the fort. When the train reached its destination at some frontier settlement, the owners of the bees as a rule put the bees on government property, or rented space for them on some established homestead, until they could themselves lay out a homestead. (pp.3840)

Addendum to The First Honeybees in the Sandwich Islands

I commenced writing the following Hawaiian chapter in December 1996, one year after publication of Volume I of The Immigrant Bees and a year before my beekeeping biography of New Zealands Grand Bee Master, William Charles Cotton, published in December 1997. Eighteen months later in June 1999, I published Volume II of The Immigrant Bees. The Hawaiian chapter slept, forgotten, digitally recorded on the hard disc of my reliable Toshiba laptop. In January 2001 I decided to relocate some bulky research binders from bedroom to garage. On sight of Lee H. Watkins 1968 article The First 130

Honeybees in the Sandwich Islands, I remembered my earlier attempt to add to his findings. So, here follows my essay.

Introduction: Pellett in 1938 and Watkins, 1968

Shipping bees into the Pacific region during the Nineteenth Century utilised diverse methods, ranging from apparently spur of the moment opportunism to those carefully devised and executed. From New York or Boston on the north-eastern United States seaboard round to California on the west coast, the Cape Horn route was a daunting voyage of some 13,000 miles (almost 21,000 kilometers). by sailing ship Alternatively, on arrival at Colon (Aspinwall) on Limon Bay, an overland short-cut in early 1853 from the eastern Atlantic side of the Panama isthmus to the western Pacific side at Panama City, required an arduous, and for many, a fatal journey. 286 This excursion necessitated a combination of native boats, pack mule and railway, itself a trip of some three to five days.287 The completion of the Panama railway in 1855 dramatically reduced the journey to that of a mere three hours. North by ship from Panama Bay resulted in a saving of some 7,800 miles (around 12,500 kilometers) over the Cape Horn route. Voyagers from England to Australia and New Zealand faced longer journeys of an intimidating 16,000 miles (over 25,000 kilometers) and more; even the significantly shorter distance from California to Hawaii presented its challenges.
In 1849 a group of some 200 North Americans, lured to the Californian goldfields, crossed to the Pacific from the mouth of the Chagres River, prior to the availability the Panama railroad, which commenced in 1850. From McCullough, David (1977) The Path Between the Seas, The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 They came dragging into Panama City, rainsoaked, caked with mud, hollow eyed from lack of sleep, and ravenously hungry. They had gone up the Chagres by native canoe, then overland on mule and on foot, as thousands more like them would, year after year, until the Panama Railroad was in service. Old letters and little leatherbound journals mention the broiling heat and sudden blinding rains. They speak of heavy green slime on the Chagres, of nights spent in vermininfested native huts, epidemics of dysentery, mules struggling up to their haunches in the impossible blue-black Panama muck. A man from Troy, New York, counted forty dead mules along the Cruces Trail, the twisting jungle path, barely three feet wide, over which they all came from the river to Panama City. Others wrote of human companions dropping in their tracks with cholera or the dreaded Chagres fever. 287 Watkins, Lee H. American Bee Journal, Vol. 108 (5) p.191
286

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In 1967 and 1968, Lee H. Watkins, then a retired apiarist from California, had four of his notable articles on beekeeping history published. They addressed the earliest imports of honeybees into California and the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). Three appeared in the American Bee Journal and one in Gleanings in Bee Culture. These were successively titled Harbisons Second Importation of Bees to California, 288 The First Honeybees in the Sandwich Islands, 289 Californias First Honey Bees, 290 and Mr. Bucks Importations of Bees to California. 291 Lee Watkins was an impressive researcher, demonstrated by the extensive bibliographies appended to his articles. The opening paragraph to his May 1968 Californias First Honey Bees A number of unsuccessful attempts to bring bees into California must have taken place before 1852, but there are only a few vague newspaper references to such. Although the data needed to give a clear picture of how the honey bee finally came to California has been available for over one hundred years, no one has ever put it all together. Thus Frank C. Pelletts remark: There are numerous statements as to the first shipment of bees to California but, at this date (1938) it appears to be impossible to determine positively when and by whom they were introduced, is incorrect as this paper will demonstrate. Thus, thirty years after Pelletts 1938 History of American Beekeeping, Watkins was able to populate the story of the introduction of honeybees into California. Watkins January 1968 opening paragraph to The First Honeybees in the Sandwich Islands, in part, reads The first honeybees did arrive in Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, in 1857, but no writer in the apicultural journals or books provides any of the details of this importation, nor do any of them indicate the source of their information. Hence it might now be appropriate to relate the available details of this interesting event of 110 years ago. There is no record of any other attempts between 1852 and October, 1857 to bring bees to the Islands; Now, thirty-four years on from Watkins creditable research efforts, my contribution seeks to update the last of his findings, and enhance the Hawaiian story between the years 1852 and 1857.
288 289

Vol. 107 (10), pp.378-379, October 1967 Vol. 96 (1), pp.48-49, January 1968 290 Vol. 108 (5), pp.190-191, May 1968 291 Vol. 108 (6), pp.232-233, 235, June 1968.

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An Update, 2001
Watkins acknowledged the failed attempts to import honeybees into Hawaii in the early 1850s but all the colonies had died from the tropical heat when coming up to the Equator 292. however, on October 3rd (1857) the barque Fanny Major sailed from San Francisco, bound for Honolulu loaded with a miscellaneous cargo Although not listed with the official cargo, on board were four colonies of bees under the personal care of Captain Lawton. These bees were from the apiary of William Buck. 293 Repeated failure, a near success and a bumbling lull classify the events between the 1850 premium offered by the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society for the first successful introduction of honeybees into the Islands, and eventual success in 1857. Efforts throughout these years to import honeybees included hopeful promises, declared but unfulfilled intent and repeated failure. There was a near success in 1853 when a hive of bees did reach the Islands, via the arduous Cape Horn route, but from available accounts was not viable once landed. Identified sources of bee stocks included New Zealand, Van Diemens Land (now known as Tasmania, an island State of Australia) and Boston on the North American east coast. Eventual success first required the establishment of a viable apiary on the west coast of North America, one capable of exporting stocks elsewhere. This proved to be the Californian operation of Frederick G. Appleton and William Buck, who by 1856 were capable of shipping twenty-eight colonies to the Oregon territory 294 and another one hundred the following year. Having beaten the challenges of bringing honeybees from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific, meeting the difficulties of the California to Hawaii voyage escalated from grim possibility to one of promising achievability. Now follow the story of the fascinating accounts of the methods partly successful and outright unsuccessful to import honeybees into the kingdom of Hawaii.

Baron De Thierrys Promise, 1851

The Transactions of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society for 1851 295 shows Charles, Baron de Thierry, listed with two others as
292 293

Watkins research obtained from the Daily Alta, California, 1 July 1852 Watkins quotes Alta, 23 February 1858 (p.1, c. 2); San Jose Tribune, 4 December 1857 (p.2, c. 5.) 294 Watkins, American Bee Journal, June 1968

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members 296 of the Committee appointed to procure the HONEY BEE from Australia, Central America, or Chile, who are authorised to incur the necessary expense. From a collection of newspaper cuttings at the Hocken Library, Dunedin, South Island of New Zealand, is an undated article from The Polynesian titled Report on Bees, by Baron De Thierry 297. This report is almost identically reproduced in Transactions of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society for 1852. It reads in part I have the honour to inform the President and members of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, that in compliance with the promise given by me last year, I have made every exertion to obtain the Honey-Bee for these Islands, and have the satisfaction to state that by letters from Auckland, New Zealand 298, received on the 10th of last month, I am promised three hives, by the first vessel direct to Honolulu. I most sincerely hope they will arrive free from injury, and secure all the beneficial results which are anticipated from their introduction. The remainder of the article exhorted the raising of suitable plants of which the flowers yield the greatest quantity and best description of wax and honey. Though the proposed donor of the hives remains unidentified, it would surprise me if De Thierry attempted to obtain his promised bees through contact with James Busby, former British Resident to New Zealand, then resident at the Bay of Islands, far to the north of Auckland. Busby had strenuously fought the Barons wishes to make
295

Roddy, Kevin M. and Arita-Tsutsumi, University of Hawaii at Hilo, give the date of the first Committee meeting as August 1851. Refer to www.HawaiiBeekeepers.org/history.php 296 R. C. Janion (Chairman) and J. Montgomery 297 The Baron had earlier sailed from New Zealand on the Noble on 10 February 1850 bound for California by way of Honolulu. Marooned on Pitcairn Island for a month, he continued his voyage to Honolulu on the schooner Velocity, and thence to San Francisco, where he remained for six months. He returned to Honolulu where he was placed in charge of the French Consulate until March 1853. After his return to Auckland, de Thierry wrote At Honolulu I left friends whom I shall love to the last day of my life ... I was rich in the regard of many who won my warmest esteem and gratitude. Hyde, Robin (1975 (1936)) Check to Your King, Viking ONeil, South Yarra, Victoria. (p.270) 298 Roddy, Kevin M. and Arita-Tsutsumi, University of Hawaii at Hilo, state a colony was ordered from New Zealand (around 1852) but was never shipped due to an apparent misunderstanding. They quote McClellan, Edwin. Pioneer Bees in Paradise Hawaii Farm and Home, Oct. 15, 1940.

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himself Sovereign Chief of New Zealand, until the Treaty of Waitangi in February 1840 forever buried the Barons aspirations. No more is known from De Thierry on the subject of bees, except from his manuscript An Historical Account of an Attempt to Colonize New Zealand, in addressing the Maoris wide adoption of white mens practices The natives have to some extent progressed, by noting the usefulness of white mens appliances in commerce and labour. They gather vast quantities of wild honey, and bring into Auckland a considerable amount of fruit. 299

Charles, Baron de Thierry

A Van Diemens Land Proposal, 1852

The 1852 Transactions of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society carries a report from the correspondence secretary, J. Montgomery, wherein an interesting, though unfulfilled relationship is revealed From the Secretary of the Van Diemens Land Royal Society I received a long and very interesting letter expressive of the anxious desire of that society to co-operate and reciprocate with this society, and to render us any assistance or facility in their power. He promises to send us a swarm of Honey Bees when a suitable opportunity should offer, but from the cessation of
299

Hyde, Robin (1975 (1936)) Check to Your King, Viking ONeil, South Yarra, Victoria. (p.274)

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intercourse between that Island and this for many months past, I presume no such opportunity has since presented itself.

Useful Technical Advice, 1852

Montgomerys 1852 report continued with some useful technical advice on the shipment of bees, dated 22 March A few days ago I received a letter from Mr. J. E. Chamberlain of Williams College 300 on the subject of the introduction of the Honey Bee, into these Islands, which seems to me so interesting and important that I feel called on to subjoin the following copy of it. Addressed to the Secretary of the Hawaiian Agricultural Society Sir:- I learn that the attempt to introduce Bees, by the R. B. Forbes, has proved abortive. 301 That Bees can be introduced into the Islands, by taking advantage of their natural characteristics, I think not only possible but very probable, and shall, sir, with your permission, proceed to give that peculiarity, by taking advantage of which I think you will attain the desired result. Bees hibernate in the winter. When the thermometer has fallen below a certain temperature (45 or 50 degrees,) they lie dormant and eat no honey. But when it rises above, they must consume sufficient food to raise the temperature of their bodies to about 70 degrees of Fahrenheit. Some farmers observing this peculiarity take all the honey from the hives at the commencement of the cold season and place them where they will be continually below the first named temperature till spring opens and the Bees can again make honey. Applying this to the case in hand, let a hive be placed in a watertight box, then packed in ice and thus conveyed to the Isles. As soon as the artificial winter has been removed, the bees will awake to their accustomed industry and activity. The effect on them will be no more than of a long winter.

300 301

from the North American east coast Roddy, Kevin M. and Arita-Tsutsumi, University of Hawaii at Hilo, state Henry A. Pierce, partner of Charles Brewer, shipped a fine hive from Boston to Honolulu in 1852 on the good ship R. B. Forbes (Krauss 1978). Unfortunately, as the ship passed through the tropics on its way to Cape Horn, the increase in temperature melted the honeycomb and killed the honey bees. See also Krauss, Bob. Luring the bees to paradise. Honolulu Advertiser October 21, 1978.

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This seems to be the most feasible plan of procuring Bees from the United States, by way of Cape Horn. It seems to be the best way to obtain them from any country. Packed in ice they feel none of the changes, constant changes, which occur on shipboard. They fall asleep in America they awake in Oahu they are transplanted and that too, in entire unconsciousness. It may be a question whether they ever perceive the change. Aside from its importance to the Islands, this object has great interest for the naturalist, and the Bee, from the moment she spreads her wings in the Hawaiian breeze, should be watched, her vagaries noted, that thus a new chapter may be added to our national science, and that the islands so lately a blot on creation, may become a star, from whence shall radiate the light of knowledge, science and religion. I am Sir, yours truly, J. E. Chamberlain. 302

John Montgomerys Report, 1853

John Montgomerys Report to the Committee on Horticulture appeared in the 1853 Transactions of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society. Leading with a discussion on the absorbing pleasures a garden offers, followed by the difficulty of transporting fresh seeds I hear with much pleasure that Mr. Rice & Co. are expecting a collection in the Matanzas, now daily looked for, and I trust they may arrive fresh and in good condition. The same ship also brings two swarms of bees, one of which packed in ice, will probably reach us in safety. 303 It would appear J. E. Chamberlains technical advice of 1852 had been translated into action for this 1853 attempt. De Thierry no longer appeared on the Honey Bee Committee, made up of W. Chamberlain and four others.

W. Chamberlains 1854 Report on the 1851 & 1853 Unsuccessful Attempts

Each year since the formation of the Society, except for that of 1854, a reward had been offered for the introduction of the honeybee into the islands. From the 1854 Transactions of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, W. Chamberlain, a member of the Committee on the Honey-Bee, submitted a lengthy nine page report to the President and members of the Society. Therein is documented two
302 303

pp.128-130 pp.60-61

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failed attempts to introduce hives of this interesting insect (whose) labours contribute so much to the comfort of man and furnish a source of profit as well as luxury ... and with such precautions as seemed to justify the hopes that they would reach us in safety; but we have again been called to experience disappointment in our expectations, - only a small number being found alive on the arrival of the Matanzas ... (p.53) Henry A. Peirce 304, Esq., of Boston and Capt. Stearnes of the Bark Matanzas 305, have interested themselves to introduce here the honey-bee, for the benefit of our islands, at their own individual expense and with much pains, which enterprise unfortunately failed, 306 as also a previously similar attempt by Mr. Peirce ... (p.57). To his report Chamberlain appended a letter to the Honey Bee Committee, dated 26 May 1854, Honolulu, from Charles R. Bishop, one of its members who is in possession of more information and experience on this subject, than any other member of the committee, and which I herewith append. It provided more details on the latest attempted introduction, after noting one of the earlier failures In 1851, Mr. Peirce put on board the ship R. B. Forbes, one swarm of bees, and offered the mate a liberal reward if he would take care of and deliver any of them here safely. The hot weather in the South Atlantic melted the honey and drowned all the bees in the hive. (p.58). Rather than the honey, it would have been the wax combs that melted, thus allowing the honey to pool. The bees might have equally succumbed to the heat as the collapse of the combs. Lack of ventilation and/or overheating caused by confinement between decks or possibly direct exposure of the hive to the sun may have been contributors to the mortal damage.

304 305

Listed as a life member of the R.H. Agricultural Society in 1850 ex Boston 306 From Roddy & Arita-Tsutsumi (2003): Two hives, one packed in ice, were shipped to Oahu. The hives arrived in poor condition, and were later auctioned to C. R. Bishop, husband of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, for thirteen dollars (Krauss 1978). The bees survived for a short time, then died out. The society then made a public offer of ten dollars to the person who shall introduce the first honey bee into the islands.

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The Californian introductions by C. A. Shelton in 1853, 307 William Buck in 1855, 1856, 1857 and 1858, and the Harbison brothers in 1856 and 1858, 308 were all accompanied to ensure care to the best of their abilities was provided. The Harbisons shielded their hives from the direct heat of the sun and provided ventilation. Both chose not to go round Cape Horn, but took the shorter but broken route across the Isthmus of Panama. To the first modern day visionaries in 1870 of the cutting of a canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, the Darien wilderness on the Isthmus of Panama was one of the wildest, leastknown corners of the entire world known to be the narrowest point anywhere on the Central American isthmus, by which was meant the entire land bridge from lower Mexico to the continent of South America the distance from tidewater to tidewater on a straight line was known to be less than forty miles 309 It was not until 1914 that the canal was opened thus removing the need to change to rail at Colon on Limon Bay, then board ship at Panama City on the Bay of Panama. 310

307

From Watkins, Lee H. (1969), The Journal of San Diego History (vol. 15, no. 4) He states the first to bring honeybees to California (the honeybee, Apis mellifera, was botanist Christopher A. Shelton, who arrived in San Francisco aboard the steamship "Isthmus" on March 14, 1853, with twelve colonies of bees. He immediately took them to San Jose but only one hive survived. It did well, casting three swarms the first summer. There is no record of any other honeybees being successfully imported until William Buck brought thirty-six hives from New York via the Panama Route arriving November 30, 1855. Only eighteen of the hives were alive when he reached San Jose. Buck made three more importations arriving with his last shipment on February 20, 1858, with one hundred and nineteen colonies of which it was reported that seventy-five survived. 308 Ive sourced this clarification from Watkins, Lee H. (1969), The Journal of San Diego History (vol. 15, no. 4) which may be found on the web: J. S. Harbison brought in his first shipment of bees aboard the "Sonora" on November 30, 1857, to San Francisco where he transferred them to the river boat "New World" for Sacramento arriving there on December 2. Of the sixty-seven colonies he started with from the Harbison apiary near Newcastle, Pennsylvania, only five hives were completely dead upon arrival though several more were so weak that he united them with stronger ones, so that he finally had left fifty colonies. 309 McCullough, David (1977) The Path Between the Seas, The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914. (p.21, 22) 310 ibid. (p.21)

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Bishops letter of 26 May 1854 continued In February, 1853, he procured another fine swarm well stocked with honey, and was at a large expense (some $140) in having it secured on the deck of the Bark Matanzas, in such a manner that seemed to insure its safe arrival here. The hive was placed in a strong box, leaving a space of six inches all around for air, between the hive and box, then a packing of ice two feet thick, above, below, and on each side, outside of which was a space of six inches filled with charcoal, and all enclosed in a case eight feet square, having 2 lead pipes three inches in diameter, running from the outside to the hive to supply the bees with air. ... The bark had a long passage, (150 days) and being becalmed a number of days in the vicinity of the equator, in the Atlantic, a part of the ice melted, and during the rough weather off Cape Horn, thumped against the box so heavily as to jar many of the bees down into the water. (p.58)

A Workable Method, 1842

The method adopted by Peirce to contain the hive is very similar to that proposed 311 by William Charles Cotton in My Bee Book (1842) wherein he planned in fine detail how he would bring bees from England to New Zealand. I will carry them direct from England, sixteen thousand miles over the sea. By putting them to sleep, by keeping them at a low temperature, by burying them, and keeping them dry The diagram is a vertical section of an old hogshead 312, which I have had fresh coopered, and the joints properly fitted. It is lined throughout with a coating of thick felt, which is, I believe, one of the best non-conducting things. The bottom has a pipe and tap to carry off the leakage, and is filled with broken crocks, that the drainage may be most perfect. As the ice melts away - as melt it will - though I trust two-thirds of it will safely cross the Line, I shall draw it off through the tap, and by measuring the waste every day, know how much I have left. ... we have a hundred thousand passengers on board-which is about the crew which will be shipped in ten hives. ... Now, without some care we should have a pretty mess of half-melted ice ... together with dead Bees and spoilt honey, if the Hives had been permitted to rest on ice, and sink down with it as it melted. I
311 312

Cotton, William Charles (1842) My Bee Book (pp.357-361) a wine or beer barrel

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have thought of this: and the same diagram represents a wooden frame, which is fixed firmly across the inside of the hogshead, about an inch above the ice. The Bees will be moved from their bottom boards on some cold November day, and securely tied, each in a square cloth of dairy canvas. 313 The Hives will then be placed on the top of this frame, and well dried cinders, from which the moisture has been all baked out, will be poured in from above, till the hogshead is quite filled. By these means light and heat will be both excluded, and the Bees will be put into a deep and long sleep; though I hope not an eternal one. But in order to give my Bees every chance of a long life and a happy one, as well as a long voyage ... Each Hive has a pipe leading from the outward air to its T hole; 314 this will supply fresh air. I must remove the foul air before I can put any fresh in by a pipe leading also into the outer air, but, as well as the other, guarded by a piece of perforated zinc, that the foul air may pass out without allowing one single Bee to accompany it. This will carry away all dampness, an well as foul air; the Bees breath may be condensed in an inverted bell glass It will then trickle down in the shape of water Thus, I trust, my Bees will arrive safely at New Zealand; 315

313 314

dairy canvas was used to strain milk T hole: the top hole, which was either plugged or provided access to a honey skep or bell jar above 315 pp.360-361

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Cottons diagram, 1842

Apparently ignorant of Cottons sympathetic but more advanced design, Peirces execution failed on two key points. The first was to keep the hive from being thrown about within its container, and the second was the lack of a method to remove the melted ice, or at least suspend the hive above the maximum high water level should all the ice melt. From the description above, the wooden box containing the unrestrained hive, with the former unfortunately less than watertight, must have descended gradually into the iced water, which eventually flooded the hive. Had the outer casing been less than watertight, the bees may have survived, though somewhat battered.

W. Chamberlain, 1854, continued.

There was another hive on board in the 1853 attempt according to Bishops letter of May 1854 Capt. Stearnes also purchased a swarm, and placed the hive inside a box having wire-cloth nailed across openings in the sides, and hung it up under his boat, just forward of the cabin. Obviously concerned at the rough conditions the hive upon the deck had encountered ... After they doubled the Cape, Capt. S. had them taken out of the large case, and hung up under the boats with the other swarm, where they both appeared to be doing well, until they arrived within about ten days of this port, where moths made their appearance in the boxes, and the bees commenced to die rapidly, - Capt. Ss swarm more than the 142

other. (p.58). The icebox environment of Peirces hive had apparently retarded the development of the wax moth larvae. When the bark arrived off Honolulu, (in August, 1852), (sic: should read 1853 316) I went on board, examined Capt. S.s hive, and found large numbers of moths, worms, larvae, and some dead bees inside, but no live bees. The other hive was in very bad condition, containing swarms of moths, worms and larvae among the honey comb. A few of the bees were living, and they had plenty of honey, - some 12 to 15 lbs, - a part of which, in the chamber of the hive, was very handsome. I took the hive to my garden, where, with the kind assistance of Capt. Stearnes and others, we removed as many as possible of the moths, and cleared the hive of worms, dirt, etc, as well as we could, and afterwards removed nearly all the honey. There appeared to be from 40 to 60 bees living, among them the queen. The hive of bees and honey was put up and sold at auction, in order to give persons understanding the management of bees, or wishing to have them, an opportunity to purchase. I purchased them, had a new hive made, and tried to induce them to occupy it, but without success. After a few days, I thought they seemed to be less active than usual, and upon examination, found but three or four bees remaining, and a day or two after, none at all. As there were no dead bees in the hive or on the boards underneath, and no birds about to destroy them, I concluded that they had some place more to their fancy than the hive, and that I should again see them or hear of them, but I have not, and am unable to account for their disappearance or fate. Capt. Stearnes took excellent care of the bees ... and had he had a short passage, or even a passage of from 130 to 140 days, would have delivered both swarms in good order; which proves that they can be brought from the U.S. via Cape Horn, without any great expense or trouble, except to have them secured against wet, excessive heat and rough handling. 317 But great care should be
316

Schmitt, Robert C. (c1995) Firsts and Almost Firsts in Hawaii. University of Hawaii, Honolulu. The date given for the arrival of the Matanzas is 1 August 1853. Only a few bees were still alive, however, and these survived only a short time. A list of sources from the years 1848, 1853, 1899 and later until 1978 is supplied. 317 Obviously referring to the hive of Capt. Stearnes, simply suspended beneath the ships boat, any openings secured with wire mesh.

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taken in the commencement, to select hives free from moths and their eggs. Had the swarm mentioned arrived here in better condition, it probably would have been better to have sent it immediately to a cool locality, on Maui or Kauai, in the vicinity of sugar plantations and banana fields; but it was too far gone to admit of any delay in removing the destructive enemies of the bees. I have lately learned that honey bees have been recently introduced into California 318. Bye and bye, we shall probably be able to get them from there, more easily than from any other place (pp.58-59) with little inconvenience. At present however, we are aware of no locality nearer than the eastern States of America, from whence they may be transported conveniently hither; though it is stated that they are raised in Australia and New Zealand, which are nearer to us in point of distance. (p.53) Bishop recognised, in part, the reason for the failure, at least for the suspended hive, omitting the semi-drowning of the boxed hive We are informed that the failure in this enterprise was not occasioned by any lack of care and attention; but by the unexpected appearance of that enemy of the insect, - the bee moth, - within the hives a few weeks previous to the arrival of the vessel at this port,319 and we are encouraged to believe that, with great care in the selection of hives free from moths and their eggs, and with due regard to the season of their shipment, that they may be safely brought hither, even from New England, by the same method as that adopted in the Matanzas. (p.53)

Success, 1857, to Captain Lawton of the Fanny Major

As demonstrated, a hive of bees, containing only some 40 to 60 occupants, did successfully reach the shores of Hawaii in August 1853, but their subsequent survival was very much in doubt. For the year 1857, Watkins research 320 and conclusions show that the Fanny Major arrived with three hives of bees alive and still well stocked with honey by checking the various arrival and sailing
318

The Californian introduction could have been that of C. A. Shelton, when one hive was successfully introduced there in March 1853. 319 Honolulu 320 Watkins sourced from the San Jose Tribune, 4 December 1857; Daily Alta California, 16 December 1857

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dates a fair guess is that the Fanny Major arrived in Honolulu 321 with four hives of bees about October 25th (1857) three of the four hives are doing well, and that it is considered a successful experiment. 322 Did Chamberlain, Bishop and the others of the Honey-Bee Committee continue their efforts in the period between Captain Peirces 1853 voyage of 150 days via Cape Horn, and Captain Lawtons October 1857 California to Hawaii voyage of some fourteen days?

J. W. Marshs 1855 Report of Woe

To put it kindly, momentum did indeed falter, for unfortunately, to 1856, bees still had not arrived in Hawaii alive, it would seem for want of further attempts. J. W. Marshs 1855 Report on Birds, Bees, Insects and Worms declared regretfully Respecting bees, the Committee have to say that they have not seen or heard of any of those interesting creatures for some time, nor anything more nearly resembling them than the wasps which have lately so multiplied among us. Believers in the theory of equivocal generation may fancy that these latter, demi-savages as they are, will, in our genial climate develop into the more civilised and civil bee. Your Committee are of the opinion that they will not. If we wish real, bona-fide, honey-bees, we must continue to import them.
321

Schmitt, Robert C. (c1995) Firsts and Almost Firsts in Hawaii. University of Hawaii, Honolulu. After 1853 Four years later, a shipment of honey bees arrived from San Jose, California, and survived. A list of sources from the years 1848, 1853, 1899 and later until 1978 is supplied. 322 Roddy, Kevin M. and Arita-Tsutsumi, University of Hawaii at Hilo, state On 21 October 1857, three hives of German dark bees Apis mellifera mellifera were shipped to Honolulu by William Buck of San Jose, California (Eckert 1951, Krauss 1978) on the American bark Fanny Major (Spoehr 1992). The trip took eighteen days and the colonies survived the journey in good condition. They were purchased by the Society for one hundred dollars each. The hives were placed under the care of Dr. William Hillebrand in Nu'uanu Valley. There they thrived, and successfully established themselves such that by the following year, the three original hives had increased to nine colonies by swarming (Nieman 1942). Refer also Krauss, Bob. Luring the bees to paradise. Honolulu Advertiser October 21, 1978; Spoehr, Hardy. Kaho'olawe honey and pineapple ventures : anecdotes to the island's history. Wailuku, Hawai'i: Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance Commission, 1992; Nieman, Richard E. "Liquid Gold." Paradise of the Pacific December 1942, v54, no. 12, p. 17.

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Frustration followed In conclusion, it should have been stated, that of the five members of this Committee, two have within the last year gone to the United States, leaving not a report behind, a third regrets that he is unable to communicate anything of value, fourth intimates that he is not a member of the society and does not wish to be - while the fifth pleads guilty to a very general and particular ignorance on all the given topics, protests that he did not know of his appointment till the eleventh hour, and declares that he cant and wont write a report. The Committee, therefore, have no report to offer. Respectfully submitted. (p.50)

Edward P. Bonds Oops!, 1856

Bonds letter to the Committee dated 28 July 1856 and reported in the Transactions of that year, gave the good news first Dear Sir, Captain Matthews W. Green, of the Raduga, who was for many years settled in the neighbourhood of Boston, gave much attention to horticulture, and particularly to the care of bees. He is very sanguine that he should succeed in bringing out a swarm to these Islands, and will presumably attempt it, if he comes hither again. Capt. G. lays much stress upon the importance of ventilation, and thinks that a hive could be so prepared, by covering the openings with wire gauze, as to secure the needful supply of air, and yet prevent the exit of the bees. I present this hint for what it may be worth. Misfortune and anguish followed The same gentleman gave me a valuable treatise on the subject, from which I had hoped to draw something that might be of value to the members of the Hawaiian Agricultural Society, but in the three removes 323 which are as bad as a fire, the precious document has been mislaid, and I have deferred writing to you until this eleventh hour in the vain hope of finding it. Hope persisted I hear it often said, that we cannot have honey till we procure, not only bees, but the food which they will require. I see no cause for this remark. We have a great variety and abundance of flowers in our woods and fields Let us have the bees, and I will guarantee them food enough. Very respectfully yours. I wonder if any members of his audience shook their heads in dismay. At least he and former members of the Committee on the
323

A reference to Committee member turnover or repeated change of premises ?

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Honey-Bee bequeathed documentation covering the period between 1850 and 1856, sufficient to round out the research performed by Lee H. Watkins some three decades ago. CALIFORNIA & THE HARBISON BROTHERS: 1853, 1856 & 1858 I dont claim the following account to be the definitive story of the introduction of honeybees into California, 324 however it admirably describes the transport of honeybees from the North American east coast to the west coast via Panama. It portrays the skill and attention to detail required to overcome the many difficulties these pioneers encountered. Their methods are very relevant to the Australasian experience of 19th Century shipments of honeybees. As well, this chapter forms a solid background to the failed attempts of the early 1850s to bring honeybees from Boston to Honolulu via Cape Horn. It would appear that only until honeybees had established successfully in California could the additional shift to Hawaii be made with any success, despite Peirces near miss of 1853. Like my chapter on Hawaii, this tale also lay forgotten once compiled in April 1996. It came to mind after I re-awakened its partner chapter on Hawaii in January 2001.

John Stewart Harbison (1826-1912).

324

see Watkins, Lee H. (1969), The Journal of San Diego History (vol. 15, no. 4) John S. Harbison: Pioneer San Diego Beekeeper for an excellent coverage on this topic. 147

Thanks to the Journal of San Diego History, 1969, Vol.15, No.4 325

Angus Mackay of Sydney or his principal, James Carroll of Brisbane, chose the Harbisons to supply him with Italian bees in 1877, and possibly as early as 1872. W. C. Harbison simply described himself as a practical apiarian. From his Bees and Bee-keeping: A Plain, Practical Work of 1860, a most entertaining sage is depicted in fine detail To ship bees successfully to so great a distance, and through such a diversity of climate as is experienced on the steam ship route to California, via the Isthmus of Darien, at Panama, required a pretty correct knowledge of the habits and peculiarities of the bee, combined with untiring care and watchfulness on the part of those who made the first successful shipments of bees to California, when the experiment was a hazardous one, the expenses being so exorbitant at that time, and the undertaking fraught with such serious obstacles. The experience that has been had for the last three years, with the present low rates of passage and freights, renders their shipment now comparatively easy, and many are engaged in it. (p.246). Harbison made the following observation regarding the great difficulties of first introducing bees to California (p.248) prior to the construction of the Panama canal The time required to make the voyage from any Atlantic port, either in Europe or America, via Cape Horn, was so great, that bees would certainly perish before their arrival, if indeed the effort was ever made by those early missionaries. The difficulty of transporting them across the Isthmus of Darien, and thence by sea to California, would involve a greater amount of labor and difficulty than Spaniards in those early times were willing to undertake. This would also apply to taking them by land from the Mexican States to California. (p.251). The World Book Encyclopaedia (1985) describes the Panama Canal, a waterway across the Isthmus of Panama, which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as one of the greatest engineering achievements in the world. Upon its completion in 1914, the canal shortened a ships voyage between New York City and San Francisco to less than 5,200 miles (8,370 kilometers). Previously, ships making this trip had to travel around South America - a distance of more than 13,000 miles (20,900 kilometers). The Panama canal extends 50.72 miles (81.63
325

A web search eg., by Google, will easily find this article

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kilometers) from Limon Bay on the Atlantic to the Bay of Panama on the Pacific 326 One of two things is certain, either that the effort was never made by those early Spanish settlers to import bees to California, or if it was made it proved to be a failure; (Harbison, p.252). Note emphasis on the effort and the difficulty involved. Under the heading The First Stock of Bees in California Harbison wrote In February, 1853, Mr. C. A. Shelton ... sailed from New York with twelve hives of bees ... he arrived at San Francisco in March, with but one living colony, eleven having died whilst in transit. This was the pioneer hive of bees on the Pacific coast. Mr. Shelton, with his hive of bees, took passage on a little steamer from San Francisco to Alviso; on the trip she burst her boiler; killing several persons, Mr. Shelton being of the lamented number; but his bees escaped unhurt, and were taken to San Jose, where they did well. (p.252) On Other Shipments In the fall of 1855, my brother and partner in business, J. S. Harbison, sent east by a friend who was making a visit, for a hive of bees, which he received in Sacramento the first of February, 1856. But a very small colony, with the queen, survived the long voyage, and with proper care they increased and did well. The result of this experiment clearly demonstrated the fact, that if properly prepared and carefully handled, bees could be successfully imported in large quantities, and if once there, that they would increase rapidly and produce large quantities of honey. With this assurance he returned home in June, 1857. Being advised by letter, we had commenced to prepare stocks in a suitable manner for shipment. He completed the preparation after his arrival, and again started for the land of gold, sailing from New York on the fifth of November, with sixtyseven colonies. On arriving at Aspinwall, circumstances being favorable, he opened the boxes and permitted the bees to fly out and clean themselves, which no doubt greatly assisted in preserving their health during the rest of the voyage. He arrived safely at Sacramento on the first of December, having lost but five colonies on the way; others had been reduced in numbers until quite weak. By uniting all such together, making strong stocks at the expense of numbers, they were reduced to fifty ... (pp.252-3)

326

Vol. 15, p.102

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This was the first large and successful shipment of bees made to California. Others were made about the same time, but with very indifferent success; which was owing, to a great extent, to the want of practical knowledge on the part of those having them in charge. 327

Methods for their 1st Shipment

Then follows the section titled How Our First Shipment was Prepared Boxes were made of boards 3/8ths thick, one foot square and six inches high. Into these the combs, bees and all, were transferred in June, when honey was plenty and young queens matured readily. The combs were cut to fit neatly into these boxes, leaving proper spaces between, and braced with strips of wood, being careful to have combs in each box that had eggs in it. The bees were now divided and a portion put in each box, there being enough comb and bees in an ordinary sized hive to fill two or three of these boxes. Those that were without queens supplied themselves from eggs found in the combs. In this way we found no difficulty in making nearly an average of three well organised little colonies from one old stock. Any spaces left for want of combs were filled in by the bees themselves; they also fastened up the old combs thus transferred from the old hive, very nicely and securely. Being permitted to work in these boxes from June until the close of the season, they were well stored with honey and pollen for their long journey, and in a compact, portable shape. To these boxes we added another box at the side (when packing them up to ship), three inches by six, and one foot long, having first made a large opening in the side, and securing these boxes by tacking strips on either side. This served as a vacant chamber for the bees to occupy when suffering from extreme heat in hot latitudes. Proper openings were made on each side, and covered with wire cloth, to give a current of air through the box, which, with the addition of the vacant air chamber, is twelve by fifteen inches long and six inches in height. Two of these formed one package, one set on top of the other, being covered with oiled cloth to keep out wet, and securely fastened with heavy twine, forming a loop at the top, which served as a handle to carry them by. A package of this kind, consisting of two colonies, measures
327

pp.253-254

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less than one and a half cubic feet, being a great saving over ordinary sized hives, as freight and charges are estimated by the foot from New York to San Francisco, and at such high rates that every foot saved in size is important. Our improved movable comb hive being perfected by J. S. Harbison, of the firm of W. C. & J. S. Harbison, soon after arriving with the bees they were transferred, and worked in them very successfully and satisfactorily.

Methods for their 2nd Shipment

Second Shipment, How Prepared Our first shipment of bees to California being successful and profitable, we resolved to prepare a larger lot, and ship them the following year, but in a little different form from the first lot, retaining the same general principles in a more convenient and practical shape; in short, we determined to transfer bees, with their combs, &c. from common box hives into the improved movable frames of the proper size to fit the hives, thirteen inches in height by twelve in width. Having received a model of the frame and suitable box for shipping, I had boxes made of boards 3/8ths thick, fourteen inches square and twenty inches long, with a partition in the centre, making a convenient receptacle for two colonies with six frames in each, having a cross-bar with gains cut in it for the projection of the upper part of the frame to rest in, leaving a vacant space or chamber at front edge of the frames of one and one-half by ten inches wide, and fourteen deep. At the foot or opposite angle of the frame a cross-bar, with gains cut in it to receive the tenon of the frame, was nailed in the bottom, which held the frames firmly in their place. Openings for the bees to pass in and out were made for one colony in front and one in the rear. The lid was left movable. Having boxes and frames thus prepared, I commenced, in the last week of May, to transfer bees from box hives into these frames, fastening the combs with metallic braces, dividing the combs, bees, &c. so as to make two colonies from one. Those destitute of a queen would supply themselves ... Some of these I again divided during the season, making three and in some cases four colonies from one old stock, dry combs being supplied to some extent from other sources. They continued to work in these small boxes 151

during the remainder of the season, storing them well with provision for the winter. As part of the shipment I thus prepared here and the balance was prepared in the same manner at Centralia, Illinois, by A. Harbison, and shipped from thence to New York. Preparatory to shipping, the lids were nailed down; wire cloth was tacked over the openings to ventilate properly; oiled muslin was put over the top to protect them from being injured by rain or spray; heavy twine rove around the box, about the middle of each division, and again lengthwise, forming a loop or top for convenient handling. Two colonies thus prepared were but little larger thin one ordinary sized hive, and of convenient portable shape. I decided to accompany this shipment, and spend a few months in California, for the purpose of observing the effects of so great a change of climate and circumstances, and increasing my knowledge of the habits and peculiarity of the honey bee. Accordingly, on the 15th of November, 1858, in company with my brother, J. S. Harbison, we started in charge of our bees to New York, en route for California. On reaching New York we found the steamship Moses Taylor was to sail. Being quite small, and not affording suitable deck room for the safety of the bees, we concluded to remain until the departure of the next steamer, causing a delay of two weeks. On the 6th of December, however, we sailed, and after a pleasant voyage arrived at Aspinwall on the 13th. Whilst in the Caribbean sea, the bees suffered considerably from the extreme heat. We kept an awning suspended over them, to protect them from the hot sun, and had them arranged in tiers on the hurricane deck, so that a current of fresh air was constantly passing between and around them. At Aspinwall we had them placed in an express car to cross the Isthmus, and obtained permission to remain in the car with them for the purpose of keeping the side doors open to give a free circulation of air. Arrived at Panama, they were placed in an open boat or lighter, which was taken in tow by a steam tug and run alongside the steamship, which lay at anchor some three miles from the dock. We had them carefully handled, and kept them shaded from the sun; but so intense was the heat, that they suffered very much. Had they been exposed to the direct rays of the sun, the combs would have melted in a few minutes. We sailed from Panama on the morning of the 15th, and arrived 152

off Cape St. Lucas on the 24th, where we met cold, chilly winds, making it necessary to close up our bees a little, and shelter them from the weather; without this precaution they would have been seriously affected by the sudden change front extreme heat to cold. Arriving at San Francisco on the evening of the 29th, we shipped on steam boat for Sacramento, and reached there on the morning of the 31st. The express car referred to was part of the railway which crossed the isthmus which ... opened in 1853 to carry the crowds hurrying to the newly-discovered gold-fields of California. The railway reaped a huge fortune for its promoters, and its success started people hunting up and down the isthmus for a suitable route for a canal which would make the journey by sea continuous from the east coast to the west coast of America. 328 Harbison The bees had remained in close confinement all this time, forty-seven days. We found but eleven dead out of one hundred and fourteen, one hundred and three having survived the long and tedious voyage. This number we reduced by uniting those that had become weak, making one strong stock from two or more weak ones. We lifted each comb out of the boxes, and after cleaning them carefully, transferred bees and all into hives that were prepared to receive them; the frames fitting nicely, it required but a few minutes to transfer a colony. Thus in a short time we had them working in clean new hives. We fed them syrup daily whilst a scarcity of honey existed ... which caused them to breed very rapidly. (pp.254-259).

328

Newnes, Vol. 5, p.57

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Part IV Some 19th Century Beekeepers

NEW SOUTH WALES A.B. Spark & Reuben Hannam, c1820 to 1826 One William Gee wrote to the ABB, his letter published in the September 1898 issue. I have been reading with much interest in the A. B. Bulletin, (re) introducing the black bee into N. S. Wales. I possess interesting news to beekeepers. In 1820 there was two hives of black bees sent from England to Sydney. Mr. A. B. Sparks, (sic.) and Mr. Ruben (sic.) Hannam, got one hive of black bees each, and took them to Cooks river. Theres no doubt Alexander and Frances Spark at Tempe on Cooks River had at least one hive of bees in March 1837. They had sufficient stocks in 1843 to donate a very large straw one to William Charles Cotton in New Zealand. (For more details refer my Cotton chapter on page 189 and page 185 for A.B. Spark.) As usual I set out to check the facts, given this potentially startling new date of 1820. The online Australian Dictionary of Biography 329 states Alexander Brodie Spark sailed in the Princess Charlotte and arrived at Sydney in April 1823. Although Spark had several houses in Sydney, the site that pleased him most for a country residence was his farm, Tempe, at Cooks River. There in 1831 he had begun a garden, planted an orchard and vineyard, and carefully planned a new home. Another web site 330 on the history of Arncliffe, a Sydney suburb Spark applied to emigrate to Australia, and arrived in Tasmania on 21 January 1823. Finding that not to his liking, he moved on to Sydney where he arrived on 17 February 1823. So, the 1820 date cannot be correct for Spark did not reach Sydney for another three years (be it February or April). The Wikipedia site 331 332 on Wolli Creek provides The suburb was previously part of Arncliffe. Reuben Hannam was granted land in
329 330

http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A020428b.htm http:/arncliffesydney.blogspot.com/2006/04/tempe-house.html 331 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolli_Creek,_New_South_Wales 332 Details for the Arncliffe story were drawn from The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990

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1825 on the banks of Cooks river. Alexander Brodie Spark purchased land in August 1826 333 and Tempe house was completed in 1836. It was named after the Vale of Tempe, a beautiful valley in ancient Greek legend set at the foot of Mount Olympus. Tempe House, designed by John Verge, has a Georgian feel and is regarded as one of the great houses of Sydney. From the arncliffesydney web site Tempe was completed in 1836, and Spark made it his permanent home, leasing Tusculum, to the Anglican Bishop of Sydney. Behind Tempe House there was an orchard, greenhouse, shrubbery and gardeners cottage. On the river he constructed a rococo bathing house. 334 Between 1835 and 1838, Sparks gardener / beekeeper Thomas Birkby 335 would have been resident in the cottage. William Gees letter of 1898 continued It is Mr. Hannam I will speak about now. Cooks river being a good place at that time, with plenty of bush, the bees did well; they increased rapidly, and some of them got into the bush. All beekeepers know it is quite natural for them to take to the bush. In three years afterwards he had a nice apiary of box hives. 336 Being a man that looked after them and liked the bees, he shifted with the bees to a farm between Appin and Campbelltown in the year 1828. From this is it possible Spark and Hannam acquired their bees, not in 1820 as Gee stated, but some time between 1825 and 1826 when Spark and Hannam purchased their land? A web site 337 listing persons mentioned in the Sydney Herald for the year 1835, names Reuben Hannam, apparently by 1835 living in the Murrumbidgee River area. Web site webone lists marriage, 338
333

See web site http://www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au/cms/cmswebcontent.nsf/Content/About_Hi story gives the year as 1828 European settler Alexander Brodie Spark purchases Packers Farm on the south bank of the Cooks River. Another site http://arncliffesydney.blogspot.com/2006/04/tempe-house.html provides an alternate year On 10 August 1826, Spark purchased 110 acres of land in an area formerly known as Packers Farm, on the south bank of the Cooks River. The only way to cross the river was by boat. Spark had a private boatman, Old Willy. 334 http://arncliffesydney.blogspot.com/2006/04/tempe-house.html 335 See the chapter on Thomas Birkby on page 195 336 These would have been primitive box hives, probably with a removable side or bottom, but certainly not one with frames. 337 http://www.hotkey.net.au/~jwilliams4/scons35.htm 338 http://members.webone.com.au/~sgrieves/yass_courier.htm

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birth 339 and death notices 340 in the Yass Courier between 1857 and 1905. From these, the Hannam clan lived at Cooradigbee in the Yass Murrumbidgee River - Wee Jasper Goodradigbee River region of NSW, with notices published between 1871 and 1892. Gee continued There was plenty of bush about; he got a good lot of honey and the bees increased rapidly. In the year 1835 there were plenty of bees nests to be found in the bush. His son, David Hannam, in 1840 went up to the Murrumbidgee with a team, 341 and took a box of bees with him. The way he fixed them he made a wire frame and put the box in it. In the day time they could fly about. 342 Being a long journey he fed them on sugar and water. 343 Thus ends this gem from William Gee.

Bullock team with wagon and a 4 wheel cart in tow. Such a cart would hold stores, camping equipment, and maybe, a hive of bees

A web site 344 about the adjoining suburb of Rockdale states David Hannam settles in Arncliffe in 1828. Another site 345 on Arncliffe gives more detail on Reuben Hannam a brickmaker, was granted 100 acres of land in 1825 along the banks of Wolli Creek. His son, David
339 340

http://members.webone.com.au/~sgrieves/birth_notices.htm http://www.webone.com.au/~sgrieves/deaths_yass_courier.htm 341 The team refers to a wagon hauled by a team of bullocks. 342 Presumably the bees were restricted to the confines of the wire cage. 343 Davids precautions were sensible for the journey may have taken many weeks. 344 http://www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au/cms/cmswebcontent.nsf/Content/About _History 345 http://www.answers.com/topic/arncliffe-new-south-wales

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Hannam, obtained a 60 acre grant near the Cooks River in 1833 directly behind the Tempe estate. Alexander Brodie Spark purchased the estate on the Cooks River in 1826 and built Tempe House in 1828. 346 This part of the suburb is today known as Wolli Creek. So, Reuben Hannams purchase of land in 1826, his settlement there two years later together with Sparks arrival in Sydney in 1823 all demolish Gees 1820 date. However, it does not negate their reported acquisition of bees, particularly by Spark in 1837 or earlier. Another bonus, two new early (pre 1837 ?) colonial beekeepers are identified: Reuben and David Hannam. Margaret (Macleay) Innes, 1843 Here I want to present some re-thought clues on the identity of the Macleay daughter who was the recipient of Thomas Braidwood Wilsons bees in 1832.347 From his time in Sydney from May 1842, temporarily laid-over en-route to New Zealand, William Charles Cotton stated that the hive of bees given him by Revd. Steele, Minister of St. Peters, Cooks River 348, had originally come from Van Diemens Land whither they were taken, I believe, some time ago. They do exceptionally here. I met Mr MacClay ... Bees were first brought for his daughter. It would seem this intelligence came either directly from Alexander Macleay, or indirectly, from Steele 349, who had known Macleay since at least October 1838 when he visited the Macleays at Elizabeth Bay and toured their garden. 350 In Volume II I supposed The Macleay daughter most likely to have been the recipient of Wilsons hive was Fanny (Frances Leonora). I
346 347

Another site gives completion date of 1836 for his house

Courtesy of the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association, and possibly extracted from Moubray, Bonington. pseudo Lawrence, John (1834) A Practical Treatise on breeding, rearing, and fattening all kinds of domestic poultry, pheasants, pigeons, and rabbits; also the management of swine, milch cows, and bees Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper, London In August 1832 the original hive was taken to Sydney by Dr Wilson and presented to the Colonial Secretary Alexander Maclean. (sic.) 348 The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 March 1843 (p.2) 349 Mr Steele and his wife arrived in Sydney on the Upton Castle on 24 February 1838. The Australian, 27 February 1838 (p.2) 350 Abbott, Graham & Little, Geoffrey (1976) The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe, Sydney University Press. p.226

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formed this conclusion because of Fannys active interest in natural history, and her artistic contributions to the works of two well known entomologists, William Kirby and William Spence between 1814 and 1816, as well as her ongoing support as specimen collector for her fathers and brothers scientific pursuits. And thirdly from Volume II: Major Archibald Clunes Innes, who I assumed, possibly erroneously, to be the Lake Innes beekeeper, through the diary of one of his guests, his niece, Annabella Boswell. Her diary entry for 7 November 1843 The new swarm of bees has already half-filled its box with beautiful white wax. One pursued Dido, who made her escape, but it stung Margaret. Innes had, in 1829, married Margaret Macleay, the third daughter of Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay. < Major Archibald Clunes Innes,
husband of Margaret (Macleay) figures prominently in the history of Port Macquarie.

The Innes bees were more likely those of his wife, Margaret (Macleay) Innes, and not the Majors. And if so, another welcome addition to the ranks of female colonial beekeepers, along with Elizabeth Macarthur at Parramatta in 1842, and Mary Bussell, whose attempt to bring bees to the Swan River Colony in 1834 did not succeed.

Cotton, Campbell and friends, Sydney, 1842

Robert Campbell senior, and his eldest son John, were prominent and respected Sydney merchants for many decades. They were also talented and advanced beekeepers as I shall demonstrate. Campbell senior 351, a Scottish merchant, arrived in Sydney in June 1798.
351

My summary of the biographical entry in The Australian Encyclopaedia (Vol. II, p.246) is as follows Pioneer Sydney merchant (born 28 April 1769, died 15 April 1846), arrived June 1798 aboard the Hunter, received permission to lease land on the western side of Sydney Cove, to erect buildings, and carry on trade. Returned to India, arrived back in Sydney 1800, when he constructed buildings and a wharf, widely used, which

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Campbell & Co. was soon heavily involved in the Australian trade, having 50,000 worth of goods in its Sydney warehouses in 1804. 352 Through trading at reasonable prices he challenged the monopoly of the New South Wales Corps. A canny businessman, Campbell maximised the profitability of speculative voyages by the purchase of suitable land on which to build berthing and warehouse facilities. This avoided downward pressure on prices when the colonial market was swamped with freshly landed product. By 1803 he had built a storehouse, a large residence and a wharf, known as Campbells Wharf. By 1810 another wharf had been added, behind which in its own garden stood Campbells house finished in an elegant manner with colonnades and two fronts. Nehemiah Bartley in Australian Pioneers and Reminiscences, 18491894 353, briefly mentions Campbell and Co. as they were in the year of William Cottons Sydney visit In 1842 R. Campbell, jun., and Co. were general merchants in Bligh-street 354, Sydney they sold tea, rice, pickles, spirits, iron, and hemp goods. Balancing Campbells astute business acumen the merchants name became synonymous with fair trading, reduced prices and generous credit, and was publicly acknowledged by small settlers, officers and governors alike Governor Bligh was told the price of his merchandise was the same in time of scarcity as in abundance he protected the poor and distressed settlers; and that in fact he was the only private pillar which supported the honest people of the Colony. 355 Samuel Shumack recalled in An
became known as Campbells wharf. In 1825 he was appointed a member of the first Legislative Council in NSW and he held a seat on it until 1843. He was one of the first settlers in the district in which Canberra was later built. He received a grant of 5000 acres of land, for which the deed was issued in October 1834, although it had been occupied some years earlier. He named the property Duntroon (being himself related to the Campbells of Duntroon Castle, Argyleshire), and it remained in the possession of his family until 1910, when the Commonwealth Government acquired it for a military college. 352 Steven, Margaret. Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume I, pp.202206 353 Bartley, Nehemiah (1896) Australian Pioneers and Reminiscences, 1849-1894, John Ferguson, Sydney, 1978. 354 Bligh-street was , location of their office of business. 355 Bartley, Nehemiah (1896) Australian Pioneers and Reminiscences, 1849-1894, John Ferguson, Sydney, 1978.

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autobiography or tales and legends of Canberra pioneers 356 In the early days I constantly came in contact with old hands who had worked under Merchant Campbell. They spoke of him as a just and honourable man, and I never heard of one unjust or harsh action during those early years when injustice and oppression were the rule. (p.3) Son Robert Jnr. was also held in high regard. Alexander Brodie Spark of Tempe on Cooks River, diarised on 15 April 1843 Wrought up my resolution to call on Mr R Campbell Jr. of Bligh Street, for my heavy debt to whom he is but inadequately secured. He received me kindly, expressed his sorrow for my situation, and told me that if I could not pay him the interest, he would never ask it. He directed me to write him my proposal and he would answer me, and I came away not a little affected by his generosity.

Robert Campbell snr. (Mitchell Library, Sydney)

Campbells Cove snuggles on the north western shore of Circular Quay, just south of Dawes Point and the southern footings of the
356

An autobiography or tales and legends of Canberra pioneers, (p.3)

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Sydney Harbour Bridge. Stone warehouses remain but the Campbell house is long since demolished.

Robert Campbell

I see it as no coincidence that the barque Tomatin, carrying the first Bishop of New Zealand, his family and entourage for Auckland, berthed at Campbells Wharf after it was damaged on entering Sydney Harbour on 14 April 1842. Nor do I find it surprising that the Anglican Bishop Selwyn, his family and chaplain, William Charles Cotton, were made guests of Robert Campbell. Robert became well connected with the Church of England and its Bishop in Sydney. 357 As the business of his firm progressed (c1837-38), and his three eldest sons became firmly established in their various fields, Robert Campbell gave increased attention to charitable work and church affairs. his house and garden at the wharf were always available for fetes and functions to raise money for charity. Bishop Broughton continued to be a frequent visitor. In 1837 Campbell gave land and a donation for the construction of St Peters Church, Cooks River. 358 Campbells worth to Cotton as host provided significant benefit, for both Robert Campbell Snr and eldest son John were beekeepers, their apiary located in the garden beside Wharf House which stood back from Campbells Wharf. Cottons beekeeping mania was about to be fed.
357 358

Newman (1961) p.166 Newman (1961) The Spirit of Wharf House, p.166

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Im confident the missing second volume of Cottons journals would have documented the proceedings of the valuable beekeeper introductions Campbell was sure to have provided. Unfortunately, this lost volume covered the period of Cottons stopover in Sydney, between 15 April and 19 May 1842 359. Most likely appraised by a letter from home of its non-arrival, and hence its implied disappearance, Cotton replied, lamenting its loss in his letter of April 1843, a copy of which is pasted into his third volume I fear Vol II should have perished (obsit omen) I will endeavour to give a tabular abstract of these three months ... What interesting reading it would have made as it progressed through his various beekeeper appointments.

A Letter from An Australian, 1864

Some eight years ago I became aware of an antiquarian bee book authored by Dr. John Cumming, titled Bee-Keeping, by The Times Bee-Master, first published London, 1864. The advertisement for Cummings book stated it contained correspondence from Australian beekeepers. With that inviting attraction to my some time bee book collecting obsession, I was tempted to part with US$150. Given the Australian Dollars decidedly weaker position, however, that purchase had to wait. Eventually, possession of a copy and access to the clues within this book and resulting research have enabled me here to definitively declare that Robert Campbell Snr. and his eldest son John were beekeepers. The evidence follows. Moving forward to June 2001, I received from Joseph Bray of San Diego, California, another in his series, Beekeeping and Related Subjects Occasional List, his periodical antiquarian bee book catalogue. Listed within was another copy of the 1864 edition of Cummings book, again mine for US$150 (approx. AUD$290). Joseph and I have corresponded previously on a friendly and productive basis so I contacted him to see if the book was still available, outlining the reasons for my interest. Unfortunately, it had been sold though not yet dispatched. 360 Joseph kindly wrote back I spent some of my evening scanning the pages of the book for any other Australian references but couldnt find any others. However, Cumming does occasionally refer to My
359 360

volume two commenced 15 May, concluding 20 August 1842 Early in 2002 Joseph Bray procured another copy of Cummings book which I promptly acquired.

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Bee Book, and at one point he describes it as The first and most useful, as well as most beautiful modern work on bees ... It is profusely illustrated, and is the most genial and instructive work on bees it has been my lot to read. I have felt so great an interest in this good clergyman, that it often occurred to me to try to ascertain where he was and what he was doing. ... Joseph then referred to correspondence within containing reference to Cotton. It was simply signed An Australian. London 12th August, 1864. Brays review of Cummings book states Dr. Cumming was styled the The Times Bee-Master after his letters on beekeeping provoked a deluge of replies from an enthusiastic but sometimes critical readership of that newspaper. Rather than respond to each inquiry individually, Cumming issued this marvelous bee book, presenting his ideas of bee management. Luckily, Cumming also included many of the letters addressed to him and his responses, providing a fascinating view of the controversies of the day. Fraser (1958) in Beekeeping in Antiquity wrote of Cumming He seems to have been a good beekeeper, for he entirely objected to sulphuring bees, and he was well read on the subject. He strongly believed that his bees knew him. Cotton championed such sentiments. The 1864 letters author held similar views. This letter to The Times Bee-Master, in part, reads Our chief guide in the management was a book written by the Rev. Mr. Cotton, called My Bee-Book and it may be interesting to mention, that when in after years that gentleman accompanied the Bishop of New Zealand to that country, via Australia, he was my fathers guest. Mr. Cottons delight at finding his favourites so appreciated was only equaled by our pleasure in meeting the author of My Bee-Book The title page of Cottons My Bee Book shows its publication year as 1842. Cotton sailed on the Tomatin on 26 December 1841, arriving in Sydney in April 1842. Prior to departure could he have taken on board some pre-publication copies of his book ? I think it possible though unlikely. Campbells wrote Our chief guide was a book written by the Rev. Mr. Cotton in after years that gentleman was my fathers guest These words construe that My Bee Book had been in use for some time prior to Cottons arrival, that his fame had preceded him.

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However, John has confused the actual chronology of events. Cotton accompanied the Bishop of New Zealand in the same year as the publication of My Bee Book, ie., 1842. Its possible Campbell was referring not to My Bee Book, but to its precursors, Cottons 1837 and 1838 letters, addressed particularly to Englands cottage beekeepers. The 1837 publication of twenty-four pages was A short and simple letter to cottagers from a conservative beekeeper. A further four editions subsequently appeared up to 1842, as well as an American edition in 1841. British Bee Books, A bibliography 1500-1976 states There was a second letter to cottagers, apparently published three years after the first (ie., 1840), but we have not seen a copy earlier than 1842, both letters then being included in My bee book. Walker cites the two letters together, dated 1843 and 1844. (p.121) Given this evidence, its possible it was Cottons 1837, produced five years before My Bee Book that John was referring to. Either way, some latitude should be allowed in Johns sequencing of events. Writing in 1864 at the age of sixty-two years 361, he was recounting Cottons visit of twenty-two years prior. And finally, to confirm that John Campbell did write the 1864 letter, Cotton named his temporary Sydney landlord. From my transcriptions of Cottons script during study of his journals at the Mitchell Library between 1995 and 1997, I located a letter home 362 dated May 1842. Cotton clearly wrote Mr. R. Campbell lent the Bishop his house at Woolloommoolloo 363 (sic) for the first 3 weeks to follow when the Tomatin has been hove down. Therefore the Australian correspondent to The Times Beemaster was one of Campbells sons. I had originally thought William Cotton was geographically confused when he mentioned Woolloomooloo, for Id assumed he was writing from Wharf House which overlooked Campbells Cove, however Cotton was specific on where he was to temporarily reside. Other than Wharf House over in Sydney Cove, what property in Woolloomooloo had Campbell provided for his guests ? This question triggered some
361

At the time of his death in 1886 John was aged 84. He was interred at St. Johns, Parramatta. 362 Mitchell Library, Cottons diary Vol. 3. Ref. CY664, MS35, 21st August 1842 to 25th February 1843, p.2 frame.247 363 Cottons spelling was Woolloommoolloo; todays spelling is Woolloomooloo

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further research into the early houses and residents of that locale. Im unsure if his house is to be taken literally. A possible candidate appears to have been Woolloomooloo House, owned by Robert Campbells brother-in-law John Palmer. 364 A watercolour painting of it by Sophia (Palmer) Campbell is held at the National Library of Australia. To zero in on which son wrote the letter, Robert Campbell Snr., who died in 1846, was survived by four sons: John (1802-1886), Robert (1804-1859), Charles and George (1818-1881). Its unlikely to have been George, who, even though he died in 1881 some years after the letter was written, was mostly involved with the family property of Duntroon from 1839. On his fathers death in 1846 he became its owner. Newman (1961) Duntroon became the country house in which any member of the Wharf family could rest if he wished. John was wedded to business, but the others used the house quite often. It cannot have been Robert Jnr who joined his father in politics and public affairs, but most definitely because he died in 1859, five years before the letter was written. Charles joined his father on the land in 1835 (p.168) so he appears to have had much less to do with Wharf House than his older brothers John and Robert. By 1822 Robert Campbells two eldest sons (aged of 20 and 18 !) were at work with Campbell & Co., (p.139) They had joined their father in his business and were able to relieve him of some of his responsibilities. They traveled about in ships dispatched to carry merchandise (p.130) and had no fixed routine in the office They supervised work at the wharf, in the stores and developed a knowledge of the mercantile business. They traveled in ships, interviewed customers and suppliers, saw timber cut and shipped, and meat salted and sold. They acted as extra eyes, ears and mouthpieces for their father, though it was not long before they were giving orders on their own account. (p.139) John became de-facto head of Campbell & Co. in 1830. By 1836 John was the head of the business and young Robert the public relations representative. (p.173) Wharf House was the home of a prosperous and happy family. Although the two eldest sons had built their own houses, few days passed without both of them entering their old home, and Charles, who was living at Duntroon, was a frequent visitor to Sydney. (p.163) John had moved to Clunes, a house he had built in Cambridge
364

last paragraph, p.25, from Sydney Cove to Duntroon

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Street, Stanmore. It was a solid, two-storey building the area was quiet, and there John could entertain customers and others away from the noise of the wharf and overcrowded Wharf House. (p.174) But theres no doubt bees were kept in the Wharf House garden - refer to the chapter Sophia Ives Campbell, swarm-catcher of Wharf House on page 181. By process of elimination its my deduction the letters author was John. On his fathers death in 1846 John moved from Clunes back to Wharf House. Cottons 1837 twenty-four page A Short and Simple Letter to Cottagers, from a Bee Preserver, which realised a distribution of some twenty-four thousand copies, was followed by Part II, Natural Theology of Bees in 1842. The first letter was intended to be a manual of Bee-keeping, my second of Bee-observing. The second cannot stand without the first; the first is needed for profit but he who neglects the second, loses all the pleasure and instruction which may be derived from this most delightful of all country pursuits. An updated version of his first letter forms the first part of My Bee Book and the second letter is re-produced near its end. Cotton allowed that some copies might go into foreign parts. 365 Its possible that at least one copy of his Cottons Short and Simple Letter to Cottagers found avid readers in Sydney between 1837 and 1842. These readers included the beekeeping Campbells of Wharf House in Sydney. John closed his dissertation to Cumming P.S. I have never had an opportunity of keeping bees in England. I shall look for your promised manual, as I hope some day I may be able to have some of my favourites to care for. I may add, my father procured our original stock from Tasmania, in the common straw hive, a bit of pierced tin fastened over the entrance. ...

Early Childhood Memories, 1810-1814

John Campbells letter to The Times Bee-Master recounted From early childhood 366 I shared my fathers interest in his pets; and at one time I could have counted upwards of ninety hives in the two apiaries which he kept for his own amusement, and for the
365 366

My Bee Book, Preface, p.xli Campbell Snr obtained his first stock of bees from Tasmania, (see page 196) so swarms should have been available some reasonable time after January 1831 when Thomas Braidwood Wilson successfully introduced bees there. John would then have been aged around twenty-nine.

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encouragement of those who were willing to keep bees. Everyone was welcome to a swarm who cared to ask for one.

View to the east by Conrad Martens, 1842, overlooking the gable of Campbells Wharf House (leftmost), then across Sydney Cove with Government House prominent at centre, itself overlooking Farm Cove to the east, behind which lies Woolloomooloo.

The question arises in this instance whether John was describing a pair of apiaries in England or Australia, despite the letters opening mention of It may be interesting to you to hear that my experience in Australia of the habits of your little favourites is identical to your own. John, born in 1802 in Sydney, would have been aged twenty when Captain Wallace introduced hives of bees into Sydney in 1822. Assuming early childhood refers to an age approaching around ten years, was John was recalling a time c1812 ? To answer the question Ive constructed a chronology of events based on the contents of C.E.T. Newmans (1961) The Spirit of Wharf House: In January 1805 when John was aged around three years, his father, mother and younger brother Robert sailed to England. Some eighteen months later in August 1806 the family had returned to Sydney. In May 1810, when John was aged eight years, the family returned to England where they remained for approximately four years. It think it most likely that this was the period when Robert Campbell entertained upwards of ninety hives in the two apiaries. The family, except for John, aged thirteen years, and his younger brother Robert, aged eleven years, arrived back in 167

Sydney in March 1815. 367 The two boys remained in England to continue their schooling. From close study of the bulk of Johns 1864 letter, theres certainty that the remainder of his recollections were sited in Australia. As well, the letter provides fascinating insights into colonial beekeeping methods practiced from 1832, the earliest likely year when Robert Campbell sourced honeybees from Tasmania.

Beekeeping Introductions, 1842

In My Bee Book Cotton wrote The Bee of England, if he be but good of his kind, is, I think, surpassed by none in the world. I will not get Bees from India nor Bees from South America nor bees from New Holland (ie., Australia), but carry them direct from England, sixteen thousand miles over the sea. Its ironic, having suffered the loss of his meticulously prepared beehives at sea in early 1842, Cotton needed to view Sydney as a source for some bees. And doubly so, for the descendants of bees he eventually acquired were brought from England to Australia via Van Diemens Land (Tasmania). Fortune did, however, smile upon him for in the Campbells he found perfect bee-aware hosts. With their prominent position within commercial, political 368, religious 369 and social circles 370 , the Campbells were exceedingly well placed to provide Cotton with the beekeeper introductions he would have eagerly accepted. I propose that through the Campbell introductions Cotton was able to visit:

367

Kerr, Joan (1982) from Sydney Cove to Duntroon, a Family Album of Early Life in Australia (p.37) 368 He was one of the three private members appointed to the newly constituted Legislative Council in 1825, where he remained a member until it was replaced by the reformed Council in 1843. Aust. Dict. Biography, Vol. I 369 Campbell was an active and financially contributive member of the Presbyterian Scotts Church in Sydney. a growing connection with the Church of England, strengthened by the affiliation of his wife and intimates (eg., Rowland Hassall 1768-1820, Samuel Marsden 1764-1838, Bishop Broughton) was emphasised by generous endowments. Aust Dict. Biography, Vol. I 370 amongst the pallbearers at Robert Campbells funeral were Alexander Macleay and Alexander Berry

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Alexander Macleay, prominent Sydney citizen, most likely at his Elizabeth Bay residence, whose garden, famous for its rare specimens of plants, was described as a botanists paradise 371 ; Macleay was a member of the Legislative Council between 1826 to c1836. Campbell sat on the Council between 1825 and 1843. Elizabeth Macarthur at Elizabeth Farm, Parramatta who has a capital apiary 372 Elizabeths nephew, Hannibal Macarthur of Vineyard House, located on the north bank of the Parramatta River A large property 15 miles from Sydney bounded one side by a tidal river, navigable for small steamers & on the other side extensive forests, chiefly composed of gum trees, & a good sized farm house with cultivated fields, and outbuildings of a mile from the house. Large gardens & in the heart of the forest, a semi-circular terraced vineyard, with a stream at the foot, bordered with ferns & mimosa, a lovely spot. 373

371

Fletcher, J. J. The Societys Heritage from the Macleays, Proc. Linn. Soc. NSW., vol. 45 (1920) 372 from a Cotton letter dated April 1843 373 Emmeline Macarthur, Hannibals daughter, recounted from the time when she was thirteen years old, in The Recollections of Emmeline Maria Macarthur (1828-1911)

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Gregory Blaxland Parramatta;

374 375

at his property Brush Farm outside

Revd. Dr. Thomas Steele, the Parson of St. Peters, Cooks River 376; and the merchant gentleman, Alexander Spark 377 and his wife Frances at Tempe, close by the banks of Cooks River, up stream from Botany Bay.

374

I assume Cotton was referring to Gregory rather than his brother John, for Cotton simply wrote I paid a visit to Mr Blaxland. From a Cotton letter dated April 1843 375 The online version of the Australian Dictionary of Biography provides Gregory sailed in the William Pitt on 1 September 1805 with his wife, three children, two servants, an overseer, a few sheep, seed, bees, tools, groceries and clothing. In my Volume I theorized the substance of Blaxlands dispute with the ships captain, both before and after his arrival in Sydney, was the captains refusal to allow Blaxlands bees aboard. Whatever the reason, a lengthy dispute was not out of character: the online version of the Australian Dictionary of Biography states Blaxland was Always a man of moody and mercurial character . Accidents with bees on ships were not unknown. From The Quarterly Review, Dec. 1842 The inhabitants of the Isles of Greece transport their hives by sea, in order to procure change of pasturage for their bees. Huish relates (p.287) that Not long ago a hive on one of these vessels was overturned, and the bees spread themselves over the whole vessel. They attacked the sailors with great fury, who, to save themselves, swam ashore. They could not return to their boat until the bees were in a state of tranquility, having previously provided themselves with proper ingredients for creating a smoke, to suffocate the bees in case of a renewal of their hostility (Huish, Robert. 1817, A treatise on the nature, economy, and practical management of bees; p.15) . 376 In 1837 Campbell Snr. gave land and money towards the cost of building St. Peters Church, Cooks River, and contributed funds towards an Anglican Cathedral for Sydney. Aust. Dict. Biography, Vol. I; The Spirit of Wharf House, p.166 377 From Sparks diary entry for 6 April 1837 A deputation, consisting of Messrs R. Jones, Willm. Macarthur, Jas. Bowman, Robert Scott, Robert Campbell Jr. and myself, waited on Mr McLeay at his house to present the Address which had been prepared, and very numerously signed, on the occasion of his involuntary retirement from the office of Colonial Secretary. In reading his reply the fine old septuagenarian was much moved, his voice quavered and his eyes filled with tears Abbott, Graham & Little, Geoffrey (1976) The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe,

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Cottons acclaimed mastery over his bees was temporarily thwarted when handling Campbells bees for in Johns letter he humorously recounted but sad to say, our bees conceived a dislike to their visitor; and upon his exhibiting his fearlessness in handling bees, he was stung (much to the amusement of some small bystanders) by two wicked bees ... . I doubt Cotton documented this embarrassing episode. The month of May in Sydney concludes the season of Autumn, a time when he should have been safe inspecting the bees. Cottons exuberance and joy at working a hive for the first time in Australia likely tested the bees patience.

Gregory Blaxland (1778 - 1853), by unknown artist, 1813, State Library of NSW. GPO 1 14069

Colonial Beekeeping, Sydney, 1832 to 1842

Reminiscent of the free-standing bee-house designed by Marianne Campbell at Duntroon, 378 John Campbell described his form of beehouse. As well he painted a clear picture of the advanced methods of keeping bees in Sydney to The Times Bee-master in 1864. Theres no doubt these events partook in Australia for John mentions gum-trees hollowed out by the action of fires through the bush, an
Sydney University Press (p.76)
378

Refer page 178

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unmistakable Australian occurrence. John opened with It may be interesting to you, whose letters in The Times have so delighted me, to hear that my experience in Australia of the habits, instincts, and affections (if I may so apply the word) of your little favourites is identical with your own.

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Campbells Wharf, Wharf House and attached garden

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I may give some curious facts as to the sagacity and gratitude of these insects. During the prevalence of the hot winds, 379 it sometimes happens that the delicate comb melts, and the first indication is a stream of melted honey and smothering bees. I have been called to the rescue, and have taken up honey and bees in my hands, placed them in a basin of tepid water, and spread my fingers as landing-stages until all capable of restoration have plumed their wings and buzzed gratefully away, and so on until order and comfort was restored to the disturbed hive. I never was stung on any occasion whilst working amongst the bees, and only twice that I remember, and then by meeting an angry bee accidentally in the garden. The buzz of an angry bee is quite well known to their lovers. Of course we could not house all our swarms, so they went off to the woods and found habitations in gum-trees hollowed out by the action of fires through the bush. I recollect one swarm, however, belonging to a neighbour, which preferred its old quarters, and actually built the combs and filled them with honey suspended from beneath the shelf upon which the hives were ranged in the open air. Its ultimate fate I do not remember. Bees have many enemies in Australia; the greatest is probably the sugar-ant. To protect them from these intruders, we had the hives ranged on shelves, the supports of which stood in wide vessels of water, alike a protection against other foes. The apiaries were built open in front and ends, against a wall, with thatched roof and overhanging eaves; and there was a space between the shelf on which the hives stood and the wall, where one could sit or stand and watch them; for most of our hives were square, made of wood, with glass slides and wooden shutters; and the bees were so accustomed to be looked at, that they kept their side of the glass quite clean, and generally built a smooth surface of comb next to the glass, leaving space to move between the comb and the glass; and I have often seen the queen, surrounded by her admiring subjects (exactly as you describe) making her progress across the comb, each attendant bee with its head next her
379

The intensity of Sydneys hot Summers heightens in January and February. The Argus, a Melbourne newspaper, mentions hives that melted in sun. (5 October 1867, p.5c)

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majesty, fanning with its wings, and one could hear a purr of satisfaction.

John Campbell in later years

The antipathies of the bee are very curious. I have known one individual who was chased perpetually round the garden, and I have seen him obliged to rush through a hedge to escape his little tormentors. Their feuds were sometimes most violent, and I have had to remove a hive from one apiary to the other, 380 a distance of half a mile, to preserve the bees. Your plan of super-hives is excellent. Most of our hives were square, and all of wood. The straw hives proved a harbour for insects, and deprived us of the pleasure of watching the bees at work. We used large confectioners glasses as supers, 381 turned upside down. They were speedily filled, and we could ensure honey flavoured with the different blossoms, by placing the glass during the season of orange-blossom, or heliotrope &c., &c. A relation of my own kept her bees in the verandah of her drawing-room; and she has frequently cut out of the hive a large piece of comb, taking care not to break it, and merely cutting
380 381

This apiary may well have been located at Woolloomooloo House. See The Argus, 18 June 1861, p.7c, it mentions honey taken in glasses and boxes from the tops of the hives

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through the little connecting links of wax which support the layers of comb; and this she could do with impunity from the super of a busy hive, simply because she lived amongst her bees. I have never had an opportunity of keeping bees in England. I shall look for your promised manual, as I hope some day I may be able to have some of my favourites to care for. One system I do not see alluded to, which we found answer very well, when we wished, for any cause, to take the old comb and start the bees afresh. We used in the early dawn to place the full hive over an empty one, covering all with a large cloth, and then beat the top hive steadily, not roughly, with a stick. Very soon the queen would take refuge in the lower box, when a board was slipped between, and the upper old hive removed. The bees (the few that loitered behind the queen) soon left the honey to join their friends: at night the new hive was carried to the site of the old one, and turned up upon its own board. We always had cross bars of wood on the hives, upon which the swarm at first clung. Given Campbells explicit reference to Cottons My Bee Book as Our chief guide in the management (of bees), I wondered if John Campbells method of beekeeping bore relation to either of Cottons two Letters to Cottagers or to My Bee Book itself. Though I found some parallels to Cottons 1837 letter, the Campbells used relatively advanced methods. Cotton acknowledges the use of straw skeps and acclaims methods of taking honey without killing all the bees. In France, Germany, Switzerland, indeed everywhere, except in England, they never kill their bees. (p.62) Some of them make their straw hives with the top to take off, and fasten it down with wooden pegs: in July, they pull out the pegs, and with a large knife cut away the top of the hive from the combs which are fixed to it, like the top of a pumpkin: they then cut out what honey the Bees can spare, never caring for those which are flying about their heads: for they will not touch them if they have a pipe in their mouth. When they have helped themselves, they peg the top down again, and leave the Bees to make all straight, and gather honey enough for the winter in August and September

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A view of the garden adjacent Wharf House. Note the dovecote at centre. Unfortunately theres no obvious sign of beehives.

Others put another large Hive on the top of a strong stock in May, as in done in some parts of England, which prevents their swarming. This Hive they take off when full. Others turn up their Hives in July or August, and cut out some of the combs. Others, who know more about it, place square wooden boxes one on another, putting empty boxes below, and taking away full ones from the top. Some who know more about it, put an empty wooden box in front, and take it when full. These ways are clumsy, much worse than those I am going to teach you, but all better than burning the Bees. (pp.65-66) For the taking of honey Campbell used a method compatible to that of Cottons, although stackable wooden boxes were the medium. Again from Cottons first Letter Make your hives with a hole at the top, an inch and a half over, with a bung to fit into it. This is needed for the plan of capping, which I am now going to teach you. In May, when your Hives get full of Bees, and they begin to hang out, put a small straw Hive, which will hold about 10 lbs., on the top of a strong stock, after you have pulled out the bung from the hole at the top. It should have a bit of glass worked into the back, 177

that you may see when it is full. In good places the Bees will fill it sometimes in a week or ten days. Directly it is full, take it off (p.74) Cottons prime rule matches the care and concern practiced by Campbell to ensure the welfare of his bees. Cotton in 1837 Well then, let this be your first rule, Never kill one. (pp.65-66) Cotton proceeded to describe the use of ventilated side box hives which were first brought into general use by Mr. Nutt. Side boxes were, however, made one hundred years ago by Mr. White, but without ventilators, which is the grand thing. You will see directly how much easier it is for the Bees to store their honey in a side box, than in one Hive put on the top of another it is much easier to keep a side box cool, than one Hive when put upon another. The fanning which Bees make on a hot day at the door shows how they like coolness. You often see hundreds hanging out when it is too hot to work; and cases have even been known, where the combs, made soft by heat, have fallen down, and smothered the Bees. All this is prevented by that hard word - VENTILATION. (pp.83-84) Cotton, however, would have accepted the hives in use by Campbell: most of our hives were square, made of wood, with glass slides and wooden shutters ...Your plan (ie., Cummings) of super-hives is excellent. Most of our hives were square, and all of wood. The straw hives proved a harbour for insects, and deprived us of the pleasure of watching the bees at work.

Marianne Campbell, Beekeeper of Duntroon

At a collectors meet at Nambour Showground in June 2002 over 150 stallholders were present together with several thousand eager collectors looking for that special find. I was one of the hopefuls and there I found and bought a book most useful to my research. Published in 1982 and titled from Sydney Cove to Duntroon, A family Album of Early Life in Australia, this beautifully illustrated book portrays the artwork of two remarkable women, the first, Marianne Campbell, mistress of Duntroon and wife to George Campbell; and Sophia Campbell, mistress of Wharf House and wife of Robert Campbell Snr. Of Charles Campbells wife, Catherine Irene (Palmer) Campbell, Newman wrote (1961) At Duntroon in the early 1840s Mrs Charles Campbell kept a very good house, and her father-in-law (Robert snr.) 178

enjoyed planning in the garden and elsewhere 382 Kerr (1982) Of Georges wife Marianne Like her father, moral and spiritual values derived from England, as did her cultural ones. She continued to paint English flowers and she furnished Duntroon House and garden largely with English imports. At first, Mariannes anglophile attitudes were most clearly expressed in architecture. This apparently surprising preoccupation for a woman was by no means uncommon in the nineteenth century. One of her great-grandsons still owns her small household book which initially was almost entirely given over to designs and sketches for domestic buildings. It contains designs and plans for the enlargement and improvement of Duntroon House itself; for garden buildings such as a Bees House and fencing for the estate. A separate later watercolour displays a practical plan for improving the drainage on the estate, so Mariannes interests extended well beyond architectural embellishment. However, most of the plans in the book are of ground plans and elevations for cottages on the estate 383 It seems the Bees House, if built, would have been constructed c1862. The dense exotic plantings of the garden and the multi-gabled house and cottages suggest an English estate transported to the bare Limestone Plains. Mariannes garden was another important part of her life. It was said she planted a tree in it from every country she had visited. That, too, was typically Victorian and reflected the English and colonial taste for gardens containing the greatest possible variety of plants. (p.57)

382 383

p.167 pp.55-56

179

By permission of the National Library of Australia Bees House design from Mrs Campbells household sketchbook (catalogued manuscript MS840)

The design of a Bees House within Marianne Campbells small household sketchbook is twice mentioned 384 in from Sydney Cove to Duntroon Like the Duntroon extensions and the bees house, all the staff cottages were in a domestic Victorian Gothic style, with gables, barge-boards, small porches or verandahs and diamond leadlight windows. This sketchbook was stated to be in the possession of one of Marianne Campbells great-grandsons. Her c1875 addition to Duntroon House of a large new conservatory with a conical glass
384

page 56

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roof is suggestive of the Victorian period Berkshire bee house illustrated below. I therefore suspected Mariannes bees house would have been of a similar design. It seemed natural to me to conclude that bees would have been kept at Duntroon but Id not come across any evidence of this, apart from Robert Senrs residence there from 1846. Newman (1961) wrote of Duntroon The house and grounds had been fashioned as the country residence of a city man on the model of types in the Old Country. The garden, enclosed by a hedge, was typically British. Armed with the new knowledge that Marianne had c1862 designed a bees house while at Duntroon, it appears certain that honey, meade and beeswax were as common as garden vegetables and flowers about their Limestone Plains home.

A Victorian bee house at the Berkshire College of Agriculture, Hall Place, Burchetts Green, Berkshire

I wrote to the National Library of Australia and received prompt reply from the Reference Services Librarian. Ms. Frei performed a search and graciously supplied a photocopy of the relevant page from the household sketchbook, illustrated above. The three hives drawn within the bees house appear to be box hives topped by glass bell jars. Accommodation for at least nine hives is available.

Sophia Ives Campbell, swarm-catcher of Wharf House

Newman (1961) The two daughters had been in charge of Wharf House since their mother (Sophia Campbell) died in 1833. Its my 181

assumption it was the daughter, Sophia Ives 385 Campbell, who was mentioned in her uncle Johns 1864 letter to The Times Bee-Master. Sophia Ives Campbell was inadvertently part of the beekeeping scene, having fearlessly survived a settling swarm of bees upon her hand and arm. John wrote On one occasion a swarm met my sister, and actually began to settle on her hand and arm. She knew their ways, and walked very slowly on (of course surrounded by bees) until she found what she considered a comfortable bough, under which she held her hand. The queen adopted the suggestion, and after a few minutes patiently standing amidst the confusion, she quietly retired, and, as you will believe, unharmed. Assuming Campbell obtained his hive from Tasmania around 1835 when Claytons apiary at OBriens Bridge near Hobart Town was freely producing swarms, Sophia Ives would have been aged around twentythree years.

Unfulfilled Promises
Almost twelve months after Cottons Sydney visit he wrote home 386 on 21 April 1843 My Dear Arthur, my brother and my Godson. I hope to have some bees sent over to me from friends in Sydney, where they prosper, as I wrote to you before, most wonderfully. Despite promises Cotton received during his stay in Sydney, no bees were forthcoming from Elizabeth Macarthur at Parramatta. Some nine weeks after his April 1843 letter, the day before Cotton recorded the Shamrock was to sail for Sydney, he noted in his journal on Friday, 7 July 1843 I also sent a note to Mrs McArthur of Parramatta begging her to fulfil her promise of sending me some Bees. Which Shamrock was Cotton referring to? From Newman (1961) The Spirit of Wharf House The sons John and Robert (Campbell) visited their father frequently (at Duntroon), and in 1844 they spoke of their trips in the Shamrock, which was the crack steamer of her time. 387

385

Sophia Ives Campbell, born in England, 1812, sailed for Australia in 1815 with her parents, Robert and Sophia. Its my guess she was the swarmcatcher, however it could equally have been her younger sister Sarah born c1816 in Sydney. 386 letter located by Bruce Stevenson in 1997 at the Auckland Institute & Museum, New Zealand. 387 p.167.

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The steamer Shamrock 388 was at one time owned by Campbell & Co. Again from Newman (1961): In 1844 Another Shamrock, a schooner, was about to sail for New Zealand It would appear it was the schooner which delivered Cottons bees. 389 Other New South Wales beekeeping friends had also defaulted on their best intentions, probably due to their own agricultural priorities, the difficulties of organizing shipping and covering expenses, and the absence of a suitable chaperone, one with both opportunity and time for a minimum fourteen day return voyage to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. Such an opportunity arose when Cottons friend, James Busby, acted as his beehive collection emissary during the latters July 1843 Sydney visit. Cottons friends thus need only provide a hive. Busby would see to arrangements and accompany their carriage. 390 Among those Cotton visited in Sydney during April and/or May 1842 were:

Hannibal Macarthur
As covered in my book The Immigrant Bees (Volume II), Hannibal Macarthurs daughter Emmeline, then some thirteen years old, recounted, as published in My Dear Miss Macarthur, The Recollections of Emmeline Maria Macarthur (1828-1911) 391 In
388

Ive found no evidence the steamer Shamrock ever visited New Zealand. From web site http://www.jenwilletts.com/Steamships.htm The Shamrock was owned by the Hunter River Steam Navigation Company. She was rigged as a three masted schooner, with a raised quarter deck and had been built in Bristol. In 1843 she replaced the 'Seahorse' plying between Launceston, Melbourne and Sydney. In February 1846 she was the vessel of choice for Rev. Dr. Lang on his voyage to Port Phillip and Moreton Bay An excellent hand coloured lithograph the Shamrock c1841 may be viewed on web site http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an9579370 389 From web site http://members.ozemail.com.au/~captbaz/1874_S.htm I located a schooner Shamrock of 85 tons, built Nova Scotia in 1839 and registered in Wellington 1865, owned by WM Jewell. This is a candidate for Cottons expectations.
390

for more complete coverage, refer to William Charles Cotton, Grand Bee Master of New Zealand, 1842 to 1847. Peter Barrett, Springwood, 1997. 391 de Falbe, Jean (1988) My dear Miss Macarthur, The Recollections of Emmeline Maria Macarthur (1828-1911), Kangaroo Press

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1841 392 Bishop Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand, arrived with his chaplain Mr. Cotton, who was delighted to find my Father as enthusiastic about bees as he was. He wrote My Bee Book. I remember his putting a small star of tin foil on the Queen Bees back, so that he could watch her at work through the glass sides of the hive. I wonder if Hannibal Macarthur, like Robert Campbell, was subsequently in possession of a copy of My Bee Book?

Revd. Steele, St. Peters, Cooks River

Cottons April 1843 letter home tells of his visit to the Cooks River apiary of Revd Steele I send you herewith, that is by the same ship, a bottle of Australian honey, which is so very nice, to my taste at least. It was made at Cooks River, near Botany Bay, by the bees belonging to Mr Steele the Parson of the place. The bees are English bees, but came last from Van Diemens Land, whither they were taken, I believe, some time ago. They do exceptionally here. I met Mr MacClay (sic.) ... Bees were first brought for his daughter. ... I paid a visit to Mrs McArthur at Parramatta who has a capital apiary, and to Mr Blaxland. Assuming Steele did not procure his bees from the bush, two possible sources were Alexander Macleay and Robert Campbell, both of whom obtained their bees from Van Diemens Land (Tasmania). Campbell, I believe, is the leading candidate because of his close links with the Church of England which included the Cooks River church of St Peters. In 1837 Robert Campbell gave the land and a donation for the building of St Peters Church, Cooks River. 393 The family of Robert Campbell had been brought up not only as traditionally religious people, but as devout believers in their faith. Their knowledge of the Church of England was profound and they helped it freely. By 1846 the family had been responsible for much of the work at St Phillips in Sydney, St Peters at Cooks River, St Johns at Canberra and St Johns at Parramatta. 394 Cottons apiary visits and resulting promises finally bore results following Busbys presence in Sydney in July 1843. As recounted in my 1997 book William Charles Cotton, Grand Bee Master of New Zealand, Cotton recorded in his journal for Thursday 3 August, under
392 393

It was actually in 1842 Newman (1961) p.166 394 Newman (1961) p.186

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the page heading Bees Arrive During the morning I had a letter from Mr Busby dated of this Day at sea, and bringing the joyful intelligence that he had his hives of Bees for me, one from D Steeles, the other from Mrs Sparke. The following day Many thanks to them. Cottons journal entry 395 for 3 August 1843 names the donors of the two hives James Busby sourced for him while in Sydney. In interpreting Cottons handwriting, one name clearly reads as D Steele, identified by Cotton as the Parson of St. Peters, Cooks River. Rev. Dr. Thomas Steeles hive was a very heavy one, the combs had all broken down & the Bees were drowned in honey 396 . This also appears to have been a large straw hive. My Sydney friends made the mistake of picking out for me some of their heaviest hives, whereas the lightest wd have been best. The storified Hives too, like that which Mr Busby brought down for himself are best suited for the voyage - in them the combs are more broken up into smaller portions, & have more support. But to return to this lot of mine. 397 It appears the storified hive, most likely a more advanced design utilising spaced top-bars, came neither from Thomas Steele or Mrs Sparke. Busby may have had contacts of his own. Some fifteen months previously, either in April or May 1842, Cotton had visited Revd Steele at Cooks River. An unplanned delay in Sydney 398 supplemented by Campbells introductions gave Cotton the opportunity to visit beekeepers who might replace his lost bee hives. For whatever reason, Cottons well planned grand experiment to bring hives of bees packed in an elaborate icebox from England to New Zealand had failed before reaching Sydney. Who then was this Mrs Sparke ?

Frances and Alexander Spark, Tempe, Cooks River

The best I could make of Cottons script was Mrs Sparke who had supplied a very large straw one 399 a great deal too large more
395

Barrett, Peter (1997) William Charles Cotton, Grand Bee Master of New Zealand, 1842 to 1847 396 ibid., 10 August 1843 397 ibid. 398 Thurs 14 April At sunrise off Sidney Heads. It had fallen a dead calm during the night. Cotton was in Sydney until 19 May. 399 Cottons diary entry for 10 August 1843

185

than three times the size of those we have in England. 400 Subsequent to publication of my Volume II, I located a book titled The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe. 401 Tempe is a town upstream of Botany Bay on the shores of Cooks River. Alexander Brodie Spark, a prominent Sydney banker and merchant, and his wife, Frances Maria Spark, were well known to Steele, the minister of the parish to which they actively belonged. From Sparks diary 402 for 2 January 1848 Listened with very great interest to the farewell sermon delivered by Dr Steele previous to his proceeding to England with Mrs Steele by the Agincourt. Many tears told the esteem in which they were generally held The Mrs Sparke of Cottons journal must refer to A. B. Sparks wife. Alexander and Frances Spark resided at their home Tempe sited beside Cooks River. Sparks diary entry for 5 March 1837 Was called from my morning studies to see a swarm of Bees that had just emigrated from the parent Hive. I found them hanging from the branch of a Loquat tree, a large black cluster. A new hive was in readiness, and after due protection against their sting, the Gardener and Harry shook them from the branch into the hive, which was then placed in its proper position & a white cloth thrown over it.403 Spark continued his interest in matters both agricultural and manufacture for he wrote 404 on 12 March 1850 Presided at a Committee meeting of the Botanic Society, at which the important Report from the Sub Committee was passed, relative to receiving all articles of colonial growth or manufacture for transmission to the grand Exhibition in London 405 next year under the auspices of H.R.H. Prince Albert. He was also an active exhibitor at horticultural shows, often winning prizes. On 13 February 1839 the second show of the Floral and Horticultural Society. To this show
400 401

ibid., 29 September 1843 Abbott, Graham & Little, Geoffrey (1976) The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe, Sydney University Press. 402 ibid., p.184 403 Isaac Hopkins (1886) recommended that for a freshly captured swarm a sheet thrown around it will usually prevent the bees absconding. p.199 404 Abbott, Graham & Little, Geoffrey (1976) The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe, Sydney University Press. p.194 405 held 1851

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I had sent in my gardener with fine specimens of Pomegranates, Olives and Flowers, and some prizes have been awarded to me. Sparks estate on the Cooks River, Tempe, boasted one of the best houses and most admired settings of the time. The garden, landscaped by convict labour, boasted many imported shrubs and vines. 406 12 January 1838 Abundance of fruit this season at Tempe. Apricots, Mulberries, Figs, Peaches, nectarines and Plums adorn the table. On 16 September 1848 My spouse and I gardening nearly all day. The total number of fruit trees pruned by us was 154. In October 1843, as a result of financial setbacks, Spark was declared insolvent. Fears of such an event entered his diary on 7 December 1842. A bill for 500 returned from London on me. Very miserable and full of horrible forebodings. His financial wellbeing was never to return. He chased business opportunities, many of which did not pay. Some income was derived by selling fruit he and his wife picked in their orchard at Tempe. Honey sales too may have generated some income.

Alexander Brodie Spark at age 44, 1836

For 15 August 1843 More rain, still remained at home, if such it may be called. Walked with my Maria in the garden, now teeming with the promise of spring, from which we are soon to be
406

Abbott, Graham & Little, Geoffrey (1976) The Respectable Sydney Merchant, A. B. Spark of Tempe, Sydney University Press. p.1

187

driven. Two days later Still kept in the horror of suspence (sic.) respecting my fate. On 20 August he knew It was appointed that I should be driven from the sunshine of liberal affluence, into the obscurity of lean poverty, but thou hast brought me low so gradually as to prepare my mind in one degree of humiliation to meet another, without inflicting that awfully sudden wrench which might have unseated reason from her throne. The gift of a valuable hive of bees to Cotton around three weeks previously, then a time of impending financial ruin, made this donation all the more significant. For gift it must have been: Cotton wrote in his 1848 A Manual for New Zealand Bee Keepers Get a swarm from a friend early in the season in order that your stock may be well established before the swarming season is over, by which time you ought to have several hives in your bee house. ... he must be a stingy bee master indeed who will not freely give out of this his abundance In many parts of England no man would think of doing such a thing as paying money for a hive. He would hold it unlucky, and say that bought bees never come to good;

Tempe, Cooks River

Regarding Spark, from Freda MacDonnells Before Kings Cross (1967) Both as a man and as one of the leaders of his time in commerce he set an example of moderate living; and when the tide turned against him, he faced his difficulties with courage and stability. His financial decline eventually reversed around January 1846. He might be gathering apricots and other fruit for the markets; he would never again be really wealthy, or lead a social life, but he had retained the respect of the city and he was beginning to build again. 188

A Promise Fulfilled
I couldnt locate any mention of a visit by Cotton in Sparks diary during April or May 1842. Unfortunately, Sparks entries between May 6th and 17th are missing, this twelve-day gap concluding but two days before Cotton departed Sydney for Auckland. However, Cottons New Zealand journal entry for Thursday August 10th 1843 took boat to the Busbys (Buzz Bee) found his hive alive and doing well whilst I was sadly off. In one of mine, a very heavy one, the combs had all broken down & the Bees were drowned in the honey. The other, a very large straw one from Mrs Sparke, had still a few bees in it alive, not above a cupful, but the combs had all fallen, and the navvies had made free with the honey. Did not think they had a chance of living, as they flew about in a tumultuous way - sorry for it.

Frances Maria Spark

Mournfully, Cotton believed both his hives had failed. Friday August 11th 1843. About 1 oclock Mr Burrows put me across to Mr Busbys with a Maori whom I had hired to pick up the poor remains of my Bees, found they had all flown away, a poverty swarm, soon after I left them yesterday, sorry for it. One month later Cotton still had hopes of bees arriving from his Sydney friends. Saturday September 9th 1843. ... off to Keri keri after dinner, as 189

I heard a ship had arrived from Sydney, and I hoped she might have brought me a hive or two - no Bees. More disappointment ! Near the end of the month on Friday September 29th 1843. ... over to Mr Busbys. Took a comb out of their hive ... I am to have the first swarm. My Bees to my astonishment alive. The Bees, and their little combs which they had made, occupied about the space of a tea cup. There was honey in the cells, and brood. Had I turned them down at once, and fastened them to their stand they might have done well, but I yielded to my wish to see the Queen, so I tipped-tap tap on the inverted hive. Cottons exuberance again came into play. With, I suspect, the same overactive eagerness that earned him two bee stings in John Campbells apiary. Bee hives which could have been left to prosper if undisturbed offered too great a temptation. He could have added If I had but left them alone. James Robinson wrote in his 1889 (2nd ed.) British Bee-Farming, its Profits and Pleasures An apiary in which experiments are being constantly performed will never prove successful. The late Rev. W. C. Cotton at one time purchased fourteen good stocks the same year, and lost them all by experiments. 407 Cotton, a man of many temperaments, had a different impact in 1864 on John Cumming, The Times Beemaster, who wrote in praise of Cottons view on the positive contribution drones make to a hive during the Queens egg laying season as no mean authority (p.101); Cumming wrote in admiration of The Reverend Charles Cotton, while he lived the prince of bee-masters (p.91); and Mr. Cotton, the most affectionate of bee-masters while he lived (p.71) Cotton diarized on 29 September 1843 The Bees, about a pint marched all up the sides of the hive in a few minutes, and I had the pleasure of showing Mrs Busby, and handling myself for the
407

Robinson, James (1889) p.132. Cotton was sympathetic with and committed to observation and experimentation in his search for knowledge of bees. At the end of Robert Sydserffs 1792 Treatise on Bees, part of which Cotton reproduced in his 1842 My Bee Book Hoping I have satisfied my readers, for which I have exerted the utmost of my slender abilities, and communicated every observation and experiment worth mentioning, I have only to request their candour and indulgence; and if this Treatise shall be instrumental, in any respect, to benefit and profit my fellow-creatures, I shall be amply rewarded for the labour and pains I have taken for that purpose. (p.232)

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first time a Queen in N.Z. After some time I put her back, and great was the buzz of gratulation. (sic.) Terrible bad weather came on soon after and this parcel of Bees soon dwindled away, or flew away as a poverty swarm. Their hive was a great deal too large more than three times the size of those we have in England. I should have been very glad had this hive done better as its ups & downs in life wd have been unprecedented in Bee annals. My Sydney friends made the mistake of picking out for me some of their heaviest hives, whereas the lightest wd have been best. The storified Hives too, like that which Mr Busby brought down for himself are best suited for the voyage - in them the combs are more broken up into smaller portions, & have more support. But to return to this lot of mine. The day I first saw them, they swarmed away, so that when I returned August the 11th the hive was empty. In the even Mr Busbys man ... found them all clustering together on the ground, near the hive, the greater part of them having got into an old glass bottle. He put the hive over them. For several days following wet & cold they swarmed out, and went crawling about the walls, in a half torpid state. ... and at last got them to stop in the hive where they began to work - but as I have said did not ultimately come to anything. ...

Waspish criticism
Here is an entertaining diversion - the vitriolic reaction of Rev. T. Clark in his Prefaces and particularly the footnotes to the 1845 Sixth Edition of Thomas Nutts Humanity to Bees. Clark vilified both the person of William Cotton and My Bee Book. He also disparagingly inverted the accolade of this elegant volume by the anonymous reviewer in The Quarterly Review (Dec. 1842) into an italicized insult. (p.195) Clark disparagingly footnotes one of the many specimens of the ridiculous to be met with in the elegant volume. More offence is taken and ridicule piled upon Cotton for his legitimate generic use of the term he when referring to an instance of bees or any fauna of either sex. When Cotton describes his fortune in not being stung after swallowing a bee I prepared myself for a run to the Doctors, had I felt its sting in my throat but the Bee passed so rapidly down, that he had not time to sting; when he got to his journeys end, no doubt not a little surprised at the path he had traveled, he resigned himself to his fate, like a good Bee, and did not avenge himself by stinging me. Clark retorted 191

He Bees have no stings: and from the hes in the tale it is evident that he (Cotton) swallowed a drone Bee. I was expecting, observed a person in whose hearing this passage was lately read, the conclusion would have been, that he passed so rapidly on as soon to make his exit through Cottons postern, 408 and that he then flew away like a good Bee (p.197) More bile is directed at part of Cottons work as incomprehensible and a rigmarole enunciation; scorn is again directed at the The Quarterly Review for the elegant volume, audaciously extolled Fie, Cotton ! Fie Quarterly ! (p.224) Another footnote all but accuses Cotton or some friend of the getting up of the article in the Quarterly - a supposition neither impossible nor improbable. (p.172) Of this same footnote British Bee Books, A Bibliography 1500-1976 observes Nutt complains in the 6th ed. that Cotton had silently and surreptitiously taken the sketch (of the apiary at Delabere Park the seat of one of Nutts patrons and reproduced it as his own in My Bee Book. In fact, the accusation was not made by Nutt but by Clark, as editor, who clearly states in the Preface For the Notes now introduced, he (the editor) begs to state, that he alone is responsible: Mr. Nutt has had no hand in them. Yet more castigation follows. Was there ever or since so much fury exhibited by one upon another bee book author ? And yet, one with a kinder heart resided within this books pages: following the original Preface, dated 1832, penned by Nutt, there is repeated his Preface to the Second Edition. Herein he glowingly acknowledges the contribution wherein whole pages of new matter have been introduced interspersedly by my most respected friend the Rev. T. Clark of Gedney-Hill, who has revised, corrected, and re-arranged the whole; and who has not only bestowed much time and pains upon the improvement of my work, but in the kindest and most disinterested manner has, in superintending this and the former edition through the press, actually traveled upwards of eight hundred miles. The friendly performer of services so generous, so laborious, and so perseveringly attended to, without any stipulation for fee or reward, merits from me, and has from me, every expression of my gratitude, and, were it in my power, should have one expression more. (pp.xviii-xix)
408

A crude reference to Cottons backside

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The Quarterly Reviews appraisal of Nutts work is not one sided, although when on the receiving end of criticism it can seem more negative than intended. A selection To enter into all the advantages and disadvantages of these plans (supering/storifying, nadiring and collateral / side boxes) would be to write a volume; we must therefore content ourselves with Dr. Bevans general rule, which we think experience fully bears out, that old stocks should be supered and swarms be nadired. Side-boxes are the leading feature of Mr. Nutts plan, about which so much has been written and lectured but that there is nothing new in this The object of Mr. Nutts system is to prevent swarming, which he seems to consider an unnatural process, and forced upon the bees by the narrowness and heat of the hive, caused by an overgrown population. To this we altogether demur Moreover, with all his contrivances, Mr. Nutt, or at least his followers, cannot wholly prevent swarming But great praise is due to him for the attention which he has called to the ventilation of the hive. Mr. Nutts book is worth reading for this part of the subject alone:but our experience, backed by innumerable other instances within our knowledge, is unfavourable to the use of his boxes; and even those beekeepers who continue them, as partially successful, have not yet got over the disappointment caused by his exaggerated statements of the produce. (p.13) I suspect Clarks indignation was due to his belief that he was more the author of Humanity to Bees that was Nutt. Cotton, however, was positive in his comments upon Nutts 1835 third edition., wherein he described Nutts improvement of ventilation upon collateral boxes as the grand thing. Did Cotton, during the latter part of his 1842-47 New Zealand residency, become aware of Clarks heated sentiments of 1845? Or was that shock waiting for him on his return ? The anonymous reviewer in The Quarterly Review was aware of vitriolic reaction towards Cottons views. In a discussion on the relocation of hives to take advantage of near or distant bee pasturage areas: a late writer, who has shown rather a waspish disposition in his attacks on Mr. Cottons system, seems to question not only the advantage, but the practicability of the transportation of hives altogether. But the fact is, that in the north of England and in Scotland, where there are large tracts of heather-land apart from any habitation, nothing is more common than for the bee-masters of the towns and villages to submit their hives during the honey 193

season to the care of the shepherd of the district. The reviewer frequently referred to Cottons book, mostly on favourable terms. Some extracts: One of the most dangerous services, as may well be imagined, is that of taking their honey, when this is attempted without suffocating or stupefying, or any of those other methods which leave the hive free. The common barbarous plan is to suffocate the whole stock with sulphur, and then, as dead men tell no tales, and dead bees do not use theirs, it is very easy to cut out the comb at your leisure. But is any case Mr. Cottons plan is far preferable. Instead of suffocating, he stupefies them. This plan of fumigation we consider as the most valuable of the practical part of Mr. Cottons book. The rest of his system, with which we own ourselves to have been a little puzzled, is too near an approximation to Nutts to require further explanation or trial. (p.16, col.a) the present form of his book is now sent forth in one of the most elegant volumes that ever graced a library table. (p.16, col.b) Mr. Cottons book, though not quite as successful as we could wish, is very far indeed from partaking of the worst defects of this class. Indeed he has so nearly reached the point at which he has aimed, that we feel continually annoyed that he just falls short of it. ... taking the work as it comes to us in its present form, with its exquisite woodcuts, perfection of dress, prelude of mottoes, list of bee books (which, though imperfect, particularly as to foreign works, is the first of the kind) - appendices - reprints - extracts &c ., we hardly know of a book of the kind that has pleased us more. ... professing no sort of arrangement, it is the perfection of a scrapbook for the gentleman or lady bee-keeper. Clarks Advertisement (Preface) to the 6th ed. is difficult to read with a straight face. Its pretentiousness and lack of generosity bestows no credit on the scribe Were the author, alias the proprietor of the following work, to attempt to write another preface (there being no fewer than three already, understood to be authors Prefaces) the substance of it would probably be to express in glowing language his gratitude to his patrons particularly, and to the public generally, for the encouragement he has met with, and for having purchased every copy of all the preceding editions; and modestly to announce the superiority of the sixth to all former editions. But, to spare the ostensible author 194

the disagreeable task of puffing, the editor in propria persona takes the opportunity here afforded him of informing the reader that the materials for the following work were originally put into his hands in an unconnected and well-nigh unintelligible state, they were literally a rudis indigestaque moles, which required considerable labour and persevering industry in order to their being gradually moulded into the form in which they now appear; - and that he has again been prevailed upon to bestow more than a little labour upon the revision, enlargement, and, he thinks, improvement of the work. Such an astounding diatribe upon the ostensible author is, at the very least, an embarrassment to all who have, and will in future, come across these ill-humoured comments

Thomas Birkby: gardener, beekeeper

Sparks some time gardener, also likely doubling as beekeeper during his service of three years to 1838, was identified in his diary for 3 March that year. My gardener, Thomas Birkby, with his wife and family took his departure from Tempe, where they have lived for three years Birkby had previously sailed from London with his wife and children mid July 1834 and after an eventful voyage arrived in Sydney on 24 October 1834. In his letter 409 dated 31 May 1836 to his family in England, Birkby gave details of his voyage out, subsequent employment and observations of life in the colony. Amongst descriptions of convicts and their treatment, his opinions on aborigines and their situation, he gave details of native animal and bird life, prices for stock, wages, and in sympathy with his vocation, the varieties and availability of fruit and vegetables. He was not impressed by the large flies whose maggots quickly turned even cooked meat inedible. Birkby so noticed the predominance of yellow in the native flora he avidly requested as many flower seeds of certain kinds be sent as could be obtained. I was also pleased to find this passing observation The native honey bee is a small insect no bigger than a black ant, but very productive in honey. Soon after arrival he worked for the Surveyor General for nine weeks, then as Overseer for five weeks on the Surveyor Generals property on the Catarack 410 and Nepean Rivers. Then followed a longer term
409 410

Dixson Collection, State Library of New South Wales ie., Cataract River

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position as Overseer for Spark. I came down to Sydney and engaged with my present master to be Overseer at his farm at Tempe Cooks River, at which place I have been about 14 months and I believe he is one of the Gentlemen of the Colony. He makes gardening his Hobby. Our farm consists of 250 acres most of it pretty good, but we have none of it under cultivation excepting (the) new garden that I am making about ten acres, for working which I have thirteen convict labourers.

Who supplied Campbells hive ?

John Campbells letter to John Cumming advised my father procured our original stock from Tasmania, in the common straw hive, a bit of pierced tin fastened over the entrance. Who then supplied this hive? It could not have been Alexander Macleay, a comember of the Legislative Council with the elder Campbell, whose hive was personally delivered by Thomas Braidwood Wilson in August 1832. Its a mystery why swarms from Macleays daughters Elizabeth Bay hive were not supplied to Campbell. Swarms should have been available in Tasmania some reasonable time after January 1831 when Thomas Braidwood Wilson successfully introduced bees there. Robinson (1889) states regarding Wilsons hive It arrived in safety, and the bees swarmed several times the first year; (p.140) There is a clue. Wilson documented the care of his hive during its October 1830 - January 1831 voyage from England to Hobart-town 411 in his circa 1834 correspondence with John Lawrence. In part Shortly after we passed the torrid zone, I thought it advisable to confine the bees to their hive; I therefore placed a piece of perforated sheet-lead against the aperture; 412 Note the use of perforated metal over the entrance to confine the bees. The use of a punctured metal (either lead, tin or zinc) entrance cover appears to have been a common technique. A prime candidate is Mr. Davidson, Superintendent of the public garden at the time of Wilsons arrival in Hobart on 27 January 1831.
411

Correspondence contained in: Moubray, Bonington. pseudo (Lawrence, John) (1834) A Practical Treatise on breeding, rearing, and fattening all kinds of domestic poultry, pheasants, pigeons, and rabbits; also the management of swine, milch cows, and bees; with instructions for the private brewery, on cider, and british wine making. Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper, London. 412 For a first person account of the travails of this hive, see The Immigrant Bees, 1788 to 1898, Volume II, Peter Barrett, Springwood, 1999.

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Davidson subsequently acted on behalf of the Governor in the distribution of swarms. Wilson recounted the presentation of his hive to the Governor His Excellency Lieutenant Governor Arthur was pleased to accept them, on the part of the Government; and promised, should they succeed, to distribute the swarm to any of the colonists, who might apply for them. The hive was placed in the public garden, under the special care of Mr. Davidson the superintendent (sic), and as his Excellency had commanded that the greatest attention should be bestowed on them, they soon began to thrive and increase. In the space of one year there were seventeen swarms. On my revisiting Van Diemans (sic) Land, in August, 1832, I carried the original hive I had brought from England to Sydney, and presented it to Alexander Maclean, (sic) Esq. colonial secretary. Davidson, first superintendent of the Botanic Garden, given responsibility for the well-being of Wilsons original hive of bees, proved more than capable in his duty In 1832 tribute was paid to Davidson for his successful management of a hive of bees introduced by Dr T. B. Wilson R. N., These bees multiplied sufficiently in the Gardens for Governor Arthur to send a hive to Governor Bourke 413 in Sydney. 414 Robert Campbell too was a most likely recipient of one of Davidsons swarms. An equally plausible candidate is a Mr Clayton, whose apiary at OBriens Bridge, Glenorchy, produced eighteen swarms 415 from one hive alone in February 1835. Robinsons 1889 British Bee-farming (p.140) does not specifically name Clayton, however the reference is obvious in the True Colonist (a Hobart Town newspaper) of Feb. 14th, 1835, it is stated that a hive descended from Dr. Wilsons, belonging to a gentleman in the neighbourhood of Hobart Town, had already swarmed eighteen times. The Sydney Morning Herald 416 for 25 May 1837 reported A gentleman, named Clayton, has just imported from Hobart Town, about fifty or sixty Hives of healthy Bees, which are well worth inspection. Some of the Hives contain, at least, five
413 414

Bourke, eighth Governor of New South Wales, 1831 to 1837 Hurburgh, Marcus (1986) The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, 18181986, a History in Stone, Sail & Superintendents, Sandy Bay, 1986. p.13 415 True Colonist, 14 February 1835 416 p.2e

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thousand of these little industrious tenants. The importer has already established the rearing of bees in Van Diemens Land and wishes to introduce them here, without regard to profiting by the speculation. The Bees may be seen as per advertisement. Had merchant Campbell acquired one of these hives, located but a short walk from his own wharf on the same Sydney Cove ? Alexander Berry may also have obtained his bees from Claytons stock for it was in 1837 that Berry had got some. 417

The Sydney Morning Herald of 25 May 1837

A Spark Berry Link

Given Alexander Berrys extensive business, political and social contacts, he could have obtained his hives of bees from many prominent apiarian sources, such as Alexander Macleay or John Campbell. Another possibility is that Berry acquired his bees from Alexander Spark some little time prior to October 1837. 418 As previously evidenced, the latters diary depicts active beekeeping at his Tempe apiary in March 1837 Was called from my morning studies to see a swarm of Bees that had just emigrated from the parent Hive Spark maintained an ongoing commercial relationship with Berry and social contact with both Berry and his wife at their home at Crows Nest, Sydney eg., on Saturday 4 February 1837, Spark Crossed over with Mr McLaren in his boat to his residence on the North Shore The next day In the forenoon we crossed the bay in front of Mr McLarens house, and climbing up the opposite rock, took a straight direction to Mr Millers. There we found him and Mr Berry, and remained for some time enjoying the panoramic view
417 418

Refer the chapter Alexander and David Berry, 1837 on page 199. See the story on Frances and Alexander Spark on page 185

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from his house. Mr Berry had brought his gig, and he and I proceeded onward to the Crows Nest, the others walking. Found Mrs Berry as usual all kindness. Lunched on the fine fruit she set before us and afterwards walked in the Garden. Many of the fruit trees were burned black from the great fire which had lately raged in that district, apples and peaches hanging half roasted on the trees. ... After hunting for links between Spark and Berry, all became clear when I found John Manning Wards book titled James Macarthur, 419 Colonial Conservative 1798 1867. Although this book is a political study covering seventy years of the colonial period, it clearly shows the political, family and social links between many of the beekeepers Ive concentrated on, and hence opportunities for beekeeping relationships: c1842, Hannibal Macarthur and Robert Campbell were political allies (p.121) James Bowman (I believe the brother of William Bowman of Richmond) was James Macarthurs brother-in-law (p.123) Thomas Icely, then of Bathurst, was a friend of James (p.126) Alexander Macleay, another James Macarthur family friend (p.126) James Macarthur, it appears, may have had English bees in 1821. Refer footnote 419 on page. 199 (This predates Wallaces 1822 introduction !) Hannibal Macarthur was cousin to James Macarthur (p.126)

Alexander and David Berry, 1837

Another parallel the Sparks, like Berry, used straw skeps: In August 1843, Mrs Spark provided a populated skep a very large straw one 420 to James Busby for William Cotton during Busbys visit to Sydney from the Bay of Islands. In late 1837 Berry requested sheaves of the

419

Campbell, Keith (2002) In 1821, John MacArthur wrote to his brother James from London, that he understood that he had acquired English bees, and wanted to know how they were doing. The MacArthurs were first to do with livestock in Australia: perhaps this was another. 420 Cottons diary entry for 10 August 1843

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threshed rye to make bee hives as I have got some from his brother John 421 at Coolangatta, their Shoalhaven River property. 422 Keith Campbell, a New South Wales South Coast historian, observed in his 2002 423 ABC radio Ockhams Razor interview Berry was experimenting in the construction of bee hives from wheat sheaves at least as early as 1837. More than just experimenting Berry was exercising his skill in the basic construction method for making straw beehives known as skeps. Robinson (1889) wrote skeps are not difficult to make, and are very simple in their construction. The annexed illustration will, at a glance, explain how to make them; only two articles are necessary, straw, and either a few long bramble stems, or, what is far better, a few long canes, which may easily be procured The straw should be wheat straw, and as long as possible. We have always found hand-threshed straw superior for this purpose to machine-threshed, because the latter is bruised and broken, so as frequently to be worthless. The cane should be split up carefully into thin strips. Many makers use a cows horn to work the straw through in plaiting the hive, but a circular bit of tin soldered so as to keep the straw of an even thickness in the plaits is more convenient and useful; the tin should be a little wider at one end than the other. At first great care must be taken in preparing the first round or plait to make it very firm and strong, because on this depends in a great degree the quality of the hive, and all the weight rests upon this. If this is performed satisfactorily the greatest difficulty is overcome, and the remainder is comparatively easy work. Much may be learned by first taking in pieces an old hive, and observing the fastenings of the cane as well as the mode of its working. The hive entrance is cut out after the hive is completed. (pp.43-44)

421

after years of persistent invitation Berry in 1836 brought from Scotland his three brothers John, William and David and two of his three sisters, Janet and Nancy, all of whom settled at Coolangatta (Bayley, 1965, p.31) 422 For more on Alexander and David Berry, see also the chapters Large Scale Beekeeping, 1849 on page 282 and A Settler at Illawarra, c1861 on page 284 423 Broadcast 29 Dec. 2002

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Skep Making, from British Bee Farming, Robinson (1889) Meg Swords (1978) in Alexander Berry and Elizabeth Wollstonecraft provides some fascinating background to Alexanders seemingly straightforward request for this raw material to make bee hives. As well, reference to meade at Coolangatta provides additional evidence of the presence of bee hives and productive use of by-products of the honey harvest: Directions of all kinds went to his brothers and sisters, who were certainly not youngsters. During a period of severe floods he wrote, For Gods sake, dont sit around in your wet clothes. He gave instructions, with a diagram, as to how to purify water for drinking and suggested cures for their ills. His criticism and advice were hard to counter, for at times his knowledge seemed allembracing. He obviously did not worry his sisters, who were very fond of him and loved him to visit Coolangatta, where he was pressed to drink their home-made mead and wine and where, as he said, he was sadly over-fed. (p.25) David took over management of the Shoalhaven estate, but had to suffer a constant stream of directions from Alexander, who found fault with him, saying he was too soft, indecisive and easily taken in. He wrote scornfully of Williams laziness and once demanded that William bestir himself from his quarter-century sleep and go out and measure Humes farm, which had been added to the property. Alexander never seemed to praise anything his family did, yet each one of them answered his letters respectfully, even affectionately. A few brief quotations from letters to his brothers may give some idea of Alexanders dominance over his family: The butter you sent was 201

rancid. Not enough milk was beat out. No reputable butcher would buy the meat you sent up. The horses from Coolangatta were the worst broken-in to reach the market. Shoalhaven maize was too full of weevils to send to New Zealand. The wheat is infested with rust, because the slovenly tenants ploughing is too shallow. Even if they are poor agriculturalists they should be Christians and know the parable of the sower. You are spending too much of the rents on improvements. I am in debt to the Bank. (p.24) Keith Campbell (2000) has located a similarly fascinating stream of Alexander Berrys directives targeted at bees, beekeeping and honey on the Shoalhaven estate: For a few years at the beginning of the 1850s, Berry put much time and effort into the export of honey and its use in other ways. He sent books on beekeeping to his brother and farm manager, David, to improve beekeeping practices. He instructed David to put all honey to be sent to California or New Zealand in good kegs. He advocated the use of bottles in place of jars, to overcome the problem of leakage and fermentation. He adopted the principle of only exporting the best produce. He told David to experiment with honey in the manufacture of beer and wine, but he always seemed to find that the wine had a burnt smell, and tasted too sweet, like a liqueur. 424 Also discovered by Keith Campbell A small amount of honey was sold to a doctor in Sydney for medicinal purposes for 6d a pound, but not enough to make an impression on the supply. For there were logistic and marketing problems. His warehouse in Sydney became overstocked with honey, and he couldnt make sales locally. Consignments had to be returned to the Shoalhaven. Late in 1851, his bees failed to swarm properly, and he lost many as they drowned trying to fly across the Shoalhaven River. 425 And there were other
424

Keiths research continues so he has decided to reserve the original sources at this time. 425 I could find no official reference to great floods on the Shoalhaven prior to 1860, however Bayley (1965) provides As settlement grew along the Shoalhaven the farmers to the end of the fifties saw a number of rises in the river and letters written by Alexander Berry mention crop losses due to heavy rains and flooded fields. A flood was recorded on April 26, 1842. There was a small flood in 1852 but little damage. However at Numba and Terrara in the opening sixties the February flood, forerunner of things to come, swept much of the pioneers work away. Houses on the river banks were carried away whilst the potato and wheat crop became a total loss and

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worries, too. David was most concerned that bees were impoverishing the pasturage by taking honey from the clover and flowers of the field, that the European bees were bleeding both introduced and indigenous plants to death. What a fascinating wealth of detail Campbell has presented on the beekeeping Berry brothers, including the export of honey to California and New Zealand. Again from Campbell in 1850, Berry supplied 2 tons of the 12 tons exported from New South Wales. The returns were financially rewarding. Townsend (1849) said that settlers could produce a ton of honey from 100 hives. One south coast producer, perhaps Berry, exported 7 hundredweight of honey for 21pounds. After all expenses, received over 16-pounds, a terrific return. From Shoalhaven, History of the Shire of Shoalhaven 426 Products were shipped from Ulladulla, being taken from the beach by small boats to sailing ships and steamers waiting in the bay harbour. In 1858 people organized an appeal for the building of a jetty, exports being wheat, maize, potatoes, onions, kegs of butter, bacon, cheese, fowls, honey and pigs. (p.58) Its possible that honey from Coolangatta was consigned through Ulladulla further south, though
livestock, cattle, poultry and pigs were swept away and drowned. In the opening days of 1860 river navigation was partly destroyed. All bridges on the road from Shoalhaven to Ulladulla were washed away. (p.87) Another flood struck in May when Terrara residents took refuge in Nowra. August brought the third flood in six months Exasperation reigned when the fourth flood for the year washed away the wheat crop. Again in June 1864 great floods swept down although the river height was five feet lower than in the highest 1860 flood. April and June the following year saw floods again when Pyree, Numba and Brundee reported more water than the flood of 1860. (p.88) Bayley (1965) also mentions a big flood in 1862 which caused closure of the Commercial Bank of Sydney branch at Terrara which reopened in 1859, (p.66) and yet more floods in 1867 (p.88). Again in March 1870 floods swept down the river The flood of April 1870 proved the greatest of all (p.88). Bayley (1965) provided a report from that time The spot where once stood the post office, the telegraph office, the steam companys store and wharf, where all was life, business and activity, is now one vast and vacant blank, and forms part of the Shoalhaven River. The streets are turned into innumerable gullies, sand banks and creeks, fences are washed away, and the formation of the town completely destroyed. 426 Bayley, William A. (1965) Shoalhaven, History of the Shire of Shoalhaven (1965

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its more likely Berrys cargoes were shipped from Greenwell Point on the Crookhaven River. From early times, Greenwell Point became a shipping point for Shoalhaven produce because the canal 427 and Shoalhaven were too shallow to permit navigation by larger seagoing ships. (Bayley, p.58) the S.S. Coolangatta plied many years to Broughton Creek (now named Berry) taking freight to Greenwell Point to deeper draught steamers unable to reach 428 that far up the Shoalhaven. Again from Alexander Berry and Elizabeth Wollstonecraft His correspondence with Mr Busby extended over the years from 1835 to 1870. This friendship began when he stood by Busby, whose completed project (1827-35) of bringing water to Sydney from the high swampy land near Botany Bay had been so cruelly criticised. 429 He had also aided Busby in his early work in Vine Culture, editing his book 430 on the subject. (p.33) This close and lengthy relationship between Berry and Busby opens the possibility that the former was a possible donor of the straw hive that Busby subsequently supplied to William Cotton in July 1843. 431

Illawarra region, c 1850

The 1851 observations of P.V.M. Filleul, using the pseudonym A Country Curate 432 in his book The Cottage Bee Keeper, provides comment on the Illawarra region, most likely describing the apiary of
427

The canal was man made, it linked the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven rivers 428 Bayley (1965) p.59 429 Swords made an error here, and confused the doings of father and son(s). It was not James Busby (1801-71, second son of John Busby), but his father, John Busby (1765 1857), a civil engineer, who, subsequently assisted by his sixth child, William Busby (1813-87), in 1837 completed a tunnel 12,000 feet long and five feet high, known as Busbys Bore, which supplied water sourced from the swamp at Waterloo to a standpipe in Hyde Park. This bore provided for Sydneys needs up to 1849. The Australian Encyclopaedia (Volume II), pp.192-194 430 Treatise on the Culture of the Vine by James Busby (1825), published by Robert Howe, Government Printer. See The Australian Encyclopaedia (Volume II), Angus & Robertson (1958), p.192a,b. In 1830 Busby had published a second book on vine-culture. A Manual of Plain Directions for Planting and Cultivating Vineyards 431 Refer William Charles Cotton, Grand Bee Master of New Zealand, 1842 to 1847, p.46

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David Berry at Coolangatta, Shoalhaven River, c1849 in America or Australia, it is almost incredible of how large an apiary one hive may become the parent in a very few years; in England, a similar hive may stand year after year, without change, apparently strong, yet unproductive in either swarms or honey. In a late work 433 on New South Wales, I read the following astonishing account of the produce of a single stock of bees:- In the district Illawarra, near Sydney, one hive has been known to multiply itself to 300 (!!) in the course of three years ! (p.5) Keith Campbell (2000) reported J.P. Townsend, an observant traveler, who wrote in 1849 The English bee has been introduced into Illawarra within the last few years, and with much success He believed their increase was due to the soft winters. James Adair, an early Hunter Valley settler and beekeeper, 1849 The following was extracted from a website 434 on early settlers in the Hunter Valley. I found it by chance while researching another topic. James Adair was Secretary of the Stock Protection Society in 1834 and in 1836 was on the Committee to raise funds for a Church at Paterson. On 3 March 1843 the Maitland Mercury carried an advertisement he was missing a bay horse from (his) Lennoxton estate at Paterson. By October he was in trouble financially and as so many other settlers in the 1840s was declared insolvent. James remained in the district as in 1846 - he lost an appeal against a conviction by the Bench of Magistrates at Paterson for selling spirituous liquors in less quantity than two gallons without being licensed thereto according to law. The conviction was confirmed with Adair to pay 5 for the costs. In 1849 an auction took place at James Adairs Lennoxton. Mr. Dodds the auctioneer advertised the following items: 50 gallon copper still, 1 washing machine, 2 cedar presses, 1 large cedar vat 432

A Country Curate pseudonym of P.V.M. Filleul. First published as The English bee-keeper London, Rivington, 1851; re-published same year as The Cottage Bee Keeper, New York, C.M. Saxton 433 Townsend, Joseph Phipps (1849) Rambles & Observations in New South Wales; most likely the original source of the 1851 Cottage Bee Keeper reference to 300 swarms. 434 http://www.jenwilletts.com/early_settler2.htm

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400 gallons, 1 winnowing machine, 1 Stanhope gig, 10 tons of lucerne hay, 3 acres growing crop of lucerne, a small well selected library of books, bullocks, cattle and horses, as well as 3 top swarms of bees. Albert Gale, c1851 At the 1896 annual conference of the National Beekeepers Association held at Goulburn, Albert Gale said he had studied the habits of bees for forty-five years. This dates his commencement of beekeeping to circa 1851. His place of residence was recorded as Stanmore. Along with W. Abram of Beecroft 435, Gale was elected a vice-president, while Rev. J. Ayling was re-elected president in absentia. Gale was interested in Australian beekeeping history, and went to some effort to gather historical references. One interviewee was Stewart Mowle, Usher of the Black Rod, of the Legislative Council, who had many years earlier married Mary Braidwood Wilson, the only daughter of the late Captain T. B. Wilson R.N.

Mr. Albert Gale, Vice-President

Gales research efforts on the introduction of honeybees first appeared in The Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales, 1901 (pp.213-217). He

435

see Immigrant Bees, Volume I, for a biographical notes on Wilhelm Abram

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also reported 436 a settler from Jervis Bay 437 who bought two hives for 4 in 1840, then hired aboriginals to carry them over 40 miles to his home. From whom did this settler purchase his hive? David Berry of Coolangatta on the Shoalhaven River to the north of Jervis Bay ? Gales series of articles on bees, many of which were first uttered from public platforms, finally appeared in various issues of The Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These were subsequently published in 1912 in the book titled Australian Bee Lore and Bee Culture, the title page naming Gale as Late Bee Expert and Lecturer on Apiculture to N.S.W. Government. In the books preface Gale wrote In this volume I have collected together some of my published articles, chiefly those that appeared from time to time in the N.S.W. Agricultural Gazette. (my knowledge) was obtained by research and of life-long observation; not as Wisdom learned, but as knowledge gained from the book of Nature.

Rev. J. Ayling, President

Albert Gale was an instructor in Apiculture at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, now the Hawkesbury campus of the University of Western Sydney. Copies of his book, now rare, and keenly sought after by discerning book collectors, contain several examples of charming
436 437

Unfortunately, the original source for this story was not provided. Jervis Bay to the south borders the Illawarra - Shoalhaven region

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pictorial mischief, where the engravers sense of humour boldly surfaced. Peter Crebert, Maitland, c1853 While exploring the web I chanced upon the following 438 Peter Crebert was born in Kuderich in 1824, he came to the Colony (of NSW) in 1849 and worked for a time as a gardener at the Tweed Factory, Stockton, after which he went into the employ of the A.A. Company 439 repairing their ships at a place along the Hunter River known as Platts Channel. During 1853 he purchased 5 acres where San Clemente High School now stands for 3.5.0. per acre and settled there. The whole of the area was heavily timbered and the Crebert family had to clear it by hand. The terrain along the Hunter where B.H.P. now stands was swampy and the forests above the swamps on the higher ground were trees of Cedar, Ash and Blackbutt. Two years afterwards Crebert bought two more acres this time paying 50 per acre. In 1856 he commenced the cultivation of the Vine for wine making the first ever produced in Newcastle. This venture was so successful he purchased seven more blocks for an unknown cost. His vineyard was producing 500 gallons of wine, also was growing peaches, plums and all summer fruits. One of his orange trees was at least 30 ft. high and gave 120 ripe oranges on a single days picking. In one year he had 3,000 gallons of wine stored in sheds on the property. Everything for producing wine was made on the estate including two 300 gallon barrels and one 600 gallon barrel. Crebert sold the wine for 3/- per gallon or 1/6 per bottle. Grapes were sold at 3d per lb. On the estate Crebert had bee hives, selling the honey and also making waxen candles. Crebert invented a machine that could make six candles at a time. Creberts Folly Garden as it was then known became a show place and people came from all over the place to buy fruit and wine. He died on the property from heart failure in 1895 aged 75 No prime source was declared to enable deeper research into the extent of Creberts beekeeping.

438

http://sanclemente.mn.catholic.edu.au/our_school/history/before%20the %20Dominicans.htm Unfortunately, neither the author of this history or his sources were named. 439 Australian Agricultural Company

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Hawkesbury Agricultural College, 1892 To provide some contemporary background to Gales activities, the following is extracted from Hawkesbury Agricultural College History and Reminiscences 1891-1941 440 A commencement was made with the College apiary on May 16, 1892, when twelve swarms of hybrid and Italian bees were purchased, which later in the year increased to 30 swarms. The hives were placed in an old walled-in garden at No. 1 College (Toxana) in Richmond. Student E. J. Rien had charge, and conducted the work very satisfactorily, although following out his course at the same time. In January, 1893, having gained his diploma in agriculture, he was appointed as bee and poultry manager. This year was an exceptionally bad year for bees all over the colony. That year a two month course of instruction at the apiary was provided. Women had formally entered into the beekeeping ranks, for in 1894, a lady student, Miss Manning was examined by a three-hours written paper, and in practical work, and viva voce by Rev. J. Ayling, vice-president of the Beekeepers Union, N.S.W. and obtained a first-class certificate. In the College archives I found two fascinating photographs: One depicts a group of students intent upon the instructors efforts to drum bees from a box hive. All appear to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. The other illuminates a student group, also at the 1916 summer school in apiculture. I expect such scenes in the 1890s would have differed little. The mustached gentlemen sport straw boater hats beside ladies in billowing skirts. The photograph is so crisp, so vivid, the subjects expressions so frank, it seems they might suddenly spring to life.

John Doolan & Richard Shumack, Canberra, c1865

In An autobiography or Tales and legends of Canberra pioneers, Samuel Shumack recalled the beekeeping activities of his father Richard and of John Doolan, c1865. The Foreword by L. F. Fitzhardinge, reads in part Shumack had a strong interest in the history of the district and in its people, and he was gifted with an exceptionally retentive memory. In those days, when there were few amusements and plenty of leisure 441, he became the recognised custodian of the oral history of the community. It was
440 441

Dart, R. N., Richmond, 1941, (pp.87-90) Particularly I would think in the evenings, for Richard Shumacks working hours at Duntroon were 6am to 6pm, and a half day Saturday.

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a compact little world of small farmers, many of them interrelated by blood or marriage and all intensely interested in one anothers affairs; Shumacks anecdotes, which at first seem rambling, fall together as one reads on to make up an unusually complete and detailed picture of the life of such a community through the second half of last century. The day he was leaving Canberra, Shumack jumped from a wagon 442 and pierced his foot with a hay-fork. The accident ended his active farming, and though he remained a keen gardener, time sometimes hung heavily on his hands. Fortunately for us, he was persuaded to write down his stories of old Canberra. These writings fill a large manuscript of 488 pages, the margins filled with elaborations or corrections of the text. Of what passed under his own observation, he was a keen and accurate observer. I like this introduction as it gives strength to the veracity of Samuel Shumacks recollections which follow. Young Samuel and his family arrived in Sydney on 21 August 1856 on the barque Bermondsey. After a short period in quarantine a steam tug drew them to Campbells Wharf. 443 Again from Fitzhardinges foreword Samuel Shumack came to Canberra with his family as a boy of six in 1856. At the age of fifteen Samuel Shumack took up, with his father, a selection at Weetangerra, just north of the present Federal Capital and farmed it until his land was resumed by the Commonwealth in 1915. He died in 1940. Samuel recounted their first farming destination Mr George Campbell of Duntroon then came on board and asked for Richard Shumack, and after a brief interview he hired father as a station hand father was put in charge of a light dray drawn by a horse named Duke, and on this conveyance we embarked with our worldly possessions and started for Duntroon. (p.1) Of the detailed history of events at the Shumacks property known as Emu Bank, Samuel recalled some beekeeping events c1865. One day brother John and I found two swarms of bees suspended from a log, and father took these swarms after he was shown the art by an old pioneer named John Doolan. In a short time we had twenty-four swarms in boxes at our house and we knew the whereabouts of forty-six bees nests in the bush. The wax moth
442 443

he was then aged 65 see the story on Campbells bees on page 158

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was unknown at the time, but made its appearance in the early seventies. The hives in use were most likely common box hives, utilising such as kerosene cases, tea chests or anything of the like to hand. John Doolan was a clever man and was always clean and neatly dressed. He had about two dozen bee hives and made a good living by selling honey. I always admired the neat manner in which he arranged his bee hives on the side of a brush fence. One day a brown snake was discovered in Doolans house and it escaped into a hollow log. Doolan fired the log at both ends and later in the day a change of wind blew a spark into the brush fence and all Doolans bees were destroyed. (p.36) George Blundell, c1874 The Blundell family was another remembered by Samuel Shumack; firstly in 1855 when seven of them were baptized in St Johns Church, George Blundell among them. Historic Blundells Cottage in Canberra gains its name from George Blundell who was born locally, at the foot of Black Hill, in 1845 and worked for the Campbells (of Duntroon) as their bullock-driver. He was a handy man, being a skilled leather-worker and bee-keeper as well. 444 George and his wife Flora, the local midwife, saw their eight children born and raised in the farmhouse, now the headquarters of the Canberra and District Historical Society. As a result of my inquiry, I received a letter, dated 25 May 2000, from the Societys Administrator, Helen Digan I am unable to find any primary source that George Blundell was a beekeeper other than it being mentioned in A Visit to Blundells Farmhouse 445, and the more recently published The Cottage by Beth Knowles. The Campbells had an apiary in 1842, and possibly earlier, beside their house at Campbells Cove, Sydney, and a second one half a mile 446 away. They also kept bees at Duntroon, Canberra 447. If so, Id expect someone with beekeeping skills to have been in their

444 445

Wardle, 1972 Canberra & District Historical Soc. Newsletter, April 1972, p.132 446 See the chapter on John Campbells letter to The Times Bee-master in 1864 447 See the chapter on Marianne Campbell, page 178

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employ, however Samuel Shumack made no mention of any Blundell connection with beekeeping. While doing research on the internet in September 2006 I located a site 448 which states Blundells Farmhouse (c1858), today cared for by Canberra and District Historical Society, was built by the Campbells of Duntroon as a home for their head ploughman. It was built close to the ground at front, with steps at the rear where the land sloped away towards the nearby Molonglo River. The doorways were low and windows small. The roof was shingled and a narrow verandah added because of the warm Australian sunshine. Ploughman William Ginn and his family were the first to live in the farmhouse, departing ten years later when they moved to their own selection. George Blundell and his family were the second residents, moving in through the sixties 449 and living there for fifty years, hence the naming of the farmhouse. Eight children were born and raised there in that period. Blundell worked for the Campbells as their bullock driver and his talents included leather-working and bee keeping. His wife Flora was the local midwife. A web site 450 titled Australias Heritaage Database provides some interesting colour: Blundells Farmhouse was originally constructed in 1859, as a cottage for the head ploughman on the Duntroon Estate, William Ginn and his family. The estate was owned by the Campbell family, and formed the first land grant in the Limestone Plains in 1825. The 5,000 acre property was run in accordance to Scottish farming practices, which allowed for tenant farmers to have a house and a small portion of land within the property, under the understanding that their labour would be available to the landlord. In 1860, the estate passed from Robert Campbell to his son George who, with wife Marianne, commenced a building program that transformed the farmstead into an estate. Part of the building program was the construction of Blundells Farmhouse. The original Cottage construction was a simple four-roomed dwelling, consisting of two bedrooms, a parlour and a kitchen.

448 449

http://www.tomw.net.au/cnbst2.html This date may be incorrect, read on wherein the year 1874 is specified. 450 http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl? mode=place_detail;place_id=105734

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Newlyweds, George and Flora Blundell, were the next residents of the house, moving into the cottage in 1874. George worked for the Campbells as a bullock driver and Flora became the district midwife. Flora reared eight children, whose births are recorded in the Family Bible now kept in the cottage. Flora Blundell died in 1917, but George lived in the house until the 1930s, sharing it with a succession of temporary residents. George died in the Canberra Community Hospital in 1933 at the age of 87. My search continues for source documents which confirm Blundell was a beekeeper.

A 1926 pencil drawing of G. Blundells farm 451

Wilhelm Abram, the Great Beekeeper, 1882

Morris Morgans September 1975 contribution to his series the History of Australian Beekeeping as published in the Australasian BeeKeeper, adds more to the story of New South Wales Bee Master Wilhelm Abram of Parramatta, and later of Beecroft. Morgan extracted the following details from the Australian Bee Bulletin of 31 January 1907, contributed to by W. Abram of Beecroft, near Sydney. Abram was a well known apiarist who established the Italian Bee Farm Company at Parramatta, N.S.W. in 1881. His claim to have established the first modern bee farm in Australia was disputed by prominent beekeepers of that era, in reply to his claim. A quarter of a century has passed since I exhibited the first bees in Australia. This happened at Parramatta, where a
451

http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an3738001 nla.pic-an3738001

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show was held on January 26th 1882. As I had shortly before started the first modern bee farm in Australia, the Show Committee induced me to exhibit, as they considered it a great novelty, but no prize was offered. He accepted their request, and brought a hive of bees the night before to the show pavilion in the park. He left the hive entrance open to allow the bees to fly the next day, as the weather was very hot. Mr. Abram said he was very busy at the time making new hives, and did not go to the show till the third day, on arriving there he found all the bees had cleared out, leaving brood and honey behind. Nobody seemed to have noticed their swarming out, so he had nothing to guide him. The loss of that queen meant a good deal to me he said, as she was one of the Italians he had brought out with him on his arrival in the country. He looked all over the many trees about, but no swarm anywhere. Some little distance away stood the old government house 452 and he asked permission to look over its garden for his bees. The request was willingly granted. He looked around and on a small shrub found the clustered swarm. He said he brought the hive and quickly shook them into it, having a number of the inhabitants of the Government House as admiring witnesses, as they had never seen bees worked and handled so nicely before. Soon all the bees were in the hive, he closed the entrance and took it back to the show. Here a crowd soon gathered around and continued all the afternoon. My good friend Mr. S. McDonnell of Sydney was there and he and McDonnell 453 explained to many eager enquirers all about the new Italian bees, the new frame hive and the system of modern beekeeping. Mr. Abram said his first experience of showing bees in Australia proved most encouraging to him and henceforth I was known as the Great Beekeeper, interested parties from near and far visited my bee farm, and adopted my style of management. Thus he said modern bee culture became established during the space of twenty five years and he claimed he had done what lay in his power ever since to aid its progress. Mr Abrams claim drew forth many letters from beekeepers disputing his claim.
452 453

Old Government House, Parramatta, still stands. aka MacDonnell

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The following months issue of the Australasian BeeKeeper was foreshadowed to contain contradictory views from H. L. Jones, Queensland and E. Garret, Victoria.454 Though Abram may have thought of himself as the first practitioner on modern beekeeping methods in Australia, a study of Trevor Weatherheads From Boxes to Bar Hives, Beekeeping History of Queensland (pp.16-18) provides more than adequate evidence that advanced beekeeping methods were in use in Queensland c1870, when the Woodbury Bar Hive was introduced by beemaster James Carroll. A Retired 19th Century Beekeepers Reminiscences The following extract from A Beekeepers Diary by Alf Norton, being the entry for 9th October, is an interview with an old retired beekeeper. It provides a colourful description of early unsophisticated beekeeping methods in the old days all this was covered with great Yellow Box and Red Gum trees with Brown Box on the rises. All this on the mountain behind, indicating it with another 90 degrees sweep of the arm, was solid White Box with Hill Gum along the bottom. We kept our bees in gin cases on benches made of poles, slabs or bark. When father first started he used to pick out the heaviest hives and put them over the sulphur pit. We used to take cartloads of bees and brood out into the paddock, but as we young fellows grew up we improved on his methods. One time an empty box was left on top of a hive and when we went to get it, we found it full of honey and no brood. The bees had worked up through a crack. This gave us an inspiration; we bored holes in the top of the gin cases and put another on top with crossed sticks to support the combs. When it was full we would pull a wire between the two boxes and prop up one end a little. When it was cleaned up we would turn it upside down, put another on top and drum the bees into it with two sticks. We then had large wash tubs with a lot of holes in the bottom which was covered with fly gauze. This was set on two sticks placed across another tub and the cut out honey after being mashed up was put into it to drain. It was later strained through sugar bags. We had 500 swarms at one time, and we four boys put in most of our spare time from the farm on the honey. One year the flow was so heavy that the bees filled the top boxes faster then we could deal
454

Ive not yet had the opportunity to study an October 1975 edition of the Australasian BeeKeeper to follow the debate. Refer pp.84-85

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with it and they came out through the crevices under the hives and built their combs there. This made it much easier for us, all we had to do was to smoke the bees up with some cow dung on a shovel, put a tub underneath, cut off the combs and let them drop into the tub. We then adopted the idea in good seasons and worked along that line by not giving them room above. This relieved the strain on our boxes which were not too plentiful in those days. We used to cart our honey 160 miles to Maitland markets and Morpeth wharf by bullock wagon. Honey was good loading as it was not top heavy. We used to get from 5/- to 7/6 per tin. Our tins were made locally by hand and cost us 9 pence each. Apiarian, 1887 Trevor Weatherhead of Queensland identified the author who signed himself as Apiarian to have been James Carroll, Beemaster to the Governor of Queensland. An example of one of Carrolls articles, titled Practical Papers on Bee-Keeping, No. I., appears in Castners Monthly and Rural Australian, 1887, titled Practical Paper III, (p.181); a particularly interesting one on how to make kerosene case hives also appeared in 1887. (p.295). Visit to the Sunnyside Apiary, Campbelltown, 1888 From Castners Monthly and Rural Australian, 1888, 455 an interesting article described a tour of one Miss Bradleys Sunnyside Apiary, Campbelltown, 456 which contained some 70 hives and used section boxes. She commenced in 1883 using gin cases, 457 then adopted home made bar-frame hives, migrating in 1885 to the Langstroth simplicity hive. Black bees were initially kept following which she sent to Italy for Italian queens. The author was surprised the venture was a success (because the beekeeper was a woman ?). Amongst other observations he saw queen cages and a centrifugal extractor.

455 456

pp.103, 105 There is a Campbelltown in each of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Im unsure to which State the article refers. 457 See The Argus, 18 June 1861, p.7c, re gin cases Till lately, and even now it is thought by some that anything is good enough to put them in, and ten to one if you see them in the country you will find them in an empty gin case, with the bees going in and out, but very sluggishly.

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Hannah and John Wallis, Bulga Plateau, 1892 The Bulga Plateau at 550 meters above sea level, mostly hilly with only small patches of flat land, has an area of some 100 square kilometers. It is located on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range approximately 50 kilometers north west of Taree, New South Wales. Hannah and John Wallis, the first European settlers on the Bulga, arrived via an old convict road in 1892. With a team of fourteen bullocks they brought in a few food supplies, tools and seventy bee hives. They settled at Little Plains, a natural clearing a (few) kilometers from the Ellenborough Falls. The Wallis family built a small house from pit sawn red and white cedar and beech. They planted an orange orchard, sold honey to supplement a small income from cattle, and were largely self sufficient for their food needs. (Hannah, 1979, p.6) One reminiscence has Hannah Wallis arriving on foot from Little Plains, collecting the mail, heaving a 50 pound sack of flour onto her back and setting off again up the mountain. From anothers recollection, she either went barefoot through the bush or wore shoes made from koala skins.

John Wallis in later years collecting his mail

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William Hessel Hall, Pioneer Blue Mountains Beekeeper, Lapstone Apiary, Emu Plains, 1895
Hessels first born son, Duncan, recalled in his unpublished memoirs, c1976 William Hessel Hall married on 21 September 1887 at Corowa to Jeannie Duncan (both born in 1861) 458 of Scottish parents who emigrated to Australia in 1852. Both she and William were first generation Australians. He had graduated from Sydney University in 1884, well trained in the classics, awaiting a call to a Methodist parish. As expected the early years of his marriage were spent in various parsonages. He spent terms as a Methodist minister in Adelong, Glen Innes and Queanbeyan. Frequently visited Cooma and Bombala doing long trips on horseback. The first child, Elvie, was born in 1889 in Adelong; I (was born) in 1891 in Glen Innes; 459 Lincoln in 1892 in Queanbeyan. By the time the youngest child was born in 1894 the parson had left the church and Machin was born at Lapstone. 460 Duncan wrote of his fathers bee farm My impression that the first recollection at the old home to which we gave the name Lapstone was when I arrived in a horse drawn buggy at the site of the old home and spent my first night there in a tent with my grandfather, John Duncan, who was a first class architect and good worker, trained in Dundee before his family decided to migrate to newly opened goldfields in Ballarat in Victoria. The site of our tent was also the site on which the house would be put which ever after until the termites demolished it was to be our home and bore the date 1895. Boyhood spent on our tiny four acre plot which my father had purchased as a bee farm. He was quick to realize that dependence on bee keeping needed wider study, and he found that knowledge in A. I. Roots The ABC of Beekeeping. Duncan recalled 461 that by 1905 his father had made the surrounds of Lapstone into a beauty spot with trees and flowering shrubs. On beekeeping activities The photo of Father in his apiary shows about 130 hand-made hives. Flows were now so great that there was no time
458 459

Hessel was born at Waverley, Sydney on 4 August 1861 Born 8 March 1891, died at the age of 85 on 5 July 1976 at Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A. 460 Machin recalled that he was born at Glenmore 461 His papers are held at the Australian National Library, catalogue MS 5547, this item is Box 59 Folder 2

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to do anything else at harvest time - the taking off of the supers, loaded with honey, was done at night by Father. He wheeled them to the honey room in a special hand-made hive barrow. In times of extreme pressure in the honey flow, all hands were put to work, uncapping and extracting the honey in the hand-operated extractor and returning the empty supers to the hives late at night. The work could last to midnight, with Mother usually staying to the end. The last time I saw my father was in 1939. At 78 his mind was as lucid as ever. I persuaded him to write an account of his work on bees which, because of its scientific interest, I annex to this book. 462 The text is just as he wrote it in his scholarly hand without pause with scarcely a change of word: How he got first swarms from the bush, re-queened the black bees (the original honey bee brought from England early in our history) converting them with leather coloured Italians.

caricature of Hessel Hall at age 33 Daily Telegraph, 10 July 1894

His trouble about swarming and how he created over 20 years by selection and breeding of queens those with a good non-swarming
462

as at April 2001, Alan Hall, grandson, has not been able to locate either Hessels hand written twelve page article on his beekeeping records nor the 6 by 9 record book itself. It may yet come to light, although c1976, Duncan noted Did it survive ?

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record until he had an apiary of non-swarming bees. His records meticulously written up, hive by hive, were kept in a black book 6 by 9. (He) bred a strain of Italian bees noted for their honey quality, docile temper, non-swarming. (My fathers) conviction (was) that men needed to get back to a simpler life closer to nature. He wanted to be his own master - bees was one of his many interests, just a tiny foothold in honey rich mountain land. This view finds its best expression in his comments in the article he wrote, titled Not for Hire 463 in The Guide for Immigrants and Settlers prepared by the Agricultural Department of the NSW Government. Duncan shared the role of beekeeper with his father Bees were the means whereby my father and I learned to speak a limited common language and to understand each other at least in this limited field. In the very early days when the wild black bees emerged from their winter torpor, my father would take me with him every day into the bush to hunt for bee trees. I was soon adept at finding them. The black English bees had taken over the forests. They could be dangerous. I witnessed the dreadful death agonies of a fine young horse, plowing (sic) very early in the day to be safe, stung to death when a swarm settled on him. From the bee trees we felled, the bees 464 and honey were saved if possible, and a new hive would take its place by the others in my fathers apiary. By that time they had been transformed into docile Italians, which was done by killing the old Queen and replacing her with a gentle caged Italian Queen which the bees would accept when she had eaten her way through the plug of candy protecting her until the bees were used to her. To find a swarm of bees no one else had seen, my routine is still, essentially, that of the old bushman: look carefully twelve feet ahead to see that the path is safe no rocks or snakes in the way and then glance up at the trees to look for birds or even a swarm of bees, escaped perhaps from my own hive.
463

This title was not adopted by the publisher, Intelligence Department, N.S.W. Govt. The Preface by its Director H. C. Anderson We are indebted for the valuable article on Bee-keeping, the result of his own practical and successful labours at the Lapstone Apiary, on the slopes of the Blue Mountains, near Emu Plains. 464 Duncan noted, these were The wild black bees, descended from the savage black English bees imported in 1822.

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As a boy, Machin attended Emu Primary School. The building still stands beside the old Great Western Highway on the western side of the Nepean River. Machin recounted The school would have been pulled down but for my intervention. I had heard that the building was threatened and I asked Mr. Heffron if he would look into it. As he had been driving past he noticed the school and decided that it should be kept. The little annex at the western end was built about 1902 or 1903. Machin subsequently became a teacher at Sydney Boys High School. Many locations within the area known as the Blue Labyrinth in the adjacent National Park were named after the brothers, including Machins Crater, Lincoln Creek, Mt. Hall, Hall Spur.

Transferring a Swarm of Bees from a Log from Albert Gales 1912 Australian Bee Lore and Bee Culture. As a bee expert and lecturer on apiculture for the N.S.W. Government, Gale was contemporary of, and known to Hessel Hall.

Cameron says of Lincoln After the War (he) returned shell shocked and injured. He attempted to carry on his love of bushwalking, visiting the Labyrinth on his return, but the horror of war injuries and pain limited his walking days. He died in the late 30s. 221

Duncan used to return from the League of Nations in Geneva each year to have his camping holiday in the Lower Blue Mountains. Later he became an aide to Britains World War II Cabinet and went on to help compile the British Governments official history of the war. Talking Politics causes Trouble with his Church Machin recounted, that as a parson, his fathers political views did not sit well with his church. He was excommunicated for talking politics, and then he was reinstated. He took part in the campaign for Federation. That would have been in 1901. He stumped around the Riverina opposing the Senate representatives. He wanted the voting in the Senate to follow a pattern of voting in the Representatives. 465 It showed him to be a pretty wise man in those days. He got into loggerheads with the Church over that and, although he was out of commission for many years he still remained in the church and preached for many years as a local preacher. Duncan recalled He did not hide his light under a bushel. While he was still in the ministry he was ready to take on Goliaths to demolish them in public debate. He was an excellent public speaker and debater. OSullivan, a local politician with much influence, was one unwary victim. The topic under debate was Single Tax. 466 In a carefully prepared debate my father wiped the floor with him to the delight of a large audience. To the leaders of the Methodist Conference this threatened to carry freedom of speech on social issues into the field of politics. To my father, this was where it belonged, and he believed the church could not ignore the field. After long debates on the issues, in which he held out stubbornly, the church fathers cut the ground from under his feet by offering him pastoral charges in areas in climates which they knew would be impossible for him to accept because of my mothers asthma. They then moved to expel him from the ministry.

465

ie., He was against equal number of Senate representatives for each State Henry Georges fertile ideas of doing away with taxation by confining it to a single tax levied on the unearned increment of land values. In later years the Australian Government adopted it for the Federal Capital city in Canberra. (Alan Halls note of 2001: Duncan is in error here. What was adopted in Canberra, perhaps a residual effect of Georges views, was 100 year leasehold land tenure.]
466

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That still left him a member of the church, and no man was a more faithful worker for the poor and lonely. I remember his accounts of all day rides each Sunday in the sometimes bitterly cold Monaro plateau with its icy blasts, to a few shearers waiting all day for him to come. He did not show resentment at the mean and vindictive action of the Methodist Conference in denying him a living and expelling him from the ministry. He continued his membership in the church and it had no more devoted and self-sacrificing member. He never missed a service. His sermons were simple homilies given to his simple folkaudiences without a trace of the outworn dogmas of theology. Hessel said of himself 467 (This) life is one that he has lived, and is living still. He sought it rather than have his freedom of speech on political and social questions curtailed as in his former calling, and for the sake of the moral and physical health of his family. (Alison) Machin Hall was born at Glenmore 468, Mulgoa. Like his father and brother (Hessel) Duncan, he preferred use of his middle name over his first given name He had the name of Hessel its on that road, Hessel Place, and he was always known throughout the district as Hessel Hall. My father learnt to swim when he was 56 years of age, in his own dam. He used floats at first but we kept on explaining to him that these floats were dangerous. He built an underthe-surface track around the dam so that he could walk around it. Hessel Place remains and the dam too, not far from the rear of the old Hall home. He also didnt approve of smoking but he smoked regularly at night in his office! My father had a clay pipe he used to smoke. They were supposed to be cooler, that was the theory. Very cheap too. A House at Mulgoa and Two at Lapstone The house 469 is no longer there. Mother didnt have very much affection for it but she did for this home. My mother was the victim of asthma and she chose this site for the house because it fell away in front and that was better for an asthma patient, so it was said. It is a beautiful site and my father maintained that he picked the best site in the valley. In those early days there were only three or four houses on this northern side of the (railway) line.
467 468

for more autobiographical detail, refer page 236 now the site of a popular golf course 469 at Glenmore

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 My father did the work of building the house - the piers were cut in the bush. They were turpentine. Supposed to be white antproof which they were except for the core. The core got eaten away and the rest disintegrated. This isnt the original house. This was built in 1930. There is a sign built into the bit of stucco somewhere with the date. 470

Spouse Jeannie, (William) Hessel, daughter Elvie and grand-daughter, taken in front of the original timber home, around 1916.

Some Early Family History From Machin My grandparents were married in Victoria - at Swan Hill I think - in 1887 471. Grandfather came out to Australia as a carpenter and he went to Bendigo and specialised in making barrels. My grandfather told me that he learnt to read in the Franco-Prussian War - he couldnt read as a kid but he got on to a paper in the FrancoPrussian War. I dont know much about my grandmothers side of the family. She had a sister. There are some documents somewhere. Two brothers married two sisters, name of McKenzie - Scots.
470

According to a Heritage Study for the City of Penrith, dated July 1986, the gable inscription of 1895-30 suggested erroneously that there is an earlier core. 471 the transcription (ISBN 0 85923 021 X) gives 1861, however this was Hessels birth year at Sydney, his father being Reuben Hall. Information from Alan Hall gives place of marriage as Corowa, NSW.

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Duncan Even in Emu Plains, when living at Lapstone, the routine was never broken. Every Sunday he would drive in a sulky long distances - up to ten miles - to minister to a small group of churchgoers. I was always his companion. We both had the seeing eye and could enjoy the countryside. The trips I remember best were winter trips, often in a bitter wind, crossing the ford over the swollen Nepean River when the icy water would almost submerge the vehicle and the small pony would hardly make it against the surging water. All through the winter, no service in a village at any point of the compass within a days driving distance was ever missed. But of all the many experiences, the one that touched me most was his visits of comfort to lonely old age pensioners, living in tents on the plains, with leaky roofs above and no heat of any kind to warm their frozen bones. Here was a gentleman pursuing his calling without thought of self, bringing a glow of radiance to a lonely man. Gone were days of political battles. Machin My father was very concerned about the morals of the itinerant workers and he used to preach to them. He had a very peculiar voice; he trained it that way. On a clear day you could hear him at least half a mile away.

Lapstone, probably taken in the early 1930s

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Rev. William Hessel Halls house, built 1930 on the site of the original 1895 home, as seen in 1999

Contemporary gable of Halls house, the date of 1895 heralding the original timber house and its brick built replacement of 1930

Duncan In speech and writing he was a classicist. Nothing pained him more than misuse of language. When, as university students, we persuaded him to join us in the famous great overhanging rock shelter called the Word at the junction of the Nepean River and Erskine Creek, we were already using four letter words. Would it not be possible, he remarked, to keep the English language pure? He was living in a new world and the prospects for a return to simple classical English were dim.

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Family photograph c1906. Back row: Jeannie, Elvie (daughter), Hessel. Front row: Lincoln, unknown, Machin, Duncan.

Halls Guide to Settlers on the Mountains In 1905 Hall contributed a sizeable chapter to a book intended as a guide for immigrants and settlers to New South Wales, the Mother State. As part of his introduction, Hall painted a colourful picture of the mountains environment as a honey-producing region Those not familiar with this region can form no conception of the enormous quantities of honey produced by the native forest trees and flowering shrubs every year. Occasionally the yield takes the form of manna, 472 the honey or sweet sap exuding from small punctures made in the bark of the trees by the sap-feeding cicada, or dripping from the leaves till the ground is covered as with a light fall of snow with small white lumps of granulated manna honey. This form of honey production however, is the exception, and not the rule. The usual thing is for the honey to be secreted in the form of nectar in the flowers. The members of the eucalyptus family have a
472

Hall also described a gully behind his house where he had seen the ground under the grey gum covered with the little white lumps of crystallised manna Things hum along pretty fast in the apiary when grey gum is in bloom.

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little cap in the centre of the flower in which the honey is formed. Under favourable weather conditions, especially in close thundery weather, the secretion is very abundant, and the honey can be distinctly seen shining in the bottom of the flower-cups. Before the introduction of the honey-bee much of the honey secreted must have gone to waste. Some was gathered by the native bee (Trigona carbonaria), a little creature about the size of the house-fly, building a resinous comb in which it stores the honey. Many of the native birds are honey-eaters especially parrots and parakeets, whom Nature has furnished with a brush at the end of the tongue with which they brush the honey out of the flower-cups. When the mountain forests are white with bloom, enormous flocks of shrieking parakeets fly from tree to tree, reveling in the liberal supply of nectar, and deafening the ears of the passer-by with their din. English bees that have gone wild in the bush are now plentiful, and from their nests in hollow trees the settler may obtain a good deal of the stock necessary to start an apiary. But during the great honey flows which come almost every year, and sometimes many times in one year, the honey supply is so abundant, that much of it, even now, must needs go to waste for want of bees to gather it. In one of these flows about 130 colonies in the writers apiary, last season, brought in two tons of surplus honey in a little over a week, while for a short time many more colonies might have done equally well. To take advantage of these abundant flows the art of the bee-keeper must be directed to having his colonies full of bees ready for work just at the right time. 473 Honey Producing Trees Among the honey-producing trees of Australia the eucalyptus family easily takes first place, both in respect to the number of species and to the quality of the honey produced. The somewhat prevalent opinion in the Old World that honey from the eucalypti is inferior and always has a eucalyptus taste is purely a popular fallacy the eucalyptus flavour residing in the leaves and bark, but never in the honey secreted from the flowers, nor in the manna secretions. And if ever detected in commercial honeys, it is because it has been deliberately added in the form of eucalyptus extract It is quite true that some Australian honeys are rank and unpalatable in flavour, but these are
473

pp.292-293

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derived from the apple or angophora family, from grass-tree (Xanthoraea), from blackthorn (Bursaria spinosa), and other noneucalypts. The most objectionable of all comes from a member of the laurel family (Tristania laurina), fortunately it is very seldom obtained in quantity, as the bees avoid it, except in time of scarcity. From the numerous members of the eucalyptus family the flavours and types of honey are almost as numerous as the trees that produce them, but the writer, in a somewhat extended experience has found them all palatable and good, provided that they are properly ripened. The presence of so many sources of supply would lead the uninitiated to suppose that the honey obtained would he a hopeless mixture of all sorts; this, however, is not the case. The various trees have their set times for coming into bloom, different varieties blooming at intervals right throughout the year. The honey from those that bloom in the winter and spring is mainly consumed by the bees themselves in the rearing of the spring broods, before swarming time. The great bulk of the surplus honey obtained comes from a comparatively small number of varieties. During the big summer and autumn honey-flows, with a little care on the part of the bee-keeper, the main yields can he extracted separately at the conclusion of each flow, and kept apart. 474 In the case where two or more varieties are in bloom at the same time, if the honeys are of the same colour and type, they may be taken together. In the case where a flow from an inferior and a superior variety is on at the same time it will be found that the bees themselves do not mix the honeys, but that separate colonies gather from separate sources. If the bee-keeper will take the trouble to extract from the hives working on each kind separately he may still keep the good quality apart, otherwise the whole extraction must be graded as second class honey. To prevent confusion each class of honey should he marketed under the name of the tree or trees from which it is produced. Where the sources of honey supply are so numerous, it would he out of the question to attempt to describe every honey-producing tree in
474

Ive taken full frames of honey from my hives at Emu Plains at the foot of the mountains, their location about two kilometers in a straight line from Halls house: held up to the sun, the honey within each frame was easily identified as either dark (most likely red Bloodwood) or light (a mix of clover and lucerne from the dairy acres of the prison farm). Having segregated the two lots of honey, I extracted them one after the other, producing two honey varieties from the one stand of hives.

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the mountain area, but a description of a few, the most widelydistributed and typical trees, and their honey product, may be attempted. Among the most important are the box family, found chiefly on the western slopes and plains. Of these the white and yellow box are the most important, though strictly speaking, they scarcely belong to the mountain timbers. 475 Some Typical Honey-producing Trees Like any successful commercial beekeeper, Hall had to be observant regarding the suitable types of nectar producing trees, the quality and quantity of honey produced from each, their flowering and nectar producing cycles. He correctly classed the Red Bloodwood (E. corymbosa) as one of the most widely distributed and valuable of the mountain honey producing trees, which blooms in the autumn, in February and March, usually every third year. Even with the numerous widespread housing developments on the ridge tops the mountains carry today, when the bloodwood bloom is in full riot throughout the surrounding National Park, one could be forgiven for believing a freak snowstorm had dusted the almost uncountable acres of trees that stretch either side of the western highway. When I took up beekeeping some 15 years ago it was this tree variety that produced my first and most abundant crop, an amazing 75 kilograms per hive. Its my favourite of all honeys, dark and rich in flavour. As well as relatively short descriptions of White Box, Yellow Box, Grey Gum, Sydney Peppermint, Grey Ironbark, White Stringybark, White Bloodwood, Red and White Apple, Im appreciative that Hall had most to say of the Red Bloodwood Its habit is a general bloom one year, then a year of rest to mature its seed, then a year of light bloom, followed by the year of general bloom again. The large white flowers are carried in thick bunches on the tops of the branches. In the year of general bloom the trees are a beautiful sight, the mountains for miles appearing one mass of white-topped trees, while the air is laden with the rich honey perfume, and full of the din of the parrots and the steady roar of millions of excited bees tumbling over each other in their eagerness to gather the rich stores. When the weather conditions are favourable to honey secretion the honey flow becomes a honey flood.
475

pp.293-294

230

The bee-keeper, with every nerve a-quiver, must take up the pace set by the bees; must tier up the hives three and four and five storeys high, till four strong men could barely lift a single hive even a few inches for weight of honey; must work feverishly at the extractor to empty the combs and get them back to the hives for a further supply, till the roar of the bees and the whirl of the extractor get on his nerves and he longs for the comparative silence of night. But even at night the apiary is filled with a roar like that of a train rushing through a mountain cutting - the sound of millions of fanning wings driving the air currents through the hives to evaporate the surplus moisture from the nectar and turn it into rich ripe honey. The honey from the bloodwood is of a clear rich golden colour, thick, rich, and of excellent flavour. If touched it will string out in long threads that will support the weight of a bee to the ground. Unlike the box honey it granulates almost at once after extraction into a creamy white crystal, nicer than the nicest of lollies, and can he eaten by the handful. If melted for bottling it will keep liquid for about six weeks and then granulate again. In districts where the Angophora intermedia is not present the bloodwood honey is obtained uncontaminated by inferior sorts, and is suitable for export as its flavour appears to suit the English palate. Owing to its hard candying habit it is also particularly suitable for sale (candied) in the paper-bag trade, while as a wholesome sweet for children it is unrivalled. The wax produced by the bees from bloodwood honey is also characteristic, being bright yellow in colour, and unusually pliable, tough, and tenacious. As a wax for the finer grades of foundation comb it is without rival, and a great contrast to the brittle wax obtained from some other sources. Among the various varieties of harvested, I was particularly interested in his words on orange honey together with his description of the Grey Ironbark (E. paniculata). This is a widely distributed tree very valuable for its bark and timber. It blooms every other year in the spring, and the honey it yields is invaluable in building up the colonies just before swarming time, besides giving considerable surplus. In colour the honey is a brilliant golden hue. It candies speedily into firm bright yellow crystals; the flavour is excellent. In appearance the honey resembles that from the orange blossom, but it is not so rich in flavour. In the writers apiary, which overlooks an orange-growing district, the two honeys often come in at the same time, and as they go very well together, the milder ironbark honey 231

toning down the excessive richness of the orange blossom flavour, it is his practice to harvest them together. 476 The orange orchards of his time no longer grace the floodplain below Halls apiary site. Housing and industry have gradually encroached upon this former agricultural land. Only the prison farm beside the Nepean River carries on the agricultural tradition. Even there, the former vegetable paddocks, piggery and fowl yards disappeared some five years ago, swallowed by the dairy and its now larger lucerne paddocks. Half an acre of orange trees, planted some ten years ago, provide a sweet bonus for the browsing dairy herd, cropped as high as the cows can reach. Hall defined the ideal environment for a mountain beekeeper, and in doing so gave insight into his way of life. As well, he revealed that todays issues, eg., loss of honey producing forests, differ little from those of his time It is to the man with small capital, who wants land for a permanent home, that bee-keeping offers a helping hand at; it requires but little capital, and brings in an immediate money return from the honey gathered from the native forests. The ordinary farmer, finding the native timber in his way, must laboriously clear, fence, and plough, before he can put in his crop, but the bee-keeper finds the forest his storehouse and treasury before putting axe to tree; while the small area he needs for cultivation round his home can be cleared and improved at leisure. The settlement of the mountain lands and beekeeping must go hand-in-hand. In open country the industry is precarious, but in the mountains the broken nature of the country, and the need for the extensive timber reserves which State policy requires, prevent the danger of the bees being deprived of their food by the extensive clearing and ringbarking that takes place on the open country that is suitable for extensive farming and grazing pursuits. The writer, with limited capital to start with, has made a modest living for the past ten years on as rough and poor a patch of land as can be found in the mountain area; by the help of his bees gradually improving the land, and preparing the way for fruit-growing, so that he knows from experience both the difficulties and the advantages of this class of settlement, and after ten years of experience he would not change the free wholesome life for one on the richest land on the plains - much less would he care to return to that of the city. 477
476 477

pp.297-298 pp.300-301

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On the Location for an Apiary The common practice is to choose a home and then try to keep bees upon it. Such a plan often results in failure owing to the locality being unsuitable. The sensible man who intends to succeed will choose the spot that suits the bees, and then establish his home there. In choosing a location care must be taken to keep four miles away from apiaries already established. With such vast areas of suitable forest country to choose from this can easily be managed, and is in the interest of the newcomer himself, as he will find it hard to build up his apiary in face of the competition of the populous colonies of his neighbours. An exception to this rule may be made where several families for the sake of company find it convenient to settle upon a ridge or level tract in the mountains - away from other apiaries - that is surrounded on all sides by timber reserves and broken country not likely to be settled in the near future. It is desirable that the settler should pick the home for himself and his bees where a variety of good honey-producing trees are present, otherwise his bees may have a feast one year and a famine the next, as the as the same tree does not blossom every year. As far as possible the open country should be avoided, as such land is likely to be ringbarked and cleared by other settlers engaged in farming and grazing, and without the native forest the bees will not be able to find a living. If the home is made in a suitable locality, a well-managed apiary of from 100 to 150 strong colonies should yield an annual surplus of from 4 to 10 tons of honey, and about 100 lb. of wax beyond that required by the bee-keeper for use as foundation comb. These figures are not the result of mere surmise, but are the outcome of a lengthy experience on the part of the writer. Good honey from the mountains area is worth on an average 2 d. per lb. wholesale, and should not be sold for less; but in years of glut should be exported or stored at the apiary to be sold in years when the supply is less abundant. In the year just ended (1905) the writers crop of about 6 tons (120 cases) realised 150 gross, or about 125 net. Of this amount, about 4 tons (80 cases) were sold in the local market, and 16 cases sent to fill export orders from South Africa, the writer receiving 2 d. per lb. in Sydney without risk. The quantity of the honey exported (consisting of 20 cases of white stringybark honey and 20 cases from red 233

bloodwood) was reported as having given satisfaction on arrival in South Africa. 478

478

pp.203-203

234

Hall with his bees. This photograph, c1906, looks to the east.

235

Acquiring Stock Good stocks of bees in frame hives can usually he purchased in Australia at 1 per hive, but the man who is not overstocked and is prospering will not sell good Italian hives under double that money. Swarms of black bees can usually be bought in the season at from 2s. 6d. to 7s. 6d., according to size. Where possible it is well to buy swarms, as they carry no risk of disease. Colonies of black bees with comb, in the common gin-case, are worth about 5s. each. It is generally best for the beginner to buy black bees, put them in frame hives, and afterwards Italianize them. If bought in boxes with comb the bees may be drummed out, the combs (if healthy) cut out and transferred into frames, placed in the new frame hives, and queen and bees shaken in with them. When the colony has secured and mended up the combs and settled down, the queen may be removed and a good Italian queen introduced in her place. Good Italian queens, either golden or preferably leather-coloured, may be bought - untested, 5s. ; tested, 10s. ; select tested breeding queens, 15s. each - from any of a number of reliable breeders in the State. 479 An Autobiography of Sorts The next segment is as much an autobiography as instructions for intending mountain settlers In forest country the settler can generally add considerably to his stock by cutting the nests of black bees, gone wild, out of the hollow trees in which they have built, saving the pieces of worker comb, and brood, and transferring them to frame hives along with the bees, and then Italianizing as soon as they have settled down. For the rest, a page out of the writers own experience may best give the necessary information. First, knowing nothing of bees, he bought one hive - wicked hybrids - near relatives of the wasp in temper. To learn how to handle these fiends he bought Roots A.B.C. of Bee-culture, and soon learned a good deal about bees. Several black swarms were given to him by friends. Next he purchased a good Italian queen, and breeding young queens from her replaced the wicked hybrids and blacks. When he had seven strong colonies he removed to another district, taking his hives 200 miles by rail. In the new district he bought a couple of stray swarms for a few shillings each, cut several nests out of hollow trees, and despite the loss of many fine swarms at swarming time through inexperience and
479

p.304

236

failure to cut the queens wings, in two years raised the total to thirty colonies. Then removing to the barren stony ridge - then in a state of nature - on which his home now stands, he trusted to the bees and to what he could grow on the stony land for a living for himself, wife, and four young children. Obtaining the best strains of leathercoloured Italian blood, breeding, culling, selecting, he has now as fine a lot of thoroughbred queens and bees as can be found anywhere. By dint of clearing, trenching, draining, manuring, and even sifting, the barren hill has been turned into a most fertile garden. For years he made his own hives out of the ubiquitous kerosene case, till the labour of harvesting the increased yields left no time for such work. So by ten years hard work earning before he ate he has built up a home in which he is satisfied to end his days. The same opportunities, and much better, are open to thousands of others, and the struggle need not be so hard as it was at first for the writer. 480

style of smoker most likely used by Hall, as depicted in the 1912 edition of Gales Australian Bee Lore and Bee Culture

To those who desire to escape from city life in his own land to the healthful life of the mountains: He who has a stout heart and possesses industry and grit need not fear failure. He will not make a fortune, but room and work for every child, and a home and a living he may have. As a reward he will live a life most varied and interesting too busy to be dull - the years will slip by. He will call no man master. He will have busy times and times of leisure. In place of the monotony and confinement of city labour he will have work most varied, according to the time of the year, - clearing, splitting, fencing, building, with material from his own land, beginning, if need be, with a sheet of bark or slab hut, and ending with as good a house as his skill or means can construct. Hivemaking, queen-rearing, uncapping, extracting, soldering, marketing,
480

pp.304-305

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ploughing, or digging, trenching, draining, planting, reaping, mowing, harvesting, pruning, grafting, budding, picking fruit, packing; all these and others go to make up the life of the mountain home. Though not rich, the settler, like the writer, may have many good things from his own labour peas, beans, pumpkins, marrows, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, parsnips, and other vegetables from his own garden in plenty. Honey and honeycomb in variety and abundance, milk, cream, butter, eggs, and bacon of his own curing. From his few trees, peaches plums, nectarines, apricots, apples, passion-fruit, oranges - more than he can eat; strawberries and cream for all till they can eat no more; the choicest of grapes in abundance things that the richest cannot buy so fresh and good. His children growing up hardy, deep-chested, and innocent, taller and stronger by far than their parents, may follow in their fathers steps, or in after time in other callings rise to eminence in the land. To the men and women who fear God, seek knowledge, and are patient in industry, all these things are possible on the mountain lands. 481 Much of the above section was reproduced in Australia Unlimited, though written in first person, and with a different photograph of Hall amongst his more than 100 bee hives, taken c1906. The view, as seen below 482, faces roughly west with the original timber home backing the apiary. Famous Apiary Destroyed, Dec. 1908 From The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 January 1909 (p.5) the following story appeared under this banner:

481

pp.305-306 Photo taken for possible inclusion in New South Wales, The Mother State, A Guide for Immigrants and Settlers. 1906. The timber house succumbed to termites and was replaced by a brick dwelling on the same site in 1930.
482

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FIGHTING BUSH FIRES

FLAMES ONE HUNDRED FEET HIGH
FAMOUS APIARY DESTROYED STREAMS OF BURNING WAX

For some days past a bush fire has been burning between the Westernroad and Glenbrook, supposed to have been started by picnickers on Boxing Day. On Wednesday morning the fire crossed to the northern side of the Western-road, but, as it was burning quietly, no particular anxiety was felt by the neighbouring residents. About dinner-time Constable MLean rode up to Mr. Hessel Halls, and Mr. Hall, with a couple of friends, accompanied him to the old rifle range reserve, near the intersection of the railway line and the Western-road, where it was evident that the fire, fanned by a rising wind, was making dangerous headway. An attempt was made to beat out the flames above the deviation survey line. This was partially accomplished, when the fire broke over on the line of fallen timber left by the railway surveyors. As the wind was taking the flames in a direct line to Mr. Halls house, an attempt was made to cut off the fire by burning off from a track at the foot of the hill. This attempt was successful, and the eastward march of the flames stayed. In the meantime the wind had risen, and it was evident that the house, nearly a quarter of a mile back, was in danger, as the flames had crossed along the survey line to Mr. Halls land. A rush was made for the house, but the flames, a hundred feet high, and advancing at racecourse speed, were close to the house by the time the workers got up the hill. It seemed as if nothing could save the house and outbuildings. Neighbours were arriving to help, and a stubborn fight was maintained. Part of the line was saved, but the fire ran up into the fowl yards, and threatened the whole place from above. Several weatherboard outhouses had to be abandoned to their fate; others were saved by beating out and throwing water on the flames. The incredible swiftness with which the flames advanced was due to the high wind and the fact that the deviation survey line runs corner-wise through Mr. Halls property. The main line acted as a funnel. The flames 239

ignited the green scrub, and roared up into the tops of the highest trees. Branching off from the main survey line at intervals of a few yards were the cross lines cut through the scrub for taking cross levels, and two long tangent lines, all littered by the timber cut in clearing the line. The fire swept up the centre, and branched right and left up the cross lines, till in a few seconds the whole slope was a seething mass of flames, bearing right for the house. While the workers were trying to save the house a flake of flame crossed the defences on the front of the hill, and entered the apiary. One man made a desperate attempt near the top of the apiary to cut the fire off from the workshop and honey house; for if these had caught fire nothing could have saved the house. By the time help arrived he had beaten a line through. Others coming with water-carts and wet bags managed to maintain this defence, but the rest of the apiary was doomed. Surrounded by flames the soft pine of the hives caught fire. The melting wax ran down the hill in sheets of flame. Mr. Hall, anxious to strengthen and multiply his hives after the previous seasons losses, had taken no honey. The bees clustering closely around their queen and brood hives honey and all were consumed in rows of glowing furnaces. After burning fiercely for hours only a pile of glowing coals and tangled wires marked the spots where the tall hives, with their pedigree queens and teeming workers, had stood. Two of the human workers, soaking their clothes with water, attempted to move a few of the hives by lifting them off the flaming stands, but the fierce heat dried up the clothes in a few seconds, and little could be done. About a dozen good hives and some scorched salvage are all that is left of Mr. Halls famous apiary. Mr. Halls loss is heavy the results of 10 years work perished in a few seconds. Mr Hessel Hall thought he would be safe for a day at least, and advised the workers to attend further away. In the midst of the work some cooeeing 483 took place, and Mr Halls place was visited, for the fire had got across, had got into several of the orchards, and was fast approaching Mr Halls residence. Real good work was done, the house, furniture, and orchard being saved; but more than two-thirds of his bees and hives were destroyed. Lucas, McCanns, Squires and Mullins property were in great danger, but only a small amount of damage was done. The fire

483

Method of calling to another, the call drawn out and delivered at high pitch

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was got partly under about midnight, but it is feared will cross the old road and do considerable damage if it is not checked. The Nepean Times of 9 January 1909 recapped, using detail from The Sydney Morning Herald article, and added The abnormal heat of Sunday and Monday last caused a good deal of damage to the poultry yards. We hear of several residents who had quite a number of their chooks 484 turn up their toes 485 during those two scorching days. In the same issue Springwood, like most other places, has had its share of the heat wave and bush fires. Sunday and Monday last were hell on earth. The thermometer registered 110 in the shade on Sunday, and on Monday was very little better, if any. The bush fires called the attention of many fire-fighters, and several houses would have been burnt without doubt but for the energy and forethought of Constable Loftus in organising gangs to beat fires. He had a rough experience on Sunday, trying to save people and property. On Monday a call came from North Springwood to the effect that the fire was being driven with the hot wind very near to Miss Mills bee farm. Again Mr Loftus ran round and collected as many men as a sociable could hold. When nearing Miss Mills place small volumes of fire and smoke rose sky high. Everyone began to feel anxious for the safety of the good lady and the little children which were known to be there; but on arrival, it was found that they were all safe, but fire all round. part of our gang stayed behind I am pleased to say that a nice cool change has set in, and all danger of fire past for the present. A Well Laid Out Argument The July 1901 issue of the Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 486 reported In the April number 487 of the Australian Bee Bulletin these words are to be read: The Rev. Hessel Hall is satisfied, opinions to the contrary notwithstanding, that a great deal of honey is gathered from maize; and in walking through the apicultural shed at a country agricultural show some few weeks since I overheard a gentleman say, give me corn honey, thats what I like. I mentioned
484 485 486

chickens

decease

pp.842-845 487 I searched the April 1901 issue several times but could find no words attributed to Hall regarding maize honey, as well as subsequent issues to January 1902 without avail. A search of issues previous to April 1901 may locate the correct issue which spurred Gale to print.

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to a bee-keeping friend who stood by, that corn did not produce honey. He replied: I am not so sure of that. Now, in this respect that is, as it regards corn honey the bee-keeping world is at sea, and we may as well try to put it right, because I have heard the same opinion expressed by many a non-observant bee-keeper more than once. Im sure Hall bristled at being described not only as nonobservant but at sea, then have to suffer Gale put it right. Gale called in support, among others, the 1901 edition of A. I. Roots ABC of Bee Culture, quoting its index entry Corn why it contains no honey, and in consulting the referenced page 249 It is said that corn sometimes bears honey as well as pollen, although I have never been able to get proof of it. Gale then launched into a technical lecture of over two pages to detail his argument. Its not necessary to reproduce his case here, but having delivered his lecture, Gale added Yet the most observant man, whether he is engaged in plant culture or bee culture, must have noticed this fact, that bees visit both the staminate (male) and the pistillate (female) flowers of the pumpkin, apparently indiscriminately. Bees frequently visit the staminate flowers of corn, but who has ever seen bees alighting on the pistillate ie., on the silky beard that protrudes from the cob ? Why not ? Because there are no petals, no nectary, no honey, or other bee food to be found there. The only object bees have in visiting plants is the search for food. As if to shake the opposing argument insensible, Gale concluded I have seen very many samples of so-called maize or corn honey Corn honey seems to me to be a thing of modern invention. We may as well expect to get honey from ferns or mosses as from the grasses 488 ; or expect a hen that is without ovaries to lay eggs as to expect honey from a plant that has no nectaries. Bees cannot gather honey from maize, because the flowers have no glands wherewith to secrete it. I can imagine that on reading this, Hall set immediately to compose his counter-response, and take no prisoners I see no animosity in the following counter argument, however forthright and ruthless as directed against Albert Gales opinion. Hessel, I believe, could not allow a statement to stand he disagreed with without immediate challenge. His response under the title Do Bees obtain Honey from Corn (Maize) ? is consistent with D. McDonalds evaluation of Halls capabilities in the Nepean Times, 4
488

maize belongs to the grass family

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January 1908, as a lecturer of ability, thoroughly conversant with his subject. Remembering Duncans earlier comments regarding his fathers vigourously successful debating talents, here then is Hessels thoroughly prepared and argued presentation. In the July number of the Agricultural Gazette, Mr. Albert Gale devotes a long article to the task of disproving a statement to the effect that bees obtain honey from corn. Mr. Gale discusses the matter from a botanical point of view, and proves to his own satisfaction that corn cannot, and therefore does not, produce honey. In this article I purpose dealing with the question as a matter of evidence and fact, and will endeavour to prove that corn does, and therefore can, yield honey. I am aware that corn belongs to the anemophilous or wind fertilized group of plants, and that a great weight of authority can be found against me in regard to this class of plant, but authority is not infallible, and the question is one to be decided by the facts of the case and not by theories of what ought to be. I am also aware that maize belongs to the class Monoecia, and that it has stamens and pistils (ordinarily) on separate flowers in the same plant, the cob representing the female flower and the tassel the male flowers. I use the word ordinarily because I believe there are exceptions to the rule.

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c1906, Hessel Hall amongst his hives, standing close before the old house.

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Mr. Gale says no one would ever think of looking for grain at the top of the stalk. The writer has repeatedly seen the plumes of the tassel covered with well-developed grains of corn right to the top of the plant, such grains not being covered with a husk as in the cob. This peculiarity is more common in some varieties than in others. It may be observed sometimes in a crop sown broadcast or in individual plants, whose cob has proved barren, or has been destroyed by injury. Now, on Mr. Gales own principle No hen, no ovaries; no ovaries, no eggs it would appear that there must be partially developed female organs amongst the male flowers on the tassel, otherwise there could be no grain on the tassel. These facts are undoubted and have repeatedly come under my own notice. If then the male flowers on the tassel contain rudimentary female organs, then Mr. Gales whole argument re the impossibility of maize flowers producing honey must fall to the ground. But apart from the presence of rudimentary female organs on the tassel, why should it be incredible that the male flowers should secrete honey ? I have not seen bees visit the beard and cob, but am satisfied that they get large quantities of honey out of the male flowers on the tassel. In the case of the pumpkin, Mr. Gale admits that the bees visit male and female flowers alike. I know the bees get honey from the male flower of the pumpkin, because I have seen the honey at the bottom of the flower at the base of the stamen, and have watched the bees collecting it. If the male pumpkin flower secretes honey, why not the male flowers on the corn tassel ? Mr. Gale contends that the honey in flowers is secreted at the base of the petals and proceeds to assert that Maize has no petals, and, therefore, it has no honey glands or nectary. If this logical proposition is correct, then the following ought to be true, as the mature flowers of the Eucalyptus family have no petals. Honey is secreted at the base of the petals. The flower of the Yellow Box has no petals, therefore it has no honey glands or nectary, and can secrete no honey. What do the bee farmers of New South Wales think of arguments like that? The trouble is to be found in the premises in which Mr. Gale, relying upon botanical generalization in regard to a class, assumes the very thing to be proved. But if we admit that the cob has no petals, is this true of the male blooms on the tassel ? Without a further examination of the blooms, I am not prepared to admit that they have no petals. But in any case, Mr. Gale admits that the petals are a modification of the stamens, so that there is no reason why honey glands should not be found at the base of the stamens in the maize bloom as they are in the bloom of the Eucalypts. 245

Running through the authorities quoted by Mr. Gale is the idea that wind fertilized flowers are independent of insects, and therefore, are inconspicuous, have no honey, and hold out no inducements to insects to visit them. But I am satisfied that insects play an important part in fertilising many wind-fertilised flowers, by disturbing and shaking down the pollen on to the female organs, and in effecting cross fertilization (especially with maize) by carrying the pollen to and from plants growing at a distance. And even though Botanists may have failed to find honey in these flowers, yet where the insect does a service one may expect to find that he does not go without his reward. Without his wages the bee wont work, and I have noticed that when the maize does not secrete honey (as happens in some seasons in unfavourable weather) that the yield of grain is light and the cobs are barren, or but poorly filled. When the Botanists divided all flowering plants into wind-fertilised and insect-fertilised flowers, I am afraid they drew the distinction much more sharply than Mother Nature has done. She has grades between plant and animal, bird and reptile, bird and mammal, and I guess she has grades between the wind-fertilised and insect-fertilised flowers. Mr. Gale half apologises for the fact that the bee visits maize-blooms at all. He only does it, Mr. Gale assures us because he is hard up and short of pollen. But that is not true. For the bees visit the male tassels just as greedily when the angophora, the grey gum, or the bloodwood are in bloom, and when the whole mountain is white with pollencovered tree tops. The bee needs no apology for his visits. He works not to fertilise the maize (though he does that by the way) but he works for his wages, honey; having a good enough nose to find it where Mr. Gale and the Botanists say it ought not to be and cannot be found. From Darwins Origin of Species Mr. Gale quotes these words Flowers rank among the most beautiful productions of Nature; but they have been rendered conspicuous in contrast with the green leaves, and, in consequence at the same time beautiful, so that they may be easily observed by insects. I have come to this conclusion from finding it an invariable rule that when a flower is fertilized by the wind it never has a gaily-coloured corolla. Plants habitually produce two kinds of flowers, one kind open and coloured so as to attract insects, the other closed, not coloured, destitute of nectar, and 246

never visited by insects. Maize is one of these latter, says Mr. Gale, and therefore produces no nectar. In the first place I am not disposed to agree with Mr. Darwins materialistic view that flowers are beautiful solely to attract insects, for his opportunities of observation have evidently been incomplete, since a number of wind-fertilised flowers that have come under my own observation are coloured, are not closed, and are visited by insects. In any case colour is only a minor source of attraction to insects as I hope to show later. Now, Mr. Gales comment Maize is one of these latter, and, therefore, produces no honey. That is, Mr. Gale asserts that the maize flowers are not coloured, are closed, are destitute of nectar, and are never visited by insects. Now, these assertions are wrong in every particular. In reds, browns, and yellows, the male blooms on the tassel are quite gaily coloured, and often very beautiful. Next, the male blooms are not closed but are quite open enough for the bees to get to the very bottom, then as I shall show, they are not destitute of nectar, and finally, they are regularly visited by bees and other insects. Now, as many of our best honey-producing flowers are inconspicuous, some other sense than sight must come into use. 489 Probably the most highly developed sense in the insect is the sense of smell; boiled cabbage always collects the blowflies, even when covered from sight, and the smell of honey always attracts the bee no matter how insignificant the flower in which it is contained. It is a well known fact that insects can hear sounds that the human ear is incapable of hearing; and there is no doubt that they can detect perfumes too faint or distant for human beings to detect, and that they are guided to their honey-food by these perfumes. Now my experience is that all flowers with a perfume contain honey and are visited by insects. And I find that every honey has a characteristic perfume, identical with that of the flower from which it comes, and derived from the essential perfume-oils secreted in the nectar. Now, when a man can smell the honey in a flower surely the bees can do so too, and can find it too even without the aid of bright colours. I find that the maizeblooms of the tassel have a very decided perfume never to be mistaken when once recognized. And I find that the honey brought in
489

such as bees ability to see ultra-violet light

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by bees working on maize always carries the perfume of the maizeblooms. And because I can smell the honey in the blooms, I have proved and know that maize can and does produce honey. An interlude here to Hessels argument is appropriate to support Halls strong reference to his sense of smell. His son Machin recalled in 1976 We had a large apiary The honey had a rich taste. In the early days came the honey, the corn and oranges. The bee-farmer who works on these things is rather unusual. There was enough of that stuff grown on the dark sandy soil it was even denied that you could get honey from orange blossom, but you couldnt fool the old man he had an extraordinary sense of smell and taste. When he went up the mountain he would say, Come on, boys! Can you smell that? It ran in the family. The old lady his mother used to sort out the family washing by the smell. Shed get a basket of clothing off the line and shed sort out the clothes. Shed say, Thats Ebenezers, thats Evelyns, and so on. She didnt realise it was extraordinary; she didnt realise she was doing it. There was a lot of corn grown here. You can tell the taste of any honey on the mountain, if there were sufficient quantity. Hessels argument continued In these matters it is much safer to trust ones nose (if it is one that can smell) than the text books. And if Mr. Gale will follow his nose in the cornfields on a muggy summers afternoon as the bees follow theirs, he will have no doubt as to whether corn produces honey.

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Lapstone Apiary after the fire. Two hives in the foreground plus some fifteen in the background were the only survivors of 150 hives. Each hive stood on four wooden pegs driven into the ground, each presumably of turpentine and termite resistant. Even most of these were burnt away.

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Mr. Gale declares that Corn-honey is a modern invention; so is the bar-frame hive, the use of which alone enables us to identify the honey of various flowers with any degree of certainty. Referring to his personal experience on the Lower Clarence before the introduction of sugar culture there when it was only second to the Hawkesbury as a cornproducing district, Mr. Gale says I, with others, kept a number of hives, and in no case did the faintest suspicion enter my mind that I was harvesting corn-honey, because I knew that the grasses yield nothing of the kind. An open confession truly having his mind made up he did not take the trouble to find out. Furthermore, Mr. Gale settled in the Clarence in the year 1868, thirty-three years ago, and in those days and for long-after the gin-case hive reigned supreme, men got their harvest all mixed together once or twice a year. Under these conditions how could men know much about corn or any other kind of honey ? But now-a-days with the frame hive robbed once every ten days one has a chance of getting to know something about the matter. Mr. Gale is also troubled about the want of uniformity in the samples shown him as corn-honey. But this is easily explained, as the successive corn crops cover a long period in their bloom, and unless care is taken in separating it the bulk samples at different times will be affected by other stronger and darker honeys. In this district (Nepean and Hawkesbury), the apple, bloodwood, stringybark, grey-gum, and others all come in (in the years of bloom) during the period of corn-bloom. And the presence of a little honey from any of these will quite alter the sample. In order to get a reliable sample of corn-honey, advantage must be taken of the fact that the bees of one hive work on one bloom while it lasts. In my apiary, some hives stick to maize right through the period of bloom, and others work on apple, grey gum, bloodwood, &c., as they come out. By taking the sample from these hives that keep to maize, or by taking it from hives during the occasional intervals when no other bloom but maize is out, a reliable sample can be obtained that never varies. It has been a hobby with me to identify the honeys of various flowers in this district during the past eight years. And in this work I have identified those from maize, broom-millet (another grass), orange, stone fruit, clover, dandelion, water gum (Laurina tristania), Grass-tree (Zanthorrhoea minor), Red Apple (Angophora lanceolata), White Apple (Angophora subvelutina), the She Oak (another wind-fertilised flower), and from many eucalypts. Each honey is typical, has the same perfume as the flower, (often very marked) and is the same from year to year. For eight years I have worked an apiary (now numbering 150 hives) in this essentially maize-growing district, spending all my time in 250

the season among the bees and blooms. I have had the corn under the closest of observation during the whole time, nor do I think I can be classed as a careless or non-observant beekeeper 490 who is at sea and needs to be put right in a matter so closely affecting his own business. The following are some of the reasons for believing that bees gather large quantities of corn-honey :(1.) When the maize fields are in bloom, if no other honey-flow is on, the whole apiary makes for the corn tassels. At such times the bees roar and show signs of excitement over their work, such as they never show except when they are bringing in honey. Moreover, the bees show no signs of robbing each other when the hives are opened a clear sign to every beekeeper that the bees are getting plenty of honey. If other honey-blooms are out a large proportion of the hives still keep to the maize and bring in the same type of honey. The bloom of the tassel is not closed like the cob, but when the flower is secreting honey (especially in close thundery weather) the bees eagerly work in to the bottom of the cup fairly jostling each other to get at the sweet-smelling nectar therein. During the period of maize-bloom, the bees working on maize bring in large quantities of dull greenish-coloured honey, mild and pleasant in flavour, candying speedily into soft white crystals, rather brittle in the grain. This honey is not so glutinous as most honey, cuts differently in uncapping, and when new, carries with it the odour of the maize-blooms. I have not observed this honey except in maize districts, and never anywhere except when the maize is in bloom. In my own district this type of honey is plentiful. A sample I took to Sydney was at once recognised by an old Hunter River resident as Cornhoney, like that known and enjoyed on the Hunter in early life. I have noticed the same type of honey in the Tumut District in a sample gathered around the Tumut maize flats. This fact is significant, as the native honey-producing timbers in the Tumut District are quite different from those on the Hawkesbury. During a visit to the Richmond Agricultural College apiary some years ago, Mr. McCue, the College apiarist, informed me

(2.)

(3.)

(4.)

(5.)
490

Duncan said of himself and his father, c1976 We both had the seeing eye and could enjoy the countryside.

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that maize formed the main source of honey supply at the College, and his description of the characteristics of maize-honey coincided exactly with my own experience. (6.) When this maize-honey is coming in at my apiary, the bees of the colonies gathering it may be observed flying direct to the maize field on the plains, and not to the mountains where most other honey in the neighbourhood is obtained. The bees gathering this maize-honey may be observed to have the maize-pollen on their legs. Moreover, when they return home from the maize fields with the maize-pollen they have the rings of their body extended to full length, showing plainly that their honey sacs are also full. And as bees do not visit more than one type of flowers at a time, this fact affords a clear proof that the load of honey was gathered from the maize tassels as well as the load of pollen. If one of these bees be crushed a clear drop of honey will be seen extending from its body, and this honey with that in the hive carries the odour of the maize-blooms. Surely such evidence is conclusive to all save those who go to the Botanists instead of to Nature for their facts. The other great honey-producing flowers in this district have definite periods of bloom extending over from about three weeks to six weeks. Moreover, they do not bloom every year but at intervals of two and sometimes three years. But the honey I identify as corn-honey comes in during the whole period of maize-bloom extending over a period of some four or five months. It never comes in before the early maize-blooms and ends with the bloom of the late-sown crops. There is no other flower about this part that covers this period of maize-bloom, except possibly the lucerne, but in this district we seldom get lucerne-honey in appreciable quantities because the farmers cut the crops for hay as soon as the flower buds begin to burst. Moreover, when the bees bring in lucerne-honey they also bring in lucerne-pollen; this is of a dull dirty greenish colour like clover-pollen and not in the least like maize-pollen.

(7.)

(8.)

(9.)

(10.) During the past season my bees brought me in between 3 and 4 tons of corn-honey. Presumably, like Mr. Gales friend, I prefer it to any other. And an extended experience in the matter has convinced me that the maize-plant is one of the most reliable and 252

abundant producers of honey that we have, while the quality is such that it is relished wherever it is known. In view of all these facts, and in view of the amount of choice cornhoney that filled my shelves, Mr. Gale must show me some better reason than the ipse dixit of the Botanist, before I can consent to disbelieve the evidence of all my senses. 491 Water Duncan related For drinking water on which our lives depended we used 1000 gallon iron tanks filled by rain from the galvanized roof of the house. The rungs 492 were tapped to check how much water we still had, and we hoped no frog would foul the water by dying in it. When it rained and the gulley ran, we would use a yoke to carry a load of 120 gallons up a rough track for the garden. There were neither roads nor bridges. We grew as far as we could our own food, milked our own cows, and Toby 493took me to the local store two miles away in case of emergencies. In the bush water was the one indispensable element. It would be 80 years before a public water supply reached us. Yet with every storm a deluge of water rushed down the mountain. How to store it? How, in time, we solved this difficulty and made our own water supply is a saga worth telling. Storage had to be underground, and a few feet underground was solid rock incredibly hard conglomerate. It could only be blasted out inch by inch. So we set to work, armed only with hand tools, punching holes in the rock, setting fuses, blasting out a few inches at a time, cleaning up the debris, and starting over. It required many weeks of hard work but we enjoyed it. Gunpowder is a mans friend and a boys delight. Finally a huge rock hole was down to the required depth of over 12 feet. It was to be a 12,000 gallon tank, leakproof. Father took over. With occasional outside help, he faced the rock walls with cement, added a beautifully done inner chamber of brick arched to form a dome with a narrow opening at the top. As the first deluge of water from a hillside storm rushed into the tank, we all stood in the rain to look with delight on our 12,000 gallon tank full to the brim with
491

Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales, (Vol. IV, Jan. Dec. 1893) pp.1086-1091 492 This may be a (my ?) typographical error, and possibly should read bungs 493 I believe their horse

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water. It never leaked and could always be drawn on freely for the garden when needed. I can confirm by personal inspection that Halls reservoir is still there doing its job, the brick dome intact. The remains of old robust plumbing attest to the importance such a water store held for the Hall family. A Colourful Career: The Late Rev. Wm. Hessel Hall, M.A. The following obituary appeared in the Forbes Advertiser for 23 November 1946. At Forbes District Hospital on 23rd November, as briefly reported in our last issue, Rev. William Hessel Hall M.A., passed away at the age of 85, bringing to an end a colourful career. Educated at Sydney Grammar School, the late Hessel Hall had a distinguished career at Sydney University before he became a minister of the Methodist Church. His appointment as a clergyman included Corowa, Adelong, Queanbeyan and Glen Innes. Interested at an early age in political economy and land reform, he fell under the spell of the American economist, Henry George, and became a single taxer. His propagandist activities as a land reformer were viewed with disfavour by the more conservative members of the Methodist ministry, and finally led to his retirement from the ministry. He refused attractive offers from Presbyterian and Congregational connections to join their ministries, and remained an active worker in the Methodist community. Mr. Hall settled on the land at Lapstone Hill, where he commenced beekeeping and strawberry culture, to earn what was at first a precarious living. The parson farmer was not expected to last long on the land, but he lived there for 48 years and developed a beautiful home. After twelve years he was readmitted to the Methodist ministry by an unanimous vote of the conference. He always looked upon his case as a successful fight for freedom of speech in the church. Although a clergyman, he did not again take up an active pastoral charge, but remained at his mountain home where he experimented in developing a special strain of bees. A recognised expert in apiculture, he acted for many years as consultant to the Public Service Board in making appointments to that branch of the service. More than once he refused the position of Government bee expert, owing to the inadequate salary offering. 254

Increasing old-age and war-time conditions 494 caused him and Mrs. Hall to live with their son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Machin Hall, first at Young, and later at Forbes. His wife predeceased him in 1945. Of his four children, two predeceased him Mr. Lincoln Hall and Mrs. R. G. Warry. 495 He is survived by Mr. Duncan Hall, of Washington, U.S.A., and Mr. Machin Hall, 496 of Forbes. There are eleven grand-children. A memorial service was conducted in the little Methodist Church at Emu Plains, 497 which had been his spiritual home for half-a-century, and where the late Mr. Hall took such an active part in the life of the district. The Rev. G. Little, assisted by Rev. J. Calvert, his brother-inlaw, conducted the service. Today, a low, sandstone kerbed double grave sits quietly in the far north western corner of St. Pauls cemetery, Emu Plains. Looming behind the modest headstone, the east facing slopes of the Blue Mountains escarpment dominates the background, a mile or so away. W. Hessel Halls house still stands on Larstone Hill, just out of view, known as number 13 Hessel Place, Emu Heights. The low weathered gravestone records that Rev. William Hessel Hall died 23 November 1946, aged 85 years, now At Rest. Also laying in the same plot is his wife Jeannie who died the year before, on 17 September 1946, aged 84 years. A Few Notes on the Man Having devoted significant and deserved space in this book to the Rev. W. Hessel Hall, M.A. (with honours), I feel it appropriate to add a few observations. My initial interest was primarily that of Halls beekeeping activities, however this mans wider contribution to his time has made a distinctly positive impression on me. His depth of character, demonstrated intelligence, wide area of interests, staunch
494 495

in 1943 Mrs. R.G. Warry, certainly the spouse of R.G. Warry who authored the following N.S.W. Department of Agriculture Bulletins : Introduction to Bee Culture, Farmers Bulletin No. 59, illus, pp.10, 1913 Rearing Queen Bees, Farmers Bulletin no. 62, illus, pp.14 Beekeeping for Farmers, Farmers Bulletin no. 76, illus, pp.19 496 Then headmaster at Forbes High School 497 this church still stands, almost engulfed by the Uniting Churchs Edinglassie retirement complex. It bears a plaque declaring it built in 1863.

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independence and family orientation all demand advertisement. Hall was a man of mark who has to this date mysteriously escaped the worthy notice of historians in general. Let this man, who, like his sons, possessed the seeing eye, be seen in todays light for the person of vision,498 substance and consequence he was. Hall did not fear to disagree with one of the giants of science, namely Charles Darwin. Hessel possessed the indelible mark of independence treasured, as evidenced by his refusal of the post of government bee expert and the title Not for Hire for his contribution to the N.S.W. Governments publication, The Mother State of Australia. He explained to the government photographer at the time that he was not a government official and did not work for hire. Twelve years after expulsion by the Methodist Conference for his vocal political views, when the elder brethren in the church frowned on the activities of the young firebrand 499,

Close-up of the Hall gravestone

498

For many years previous to 1907 Hall strenuously advocated a dam on the Warragamba River for water storage and irrigation. Refer his letter dated 20 December 1907 in the Nepean Times for 4 January 1908. It was not until 1946 that work commenced on Warragamba Dam. It was completed in 1960.
499

Duncan Halls unpublished memoirs, c1976

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William & Jeannie Halls grave, St. Pauls cemetery, Emu plains

Hessel refused the offer of a parish to stay on his property on being unanimously reinstated to the ministry in 1906 as minister without pastoral charge. Duncan suspected the Conference sought to regain his power and prestige for the church. Hall received several offers to become both Presbyterian and Church of England ministers, and was constantly on call as a local preacher. He was a man of flair also for Duncan recalled It was his love of publicity not money that made him in his early years seek combat in public debate. He did not eschew hard work, be it the heavy effort demanded of honey harvesting, land clearing, blasting a water reservoir from the bedrock or improvement to the poor soil on the mountainside by regular manure gathering and processing. Duncan gave credit where it was due He was a physically hard worker but always intellectually alive. ... but he was never an organizer and inclined to procrastinate about many things. It was my mother who was the driving force when the time for decision had come. Duncan recalled The days activities on our estate began at dawn and continued until dusk on the four acres we owned. Large forest 257

trees, especially eucalyptus and turpentine had to be grubbed and burnt often days of work for one big eucalyptus tree. Only then could the task of breaking up the stony old prehistoric river bed begin. Each tree hole would yield a few ears of maize and a plant or two of the nutritious and tasty Australian pumpkin The lanes half a mile below the house were full of manure. In winter before dawn, my father and I would take the old spring cart down the hill to gather the manure with frozen fingers. Finally it would be processed in bins in the cow yard. When Hall did something he did it right, be it breeding his own strain of Italian bees noted for their honey quality, docile temper and nonswarming behaviour; excavating underground water storage or debating with conviction and attention to detail, almost to the total devastation of his opponents case, though with no sign of vindictiveness. His offspring were given a solid education, sufficient for them to make their own significant contributions. Hall was a family man, but I sense a certain distance between his father and Duncan, given the latters comment Bees were the means whereby my father and I learned to speak a limited common language and to understand each other at least in this limited field. It would not surprise me that Duncan, who saw great success in the League of Nations and with the British Government, was of the same independent and solid mould as his father, though his aspirations lay elsewhere. Hall, I sense, would have liked his sons to continue with the apiary, but Duncan touched on a generation gap in his unpublished memoirs Would the three sons go on doing all that, as Father almost seemed to hope? Helpers not apprentices. One of Hessels grandchildren, Alan, wrote of him in 1996 Lapstone was to be the family home until a few years before he died. It was here that Hessel compiled a series of stories he grouped under the title of Nature and Fairy Tales. Each with a distinctly Australian flavour, they are reminiscent of Dorothy Walls Bridget and the Bees (1935), Norman Lindsays 500 The Magic Pudding (1918), May Gibbs Cuddlepot and Snugglepie and Dorothy Walls

500

Norman Lindsays home and studio may be visited at Springwood in the Blue Mountains, not ten minutes drive further up the Great Western Highway from Lapstone.

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Blinky Bill. 501 Alan observed the bush around Lapstone and his experiences and professions as a clergyman and as a small scale farmer provide the building blocks and moral flavour of the stories which are an unusual mix of natural lore, realism and sentiment. Hessel concluded his story The Pied Piper of Emu Plains with a lament many parents would empathise with, once their children have grown and left home to begin their adult lives Now, good bye, little ones, everywhere. I send you my love, and when you have read the story, please send your love back to me, for, in my lonely big house, I want it every bit. As a final summation, Duncan put it simply, with barely hidden sentiments of respect, admiration and love He remained a land man treasuring above all else the bush, his bees, and the independence and seclusion of his new life. Without doubt, the Rev. W. Hessel Hall remains one to whom his descendants may look upon with esteem and affection. TASMANIA

Charles & Louisa Meredith, c1848

In The Immigrant Bees, Volume I there appear extracts from Louisa Merediths book My Home in Tasmania where Louisa writes of her bees at Poyston, Port Sorell. Some time later, her husband Charles 502 resigned his post and the family, its servants, dogs, bees and favourite fowls were packed aboard the coastal steamer bound for Swan Port. But the wind was too strong, the vessel put back to post, and the family took the mail coach to Campbell Town. 503 From there a weary, three-day journey by spring cart brought them to Riversdale, very dilapidated and needing
501

Dorothy Wall lived in Warrimoo (approx. halfway between Lapstone and Springwood along the Great Western Highway), Blue Mountains, NSW, a village where I and my family also lived for eight years, and later at Springwood for another seven years.. 502 Charles receives mention in the online Australian Dictionary of Biography entry on his father, George. Several of Meredith's children became prominent in later years; his second son, Charles, was appointed colonial treasurer of Van Diemen's Land in 1857 and continued in high public offices for twenty years; 503 Pownall, Eve (1959) Mary of Maranoa, Tales of Australian Pioneer Women. F. H. Johnston, Sydney. (p.112) No prime sources are provided for this reference to bees etc.

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attention. Louisa busied herself with garden-making, additions were built on the house, and soon all was well in the blacksmiths forge, the mill and the barn. Doves cooed in the dovecote, portly porkers grunted in their sties, bees buzzed among the flowers, the dairy cows took their leisurely way among the rich pasture and Louisas island Home was restored to order.

Honey Exported, 1846-47

An intriguing list of colonial exports from Launceston and Hobart for the 1846-47 season, compiled by C. H. Goldsmith of Launceston in The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, January 1847 (Vol. 3, No. 4.), includes sperm oil, whalebone, leather and hides, horns and bones, seal and kangaroo skins, bark and wattle gum. Also exported was one cask of honey from Hobart. No honey exports were listed for the years 1844 through 1846. I wonder which entrepreneurial apiarist was responsible for this 1847 cask of honey? The thirty-one resident members of The Tasmanian Society listed in the Journal includes some previously identified beekeepers: Capt. Booth and T. J. Lempriere of Port Arthur, Rev. R. R. Davies of Norfolk Plains and Joseph Milligan of Macquarie Harbour. 504 At the Great Exhibition of 1851 Dr. Milligan exhibited a cake of beeswax and a W. Rout had honey and cakes of beeswax on display. Several years later at the 1855 Universal Exhibition of Industry in Paris, Dr. Milligan had on show one bottle of honey. From Peter Bolgers (1973) Hobart Town, a portrait of early Hobart society Proceedings were published in periodical form by the affluent Royal Society for every year of the 1850s and a large audience was sure to attend each monthly meeting. These have remained the busiest years and the most prosperous years of the Societys long existence. Denison 505 had assisted its progress by offering to pay the Museum Curator a government sinecure salary to supplement the Societys 100 retainer. He thus provided a full-time editor for the published papers. The incumbent was Dr James Milligan 506, an Edinburgh medical man, left behind after the
504 505

refer pages 70-71, 68, 72-73 of The Immigrant Bees, Volume II Lieutenant Governor William Thomas Denison 506 While West (1852) simply refers to Dr Milligan, the editor of the 1981 reprint of Wests History of Tasmania supplies Milligans first name as Joseph; however Bolger (1973) refers specifically to Dr James Milligan. Given their common reference to Dr Milligans research into Aboriginal

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transportation officers left. Milligan led research into the languages of the fast-dying Tasmanian Aborigines who by being pushed to the perimeter of colonial life, were becoming academically respectable. (p.85) Dr Milligan is mentioned several times in John Wests 1852 History of Tasmania: For a time up to 1843 Dr. Milligan was Comptrollergeneral who had introduced practical measures. Sir John Franklin had appointed Dr Milligan as Comtroller-General in succession to Forster when the Probation System was introduced 507 During four years (to) 1844, more than 15,000 prisoners arrived. 508. Dr Milligan acted as commandant 509 in 1843-6, and in 1847 until the natives were removed 510 to Oyster Bay, where he remained as superintendent until 1854. He performed valuable work as a botanist and geologist, and made a notable contribution to the study of the Aboriginal languages. 511 Any one of these Tasmanian beekeepers of the period identified in The Immigrant Bees (Vols. I & II), are possible candidates. Another possible nominee is James Fenton 512 who wrote of the 1840s My hives were of the roughest description - tea chests and grocery boxes. One swarm would fill an 80 lb. tea-chest during the summer; so that I had quite a large bee establishment, and sent away probably a couple of tons of honey. The list of exports compiled by the same C. H. Goldsmith for 1844-45 and 1846 details a like collection of primary products including seven bags of turnip seed, 430 gun stocks and 30344 trenails, however no honey is listed. 513 Honey and beeswax production, it seems, was yet to
languages, there can be no doubt they wrote of the same man. 507 West, John (1852) History of Tasmania, Ch XXIV, p.671, note 332 508 Ibid. p.498 509 Commandant of the Tasmanian aborigines expelled to Flinders Island 510 West uses the word deported on p.313 of The History of Tasmania, 1852 511 West, John (1852) Ch. VIII, p.312; note 109, p.634 512 Bushlife in Tasmania, Fifty Years Ago (1891) 513 Campbell (2002) mentions honey exported, presumably from NSW: The first export of honey was in 1845, 2-1/2 tons worth at 68-pounds. Over the next few years exports ranged from a ton or so, worth a few pounds, up to 12 tons, which sold for over 600-pounds in 1850. Over the following few years, exports were down somewhat, but still significant. The main destinations shirted around from year to year between England, California,

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receive mention in the listed imports for the Port of Launceston for the year ending January 1847, which shows soap and candles valued at 3193 and 11,182 of sugar.

Mrs Fenton, London, 1851

In the Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, for the International Exhibition of London in 1851, I located a catalogue entry for item 330 Honey of 1850 by a Mrs Fenton of Van Diemens Land. Its very likely the exhibitor was Mrs James Fenton. Co-exhibitors were J. Milligan with item 273, a cake of bees wax, and W. Rout with item 291 Honey of Tasmania, 1849 and 1850 along with item 293, three cakes of bees-wax unbleached.

Zieber Sumner, 1880s

Morris Morgans July 1970 contribution to the Australasian BeeKeeper briefly mentioned a Mr. Zieber Sumner of Tasmania, who was early in the field with commercial beekeeping. Mr. Thomas Lloyd Hood, of Hobart, took a leading part in bee culture in 1884. Morgan added more on Sumner in the Australasian BeeKeeper for April 1971 Mr. Zieber Sumner of Great Western, a pioneer beekeeper, well known throughout the 1880s writing to the Bulletin 514 says that having received an invitation from the editor to give monthly reports of beekeeping in that part of the Australian Colonies and to contribute any other information on bees which might be of service to other readers of the journal he availed himself of the opportunity to do so. Mr. Sumner said his main point of managing bees was to get the greatest result possible from them, in order to make the most money out of their produce. He stated that since 1881, he had lived entirely on what he had made out of his own bees and the fees received for managing other peoples bees. He claimed he was a professional bee master, traveling round the country each season by horse and cart, with honey machines, sieves and tubs; depriving, supering and nadiring 515 for different beekeepers and if they were disposed to sell, buying their honey, honey-comb and beeswax. His charges were, for depriving and straining the honey, per
New Zealand and other unspecified British colonies. 514 Australian Bee Bulletin, NSW State Ref Lib DS638.05/2. Vol. I 1892, to Vol. VI 1898 515 Rather than supering ie., placing a box for honey collection at the top of the hive, nadiring involved positioning a box at the bottom of the hive immediately over the brood box.

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hive 2/6; putting on a super or nadiring, 2/-; taking off a super or nadir, 1/-. The latter was usually less trouble and therefore could be done much cheaper. Mr. Sumner said he had often deprived eight hives and strained perhaps four hundredweight of honey in a day, which he said was hard work. It was his practice to work in the day only and not at night during the honey harvest as the bees and he himself could then see what they were doing. His experience extended over a large part of Victoria; he traveled through the different districts, buying and selling honey, wax and bees, moving sometimes from ten or twenty hives at a time, a distance of 120 miles overland. In his travels, he had seen thousands of hives kept by different beekeepers and had had good opportunities of judging the nature of the flora of the various districts, which was what every beekeeper should study. The difference of a few miles would often make an apiary a success or failure, other things being equal. A want of unity amongst beekeepers was why honey did not realise much in Victoria. He stated he was the only beekeeper who struck out for a price and long before the new season began he was always clean sold out at his own price, which proved beyond doubt that it was only a want of unity amongst beekeepers that kept the price so low. His wholesale purchasing price was 4d. per lb. And his wholesale selling price was 6d. per lb., retail price per dozen pounds, 7/-; in single pounds, 8d. Comb honey for Ballarat and up-country districts, 1/- per lb; over 20 lbs., 10d. per lb.; by the box to shops, 9d. per lb. This allowed them, he said, twenty-five per cent., which was fair between himself and dealers. (p.245)

VICTORIA
Samuel Simmons, 1868 In another of his series of articles titled the History of Australian Beekeeping printed in the Australasian BeeKeeper for July 1970, Morris Morgan reported A pioneer beekeeper of Victoria was Mr. S. Simmons in 1878. Mr. Simmons claimed that he had the answer to the problem of how to completely eliminate swarming and issued a pamphlet on the subject. In his publication A Modern Bee Farm, published in 1886, the chapter on swarming, its cause, control and prevention, dealt fully with the problem. Beekeepers of those days 263

and later years, who adopted his plan, claimed they had no more trouble with swarming. (pp.26-27) For January 1971 In the April Australian Bee Bulletin for 1887 516 there appeared an article headed A Modern Bee Farm and its Management by Mr. Samuel Simmons, a well known and extensive honey producer and queen breeder of 1880. Mr. Simmons said that he learnt more by his failures than by his successes as in an endeavour to overcome his difficulties, he had brought out his most important methods of management. Black bees, he contended, had great conservative energy and the young commence work outside the hive at a much earlier age and a given number will produce and maintain a much larger amount of heat than the same number of any other race. (2 long paragraphs follow) He believed that better queens could be reared by artificial means than under the swarming impulse. He had begun beekeeping in 1868. (p.173) How did Morgan identify Simmons / Simmins as a pioneer beekeeper of Victoria ? I stand confused, for in British Bee Books, A Bibliography 1500 1976, Samuel Simmins is listed as the author of several books, 517 including his 1887 A modern bee-farm and its economical management. Having recently acquired a copy of this book, Id say Morgan made an error here. Leonard T. Chambers, 1887 Morris Morgans July 1970 contribution to the Australasian Bee Keeper: In 1887, Mr. L. T. Chambers, 518 who had previously been in
516

My notes suggest Im in error here, 1887 should possibly be 1888. I cannot check this as the Mitchell Library holdings cover only 1894.5-1911 517 Facts for bee-keepers. The Simmins method of direct introduction , published in London by the author, 1882 (28 pages). Foul brood, a paper read at a quarterly meeting of the British Bee-Kepeers Association on 16 January 1884 (23 pages). Simmins original non-swarming system, published in Sussex by the author, 1886 (54 pages) A modern bee-farm and its economical management , published in Sussex by the author, and in London by Pettitt, 1887 (195 pages). Other editions followed in 1891, 1893, 1904, 1914 and 1928. Rapid increase in early spring , published in London, 1893 (16 pages) Simmins new queen-rearing , published in London, 1894 (32 pages) 518 Jolly (2002) wrote Leonard T. Chambers (care of A.O. Chambers of Flinders Street) sold the Langstroth Simplicity Hive in three forms, ranging in price from 10/- to 15/-. He sold black bees and offered to post Ligurian

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business as a supplier of bee goods in NSW, came to Victoria and became Manager of the Beekeepers Supply Co., 18 Franklin Street, Melbourne. He advertised for sale in 1887, Langstroth, Heddon, Alley or any other style of hive. Those not in stock would be made to order. Also advertised by him were foundation, honey extractors, section boxes and all the requisites of the apiary. Bees, Queens Brood Eggs would also be supplied in any quantities. 519 (pp.26-27) Chambers owned apiaries at Middle Brighton and Mansfield, the latter held 70 hives. He had raised and sold over 300 queens from imported mothers. During the season he had tested out thirty odd of Fiebigs Kangaroo Island queens and found them very good, well marked, good layers, very gentle to handle and first rate workers. Chambers stated that since starting machinery in September 1887, he had for the past six months, made and sold chiefly in Victoria, 3000 hives. He had given the 8 frame a good trial and was satisfied that it was a handy size and would give satisfaction. He was now making for his own use a shallow, half depth hive. Section boxes had been in great demand and there was also a big call for foundation comb. (p.173) Herman Naveau, 1880s Morgan made quick mention of Herman Naveau in the Australasian BeeKeeper for July 1970 Among the early pioneers of beekeeping in Victoria was Mr. Herman Naveau, of Hamilton, in the 1880s. To date, Ive not been able to find anything additional on Naveau. John Andrews, 1885 - 1891 Hugh and John Colven Andrews 520 migrated to Victoria in October 1883. They sailed on the Liguria from London, traveling third class. Their father was a moderately prosperous small tenant farmer, who
queens to any part of the Australian colonies (A.O. Chambers, A.O. Chambers' (common sense) Information for the People, [Adelaide], 1885, p.53). 519 I located an article by Chambers in the February Australian Bee Bulletin (1888 ?), an account of Bacchus Marsh as a bee district. 520 Personal communication from Patrick OFarrell (1984) to the author. The pseudonym of Maxwell was used in place of the real name of Andrews on request from descendants. Once OFarrells book was published their reservations evaporated regarding revelation of the Andrews name. As a sub-note, I was saddened to discover OFarrells death from an obituary which I found in the Sydney Morning Herald of 16 January 2004.

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had some grazing, land for crops, and good horses. Their three brothers and two sisters remained in Ulster, Ireland. Hugh and Johns story, gleaned from letters 521 written home, is told in Letters from Irish Australia 1825 1929. Part of their tale involved some trying experiences as scientific beekeepers. Rather than brimstone pit beekeepers, as one member of his family back in Ireland was, modern methods were to be adopted rather than the massacre of all the bees in order to harvest the honey. John wrote his family on 25 August 1885 with news that he intended to take up bee farming ... the gardener here is a new chum who has been out in the colony about the same time as myself. He understands the management of bees and he and I have determined to start a small bee farm in spring. It will be carried on in a more scientific principle than I used to see you do it at home. There will be no destroying of bees for their honey. We will take the honey when they are at work, extract the honey from the combs and then place them back in the hive to be refilled. The hive consists of a square box which can be opened at the top. There are a number of square frames which are hung a little apart parallel to each other. In these the bees builds their comb and they can be removed when filled or at will without very much disturbing the bees. Hugh wrote on 15 October 1885 from Corowa on the New South Wales side of the Murray River. John and Hugh had then been in Australia for two years It does not look like it looking back. We have not made much money but if we get along as fairly, considering circumstances, the next two years we cannot complain. Hugh was putting some money into his brothers beekeeping venture who was going into bee-keeping along with another young man (who under-stands the scientific principle of working bees). He was the gardener where John is working. They each put an equal sum of money down and get equal shares of the profit. They make Quinby hives 522 in the evenings (moveable
521

Additional research at the National Library of Australia may determine if further details on their beekeeping activities are to be found within the Andrews letters. 522 From A. I. Roots 1891 The ABC of Bee Culture, Quinby hanging frames were slightly larger than the Langstroth, 18 x 11 inches against 17 5/8 x 9 1/8 inches. Root informs that self-spacing frames were held at certain fixed and regular distances apart by some sort of spacing-device, forming

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frame hives). I think John will give up his crib 523 in a week or so so that they can push forward hive making before the summer sets in, thereby securing the advantages of the best honey season. Mr. Amey the partner works 3 days in the week, the other 3 he devotes to collecting swarms and hive making etc. etc. I am going to put 10 524 worth of bees which will be about 16 or 18 swarms 525 into the business. John and Amey will supply the hives and other appliances, look after the bees and sell the honey, for half the amount realised and the young swarms, the other half of the amount will be my share. I expect it to realise 100%. You understand the bees have not to be destroyed under this principle, which is a great savings. If the undertaking proves a success I will go into the business next year. By that time John will know something about the workings of the bees etc. John will be able to give you fuller particulars by Christmas. Mr. Amey and John have taken a little house near Kew. They have got a tenant for half the house keeping two rooms and a workshop for themselves. They have ample sitting room for their bees in the little garden in front of the house; they will cook for themselves etc. If I am not mistaken bee farming could be made one of the best paying occupations in Victoria for a man with small capital. (pp.144-145)

either a part of the frame itself or a part of the hive. Fixed (self-spacing) frames, then, are those that, when put into the hive, are spaced automatically Loose frames differ from them, in that they have no spacing-device connected with them, and are, therefore, when placed in the hive, spaced by eye or, as some have termed it, by guesswork. Such spacing results in more or less uneven combs; and beginners, as a rule, make very poor work of it. Loose frames while they are never spaced exactly, often can not be hauled to an out-apiary, over rough roads, without having sticks between them, or something to hold them in place. (p.130) 523 a job which paid wages and board 524 Some 3 to 4 weeks wages 525 Around 12 shillings per swarm

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A Hanging-Frame or Langstroth Hive, from Quinbys New Bee-Keeping, 1888.

Hughs letter home dated 11 November 1885, this time from Echuca, Victoria John is very busy about the bee keeping and making hives, so he will not have time to write this mail. They had got 20 swarms when I left town. They were likely to get orders for some hives (boxes) which would pay them well for their work. John is in high hopes about the undertaking and thinks it will pay. (p.146) Three months later on 19 January 1886, John wrote to his brother James of a personal reversal. My partner Amey has absconded, nobody knows where. He left me to pay both my own and his share of some accounts which was against us and also took with him over 10 in cash. I am very glad to be rid of him and although he has taken a slant at me, yet he left me the art of beekeeping which I will be able to use to advantage. I intend painting the roofs of our hives and making a few section trays. I have to make a hive for a man for which I will get 32s. 6d. We purpose holding on the very few stocks of bees which we possess and increasing their number next spring and going into a heavily timbered district which is the best for bee culture. The(re) is nothing which yields so much honey in this country as the gum trees (eucalyptus). The bees in this country depend more on the blossom of the trees than on the field flowers as clover and other good honey plants do not thrive in every district, yet they 268

thrive very well and even better than at home in some portions of Gippsland. Gippsland is a great agricultural district. There is always a good and bad honey year alternatively; this is the bad year. Some of our stocks have over 70 lbs. of honey stored notwithstanding so that gives encouragement. There is one stock in particular which has 16 two pound sections but all filled. I believe if we had 200 hives we could make 600 a year ... A great many people were disappointed in me. They thought that because the other fellow cleared that I would be disheartened and throw the thing up and that I could not manage them without him. However it happened that I held on to my purpose and the bees have done better under my own separate care than when he was with me. There is a man in Kew who was talking to me today. He was very anxious for me to join partnership with him next year but no more partnerships for John. (pp.147-148) John wrote with a forgiving heart to Hugh on 28 March 1886, some two months after his partner had deserted him. You will be surprised to know that Oscar Amey departed this life on the 20th at the Alfred Hospital Melbourne (South) he died of typhoid fever and congestion of the lungs. Linch (Kitchens gardener) Fraser and I undertook to bury him in Kew cemetery in a private grave, the deeds of which will be sent home to his father. It will cost me about 1. He was buried on Tuesday last. Three days later Hugh sent news home to Ireland Although Ameys conduct was not what it should have been, Johns humanity is too great to be set aside by broken trust. Beekeeping was yet to become a full time occupation. On 4 April 1886 John wrote to his sister I am at present at work in a nursery about a mile and a half from here and as I work by the day. I start work at 8 every morning and knock off at 6 - one hour too long but as I am going to work in a neighbouring nursery in about ten days or when I have done where I am at present, I will work only till five. I have 6s. a day. In the spring I will be able to get 6s. 6d. or 7s. I intend going into the bees next spring with all the capital I can muster and give it a good trial. It will likely be to some part of Gippsland which I will select for the apiary. I would like to establish about 50 or 60 hives. The 14 which I have got will give off a good swarm each next spring which will mean 28 and with 269

purchasing all the swarms I could get in the district I could likely raise the remainder. Had Amey done right we ought to have had 50 now but he acted the rogue and the worse for himself for had he remained about a healthy place like Kew he would not have caught the fever. (pp.148-149) Another brother, James Andrews, traveled to Australia in October November 1886 aboard the Lusitania. He wrote to his mother on 30 November 1886 from Melbourne (John) is still lodging with Mr. Fisher of Kew where he keeps his bees. He wants me to start and hive a lot of them for him as he has not much time at his disposal. James to his sister Susanna on 14 December ... John gave me a trial overhauling some bee frames. He has a job that will keep me going for a fortnight I am most anxious about the bees. There would be more go to loss than I could gain out of a months screw 526 we purpose staying at Fishers convenient to where the bees are or taking the house connected with the gardens the bees are in. (pp.157-158) John now worked as an engineer or gripman on an underground cable driven tram-car. James related an amusing anecdote to his parents on 27 December 1886 John had to go on duty at 2pm until 8pm. He had 8 runs yesterday (Sunday) and 11 for today which means about 1s. per run. I went on foot to Fitzroy this afternoon (a distance of about 2 miles) and met him on his engine a little way from the terminus and had a ride to the other end of the line with him. He could only talk to me occasionally as it is forbidden that the engineers should talk to passengers in case their attention is drawn off their duty. John says quite coolly they have to watch and not kill any of them (meaning the people. You would think it was bees he was talking about). He intends taking a run round this week to try and get suitable lodgings for us both convenient to the bees. They have been neglected lately 527 (p.158) John added a postscript to James letter: their beekeeping efforts remained a sideline It has ever been Hugh and my great ambition to try and take up some land with the hope of bettering our position and perhaps opening a way for you all out here seeing things do not improve at home but unfortunately it has not been our luck. It requires capital and we have not that at our disposal owing to
526 527

paid work There could be more detail in the original letters, the originals are held at the National Library of Australia.

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ill-health and other disappointments but we hope ere next year to be able to take up an allotment so as to enable us to establish bee-farming on a very extensive scale to which could be added other industries Some eighteen months after Johns venture into beekeeping, brother Hugh wrote to his sister Mary on 2 March 1887 Our bee scheme has incurred a great many necessary expenses and up to the present we have had no return. I hope however that that will go all right bye and bye. We would like very much to select a farm (that is an unimproved piece of land in the natural bush) as the tram work may or may not suit Johns health for any length of time, so that he would have something to fall back on in the case of being unable to carry on the tram work. However at present funds will not allow of that so we cannot venture it yet a bit. I hope we will eventually be able to carry out our plans in that direction. (p.159) James letter to his parents on 15 August 1887 retained hopes of a future emphasis on beekeeping We three are trying to save what money we can as we propose investing in a farm or select. 528 We have been getting information from a young man from Derry (Ireland) who has taken up a selection and I intend when on my holidays to see the country where land is available and convenient to where this young man has selected. If it was a good bee country they would be a good industry. (pp.163-164) By November 1887 another brother, William, was on his way to Melbourne with his family. A living from bees had proved to be elusive: William wrote on 9 October 1888 (John) intends going to his selection very soon as he is making preparations for going. Yambulla is the name of the town land on or near the banks of the Tambo river Gippsland. James made application for a selection adjoining Johns and met the Land Board at Bairnsdale on 17th of last month; had a letter from him last week saying he was trying to get a transfer to one on the other end of Johns which it seems is better than the one he first applied for. If James gets either of these John will be able to look after both and James and Hugh will stay at their business and make a little money.
528

Crown Land selected by small farmers under a colonial Selection Act, according to various conditions of development, in order to encourage closer settlement

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John thinks he will be able to make a living from bees as they do well in the country and it would be easier looking after them than hard work. (p.176) From Yambulla John wrote to James in Melbourne on 1 May 1889. Among other supplies, he needed to treat some hives for brood disease The syphon can be had at a wholesale tobacconist and hairdressers in Bourke Street East, nearly opposite the post office only a little farther up. The barbers use them to spray your hair after cutting. I use it to throw a spray of solution of phenol and water over the combs and brood in a diseased stock of bees. They also can be had at the chemists but I think they charge more We will require 30 new hives next season so I think you would do well to send to America for a list of hives and bee appliances etc as if for Agnew and Co. I believe we could import them much cheaper then we could have them made in Melbourne. You could write to A. J. Root, Medina, Ohio, United States of America. After you get the catalogue and list of prices of the bee hives and bee appliances we could then make up our minds how many to send for and get them through Agnew and Co. or to yourself whichever would be best. You will have to send away at once as there will be no time to lose between now and the time they will be required and it would be a great loss if the bees would be inclined to swarm and us have no hives ready for them. If the bees get justice they will do us a good turn next season. If they dont, of course we can expect no profit. You could send the phenol and syphon by parcels post as the John and Elizabeth 529 is so uncertain. Be careful how you pack them. I would like to have the goods as soon as possible as I am now beginning to run short. (p.181) To his mother on 9 May 1889 James wrote with news of the activities at Tambo Crossing: fencing, ringbarking trees to allow grass to grow for future grazing stock; felling trees, grubbing roots and removing stones so an orchard and garden could be established. Living conditions were basic though comfortable, a hut big enough to sleep three, its walls lined with hessian. Johns garden was already producing choice turnips, French beans and huge marrows. John wrote to his parents on 25 May 1889. Amid news of a rich black soil on the surface of a gritty clay subsoil, I having now proof of it
529

A schooner, one of several small vessels which transported heavy goods on the Tambo River

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in the shape of turnips cabbages and cauliflowers and vegetable marrows. There are cabbages as big as my head grown without manure and the planting of a small orchard, it seems he had also established his bees. By May 1889 beekeeping, though still a sideline, appeared closer to being successfully established. On 10 October 1889 James wrote to his family about Johns progress John left here for Gippsland a year ago tomorrow. It seems but half the time. He has ordered his honey extractor (this is a machine for taking the honey out of the bar frames without damaging the combs). (p.184) The beekeeping venture, with a chance to prosper over the next two years, was to lose its prime mover, for John, at age twenty-nine, who had come to Australia partly as treatment for consumption, died suddenly on 6 April 1891. Subsequently, Hugh, with his brothers wishes, had organised transfer of Johns land into his name. He wrote the family on 5 July 1891 We left the garden and beehives to Mr. Wilson 530 at a nominal rate as the things - fruit trees, beehives, etc, will be better looked after than they otherwise would be. It is just possible that I may go on the land about this time next year. Things would be better looked after and seen to I might be better off in the long run on the land. I will wait the development of circumstances 531 and weigh carefully the best course to pursue. (p.196)

David Morris Morgan, 1895, Pioneer Beekeeper of the Grampians

In Morris Morgans History of Australian Beekeeping in the August 1971 Australasian BeeKeeper, there is the story of his grandfather, D. M. Morgan, Pioneer Beekeeper of the Grampians: David Morgan Senr., (father of the late D. M. Morgan, who was President of the V.A.A.532 1914-1918) arrived in Australia with his three brothers in 1857 on The Commodore Perry, a sailing ship of 2017 tons, during the gold boom days, and they followed the gold diggings. He married and had five sons all of whom were later pioneer beekeepers of the Grampian Mountains of Victoria in the latter end of the 19th Century. D. M. Morgan Senr, in his later years, when the mining fever subsided, settled as an apiarist and lived for some time at Roses Gap in the Grampians near his sons. He died at the age of 86
530 531

Bob Wilson was appointed as agent and paid a percentage. Australia was in the midst of an economic depression 532 Victorian Apiarists Association

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in 1926. D. M. Morgan Junr., father of the writer of this history, and of the editor of the A.B.K., was born at Ararat, Victoria, along with his brothers J. R. Morgan, Fred Morgan, Watkin Morgan, M. J. Morgan, all later full time beekeepers. D. M. Morgan Junr., as a young man and his brother Jack, were miners at Wellington N.S.W., where the writer was born in 1894. In 1895 he returned to Victoria. He had had enough of mining, and returned to achieve his great ambition of beekeeping, and settled in the Grampians near the entrance of Roses Gap, at the foot of a mountain range named Briggs Bluff. Being only 14 months old at the time, I do not remember anything of our first years in that wild lonely country with all its hardships of those days. But the pioneers were made of stout hearts and by hard work stripping wattle bark and sleeper cutting to make a living, while cutting bee hives out of trees, and making boxes and frames out of any cases that could be obtained, D. M. Morgan gradually established himself in beekeeping. The only neighbours were a family named ORourke living two miles away. There were three girls and two sons in the family, one of whom in later years became a well known apiarist of Dadswells Bridge, Victoria. In December 1896, tragedy overtook the unfortunate family. Once a week they took their washing by horse and dray to a creek of running water in a gorge about one mile from their house to do the washing. Mr. and Mrs. ORourke and their daughter were, this hot windy day, washing when, fanned by a hot north wind a fierce bushfire suddenly swept down the gorge which was heavily overgrown with scrub and stringy bark timber. They had no chance of escape. So badly burnt were Mr. and Mrs. ORourke that by the time the writers parents were able to get them to the Stawell Hospital, Mrs. ORourke had passed out and Mr. ORourke died a week later. The body of the daughter was found where she took refuge in the creek but although not badly burnt she died from heat and suffocation. For years after, the iron-work, all that was left of their horse and dray, was a grim reminder of a tragic happening to a fine old pioneering family. The fire missed the home but the apiary of bees was burnt. Dan ORourke, the eldest son, in later years was employed by the writers father D. M. Morgan and later established himself as an apiarist at Dadswells Bridge, near Glenorchy, Victoria. The eldest girl married a beekeeper named McMorran, who also was established at Dadswells Bridge. After that tragic fire, (which was reported in the Australian Bee Bulletin) the rest of the ORourke family left the old 274

home, and our new neighbours were a family named Smith who also kept bees on the same place. William Smiths family also met with misfortune. Mr. Smith was going home with a load of tins when he fell off the load at Deep Lead near Stawell and broke his neck, leaving behind a wife and two young children. In 1897 D. M. Morgans uncle Watkin Morris Morgan and his life long friend Ben Richmond who came out with him from Wales, drove overland from Wellington, N.S.W., and joined up with the Morgan family at Roses Gap in the Grampians and assisted D. M. Morgan in his beekeeping. In 1899, misfortune struck D. M. Morgan in his endeavour to become firmly established in bees. A tornado partly wrecked our home. Many hives of bees were wrecked and carried away in the flood that followed. My eldest sister and I have vivid memories of the frightening experience. Hail stones the size of golf balls made holes in the iron roof of the two front rooms. The bark roof of the back rooms went altogether. So violent was the storm that mother who was in bed at the time nursing a new Morgan arrival a few days old, had to be placed with the baby under the bed for protection from hail stones that came through the roof. However, that baby, born in the wilds of the Grampians survived that terrible storm in 1899 and lived to, in later years, become the Editor of the A.B.K. (born the same year) and at this point of history both still in circulation. Seventy hives of bees were lost, sheds were wrecked, years of hard work ruined in less than half an hour, enough to dishearten any pioneer beekeeper of the Grampians. Undaunted, D. M. Morgan gradually built up his apiary again, but the life was hard and lonely in that part of the Grampians, in those early years of beekeeping. Honey had to be carted a long distance by Bullocks to the nearest railway. Bush fires were always a constant danger as the country was leased to graziers who burnt the scrub for green feed for sheep. In 1900 D. M. Morgan decided to quit Roses Gap and with his family moved closer to civilization. He selected heavily timbered yellow box and grey box country near Dadswells Bridge sixteen miles from Stawell. There he built his home. A local bullocky named Ned Delly with his team shifted us to our new location at the beginning of 1900. Later D. M. Morgan was joined by his brother Jack Morgan who returned from Wellington N.S.W., and established an apiary on the bank of the Little Wimmera near Dadswells Bridge about the year 275

1900. Another brother M. J. Morgan later established his apiary and home near Dadswells Bridge. Watkin Morgan carried on beekeeping at Roses Gap and lived in the original home of D. M. Morgan. The other brother Fred Morgan was a well known apiarist of Rhymney near Stawell, Victoria in 1900. D. M. Morgan Senr. in 1900 was still a beekeeper in the Grampians, near his sons. So at the close of the 19th Century D. M. Morgan Senr., who migrated from Wales in 1857, and his five sons were pioneer beekeepers of the Grampian mountains of Victoria. (pp. 45-47)

QUEENSLAND John Carne Bidwill, 1848

Identified in Volume II as a beekeeper with short tenure as Director and Government Botanist of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, Bidwill was transferred to the position of Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Wide Bay district north of Brisbane 533 around January 1848. Bidwill had previously delivered successfully at least one hive of bees to Wellington in New Zealand in 1842. He died early at the age of 38 in 1853. Note two dates, firstly that prior to 1842 settlement at Moreton Bay was closed to free settlers, and secondly, the first record of bees being kept in Brisbane was in 1854 (refer Volume II) at Montague Road. 534 A possibility exists that Bidwill may have taken some hives of bees to Brisbane between 1848 and 1853. Bidwill may well have left this legacy in addition to his name as commemorated in the naming of the bunya pine Araucaria bidwilli. 535

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
George and Ernest Hayler Hannaford, c1896 The following biographical details on George and Ernest Hannaford by Robert Swinbourne comes from The Australian Dictionary of Biography. 536 George Hannaford (1852-1927) was born at Hartley
533 534

The Australian Encyclopaedia, 1958, Vol. II, p.56 The reference supporting the Volume II mention of Montague Road Ive since identified (see also Bee World 43(2), p.44) is Jones, D. (1916) The introduction of bees into Queensland. Qld apic J. 1(1):7-8 535 ibid. Vol. I, p.500 536 Other sources quoted: Advertiser (Adelaide) 8 Nov. 1927, 2 Apr 1930, 22 Dec 1955; Observer (Adelaide) 12 Nov 1927. Burgess, H. T. (ed.) Cyclopaedia of South Australia, 2 (Adel. 1909); Universal Publicity Co. The official civic record of South Australia (Adel. 1936);

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Vale, South Australia. His father, a farmer, migrated from England in 1840. He helped his parents grow fruit and as a youth farmed with his three brothers at Riverton, Yorke Peninsula. He founded the peninsulas agricultural society (and later became an) overseer of the Government Experimental Farm at Mannahill. Some time after his marriage in 1876 he moved to Cudlee Creek in the Adelaide Hills where he grew apples and pears, which in 1896, he was the first South Australian to export to England and Germany, and engaged in forestry and wattle and hop growing. He also developed the Gipsy Apiary 537 in the Adelaide Hills, with several hundred hives to house the queen bees which he imported from Italy. George was buried in the family vault at the local cemetery, Cudlee Creek. Following Georges death, his eldest surviving son of a brood of three sons and three daughters, Ernest Hayler Hannaford (1879-1955) ran his fathers larger bee-farm at Bonney Flat near Mount Crawford. He then bought The Briars at Millbrook where he built up an orchard of fifty acres (20 ha) of plums, pears and apples, exporting Cleopatra, Jonathan, Dunns Seedling, Rome Beauty and Stone Pippin apples. He also maintained 360 colonies of bees, yielding ten tons of honey annually, and wattle groves for bark tanning. He served terms as secretary of his district branch of the South Australian Farmers and Producers Association and as president of the Bee-keepers Association. A reserve was named after him on land he donated to St Peters Council. Messrs. Coleman & May, July 1884 From the 1909 Cyclopedia of South Australia in the section on beekeeping Until then (1884) 538 there were few enthusiastic apiarists, bee-keeping as a business existed only here and there. As a rule the farmer or gardener who had a few hives did not give them very much time, or place much dependence on the product. One of the first establishments in which systematic procedure was established was the Fairfield Apiary, owned by Messrs. Coleman & May, on the Echunga Road, near Mount Barker. 539 These gentlemen, commencing
537

From the Hannaford entry in The Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition, http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs 538 Until then refers to the date of establishment of the South Australian Beekeepers Association, being July 1884, from Crane (1999) 539 Refer also to page 101 of The Immigrant Bees, Volume II, for an extract from The Adelaide Observer for 20 November 1886 which carries an item from the Mount Barker Courier regarding the August 1886 Coleman & May

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with twenty-seven hives, increased their number to 109, and obtained in the first season nearly 6 tons honey. (p.122)

Part V. The Birth of Commercial Beekeeping in Australia

A short self awarded holiday from writing about the early days of Australasian beekeeping was pleasantly interrupted by a request from Greg Roberts, President of the New South Wales Apiarists Association. Greg invited me to contribute to the Associations Newsletter. Something light was wanted, a contrast to the important technically oriented articles. Interested I was but try as I might I couldnt think of an appropriate topic. Writers block! Then arrived the June issue of The Australasian Beekeeper, Volume 100, Number 12, a landmark itself in Australian commercial beekeeping. My writing blockage lifted after I read Prime Minister John Howards foreword, in part Commercial honey production has grown ... from modest beginnings in the 1860s ... Had our P.M. been correctly informed? When did the shift from keeping bees simply as an enjoyable pastime or supplementary food source actually begin to take shape?

Primitive Pre-Commercial Days

From the first number of the New Zealand and Australian Bee Journal, 1883, Charles Fullwood reminisced on old style methods Some years ago large quantities of bees were kept by farmers and others in a very primitive fashion, and the bush resounded with the hum of the busy bee. Timber getters, wood carters, and aborigines frequently secured large quantities of honey from hollow trees; both the black bee and stingless bee, peculiar to Australia, were found almost everywhere. Gin cases, tea, or any kind of rough boxes were appropriated to bee use, and such is the climate, and the yield of honey so regular, that bees appeared to thrive everywhere, and in any kind of hive, so long as they had a cover under which to build their comb and rear their brood. No skill was demanded in their management. Given a swarm - put it in a box, on a stand, under a sheet of bark; then look out for
importation of ten Ligurian queen bees from Mr. Alley of Wenham, Massachusetts U.S.A.

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swarms in a few weeks; and, after a while, turn up the box, cut out some honey, or drive the bees into another box to go through the process of building and storing, to be again despoiled in like manner. No thought about the destruction of brood, waste of honey and wax; no care about the queens. Would not know a queen from a drone, or their value in the hive. What matter if a few boxes (stock) perish? Such was the natural increase by swarming that a few losses were of no consequence. Anybody could keep bees who had courage enough to rob them.

The 1860s
Certainly the 1860s represent a milestone in the attitude to keeping honeybees, for strong interest in the Italian honeybee resulted in its successful importation into Victoria in 1862. Such interest was no doubt generated by the demand for a honeybee not only more attuned to Australias climate but specifically a honeybee that was more easily handled. The keeper of a few hives of bees for table honey was not too concerned with the temperament of his bees. For the honey harvest, the home country habit was often followed: the strongest and weakest hives, measured by weight, were kept. The middling hive/s was typically killed and the honey easily taken. The demand for a honeybee with believed superior handling qualities was a clear signal that a different type of beekeeper was at large. In The Horticultural Journal, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman for 18 March 1862 there appears a letter from J. Sayce, President of the Apiarian Society of Victoria, to Messrs. Neighbour & Son, beekeeping appliance suppliers in England. It requested information on the procurement of Ligurian honeybees, including ... any brief observations on their management - if any management peculiar to this description of bee is necessary - would be much valued. Only beekeepers with commercial intent would be interested in management practices peculiar to this variety. These same beekeepers had established their own Apiarian Society which numbers among its members many accomplished bee-keepers ... 540 These same accomplished beekeepers now had access to the modern bar-frame hive for it was in this hive style that T. W. Woodbury packed the bees
540

The Horticultural Journal, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman Journal, 20 June 1865

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which were dispatched for Melbourne on 25th September 1862 aboard the steam ship Alhambra, arriving seventy-nine days later. Carried under the banner Ligurian Bees in Australia, a letter 541 recently received from the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria You will be glad to hear still further good news of your Ligurian bees. By the last mail I hear that from one of the hives, three fresh stocks have been already formed, raising our number to six, and offering fine prospects for the spring. All the gentlemen who have had these bees under their charge are delighted at their manifest superiority over the common bee. Here again is reference to the superior qualities of the Ligurian honeybee, surely the thoughts of commercially oriented apiarists. More reinforcement of a commercial attitude: an advertisement in The Australasian for the 24th December 1864 offered stocks of Ligurians for sale at (10 each, whilst swarms of common bees were offered at a significantly lower 20 shillings each.

The 1870s
By 1875 Australia demonstrated other evidence of the beginnings of a beekeeping industry represented by its own beekeeping literature. In this year, Angus Mackays The Semi-Tropical Agriculturist and Colonists Guide was published. Consistent with a move towards a commercial beekeeping mindset, common hives of all types were ignored. Mackays book provided an illustration of the Woodbury bar-frame hive complete with detailed measurements and description. The hive is furnished with ten moveable frames ... each frame has a small ridge or projection running along the underside. This ridge, being waxed, induces the bees to build parallel combs, thus obviating the necessity for guide comb ... The top bar projects half an inch at each end ... The hive is rabbeted on the inside upper edge three-eighths in and five-eighths of an inch down, to receive the ends of the frames. ... When the frames are placed in the hive they hang from the rabbet, and leave half an inch space all round, between the end of the frames and the hive. Another book of the same year by James Carroll of Brisbane was My Little Bee Book, whose contents first appeared as articles The Queenslander newspaper from 19 Sept 1874.

541

The Horticultural Journal, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman for 16 June 1863

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The 1880s
After sporadic successful and unsuccessful attempts in the late 1860s and the 1870s, the 1880s saw numerous apiarists vigourously and successfully involved in importing the Ligurian honeybee to obtain the benefits of its better handling qualities. A roll call of but a few includes Angus Mackay, Wilhelm Abram and S. MacDonnell of Sydney; James Carroll and Chas Fullwood of Brisbane; Thomas Lloyd Hood of Hobart; August Fiebig, Charles Rake, A. E. Bonney and J. H. Weidenhofer of South Australia. In 1885 James Carroll was acknowledged by Angus Mackay as amongst the first practical bee masters in the colonies. Bee masters! Other strong signs of the beginnings of commercial activity appeared: the establishment of the Ligurian Bee on Kangaroo Island in 1884; Australias first honeybee related Act of Parliament proclaimed in South Australia in September 1885, the formation of apiarists organisations, publication of apiarists journals, the regular appearance of apiary columns in agricultural newspapers and journals, agricultural society show competitions for bees, the appearance of beekeepers appliance stores and the widespread establishment of large stationery bee farms.

Fifty Years Previously - the 1830s and 1840s

Australias first commercial beekeeper may have been Mr. Clayton of Hobart Town, Van Diemens Land. The True Colonist of 14 February 1835 stated the climate for bees there appears to be in an extraordinary degree favourable to the production of honey, and increase of bees. The Sydney Morning Herald of 25 May 1837 stated A gentleman, named Clayton, has just imported from Hobart Town, about fifty or sixty Hives of healthy Bees, which are well worth inspection. Some of the Hives contain, at least, five thousand of these little industrious tenants. The importer has already established the rearing of bees in Van Diemens Land and wishes to introduce them here ... without regard to profiting by the speculation. The Bees may be seen as per advertisement.
542

I doubt Claytons venture was a purely philanthropic one. His passage and cargo space aboard the Orwell would need to be paid for as well
542

I believe the same advertisement also appeared on 13 May 1837. See the chapter Who Supplied Campbells hive commencing page 196 for an illustration of the advertisement.

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as his food and accommodation in Sydney. It's unknown if his operation prospered into the subsequent years. By June 1844, Thomas Alison Scott of Brisbane Water had adopted storied top-bar box hives, each segment of 9 inches deep and 18 inches square, 5 such segments comprising one hive. In his letter to The Sydney Morning Herald which appeared on 12 May 1845, Scott asked At your convenience I would greatly thank you if you will inform me whether honey of first quality will answer for exportation; if so, its value here, as such on its probable net value at home; also of wax. There is a quantity of my honey for sale, at Mr. Griffiths fruiterer, King and York streets. I have been told by many it is the best quality in the market. Some two years after acquisition of his first hive in April 1842 Scott managed up to 16 hives and produced 2000 pounds weight of honey which he sold at 4d. per lb, generating over 33 income as well as sales of swarms and beeswax. In the previous decade, Alexander Berry at Sydney had obtained some bee hives around October 1837. Berry wanted sheaves of the threshed rye to make bee hives sent up by his brother John 543 as I have got some & I shall send you a hive by and bye. Twelve years later on 9 July 1849 Berry senior wrote to his youngest brother William at Coolangatta I wonder you have any difficulty in writing Barbara - of course you would say nothing which David did not like - certainly he would not be angry by you telling her that he liked bees and how many black beeherds he kept and what kind of honey the bees made ... Aboriginal Beeherds!

Large Scale Beekeeping, 1849

Confirmation comes from a letter from Alexander Berry in Sydney to his sister, Barbara Armit, of Fife, Scotland, dated 15 October 1850. David Berry did not kill his bees when harvesting honey, nor did he just simply like them. David has hundreds of hives in front of his house in a bee garden - when I was last there. There were regularly 5 or 6 new swarms daily besides many which escaped into the forest and made their hives in hollow trees - so that the whole country is getting filled with them - in this mild climate they work all the year round - they do not kill them as you used to do in Scotland, but take away the comb and give the bees a
543

from his property Coolangatta which overlooks the Shoalhaven River near Nowra

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new house to work in - A native boy ... acted as bee master ... David also sent a good deal to Sydney - part of which was sold at 2 1/2d per lb - and about 2 tons were sent to London as an experiment. Moses persuaded his countrymen to leave Egypt for the land of Canaan by praising it as overflowing with milk & honey. I do not believe that milk & honey were so abundant there as at Shoalhaven. Further confirmation of David Berrys labours comes from the chapter titled Natural Productions of Queensland in Langs 1861 book Queensland, A settler at Illawarra, 544 in New South Wales, who had directed his attention to this branch of rural economy, had not less than twenty-five hundred weight of honey to dispose of in one season. It was sold to a brewery in his neighbourhood at threepence a pound. Therefore, sometime after October 1837 and up to July 1849 the Berrys at Shoalhaven had increased their apiary from one hive to hundreds. If the hives harvested to produce some two tons of honey contributed on average ten pounds each, then David would have needed some 280 hives for such a crop, consistent with Alexander Berrys count of hundreds of hives. Presumably, many smaller hives would have remained unharvested. Prime Minister, more than just the modest beginnings of commercial honey production in the 1860s was evident. Moreover, the year 1862 saw its fortification with the importation of the Italian honeybee by an accomplished and organised band of Victorian beekeepers who sought, and successfully acquired, for Australias climate, a more productive and more easily handled honeybee. Evidence recently discovered within the Mitchell Library shows the birth of commercial beekeeping in Australia can be dated back to at least the Spring Summer season of 1836 preceding Claytons May (Autumn) 1837 bulk shipment of hives from Hobart to Sydney. The True Colonist report of 14 February 1835 cited above appears to drag back that date by another year. From October 1837, with Alexander Berrys exhortation, David Berry at Coolangatta on the Shoalhaven River was to develop an apiary of hundreds of hives. Much of the Berrys 1820s convict built settlement survives today, a monument, in part, to Australias early large scale apiarists. It would appear the time is ripe for an appropriate plaque to be placed there, one which proclaims Mr. Clayton and soon after the
544

See the following chapter titled A Settler at Illawarra

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Berry brothers as representative of Australias pioneer commercial beekeepers.

A settler at Illawarra, c1861

I believe that John Dunmore Langs A settler at Illawarra was a reference to the substantial Berry owned establishment of Coolangatta on the Shoalhaven River. Consequently, I believe, for reasons explained below, Lang could not bring himself to see the Berry name in print in his 1861 book Queensland Australia; A Highly Eligible Field for Emigration and the Future Cotton-Field of Great Britain with a Disquisition on the Origin, Manners, and Customs of the Aborigines. If so, then the following tale gives added spice to Langs use of the potentially inflammatory diminutive of a settler. The extract following comes from the chapter titled Controversies in Alexander Berry and Elizabeth Wollstonecraft (1978) by Meg Swords. I believe its well worth the read. The late 1850s brought an angry controversy with the Rev. John Dunmore Lang, who had vigorously attacked Berry as an old man, without an heir, owning a vast solitude of territory in which no town or even village had been built. Lang claimed that Berrys original grant had been far more than he was entitled to; that his tenants were harshly treated; that in the past his assigned convicts had been unmercifully flogged while employed in cedar-getting, draining swamps, clearing land and fencing; that Berry had maintained his own secret police force (honorary) and that his famous canal 545 had been a failure. Previous to this there had been no ill will between the two men, as Berry had thoroughly approved Langs migrant projects. In 1824 he had been one of thirty-two Presbyterians to sign a petition requesting that Dunmore Lang be paid a salary for ministering to his flock in Sydney. Now it appeared that Langs ire had been aroused by Berrys refusal to allow him to use the church hall 546 at Coolangatta. These two men were diametrically opposed in politics and Berry would not allow him to use the hall for a political meeting. Lang understood that the ban also applied to his use of it for a church service, which Berry
545

the canal still functions it provides small to medium sized craft access and tidal influence to the Shoalhaven River from the adjacent Crookhaven River which, unlike the Shoalhaven, has permanent access to the ocean tides. 546 This fine hall still stands at Coolangatta and is in continual use.

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had certainly never intended. A scholarly letter of towering indignation from Berry in 1859 (reprinted in the Sun in 1938) repudiated every charge. His age, he said, was no crime any more than was Langs. He explained exactly how his land had been acquired, and that half of the property up to 1832 had been Wollstonecrafts 547 and was then inherited by Mrs Berry. He listed the activities of the people in the vast solitude, gave population figures and said that towns grew of themselves and that nobody should enforce their construction. He vowed that without any help or protection, which had been denied him in 1826 by the Government, he had managed his government men 548 with mild measures and moral influence (except in the case of incorrigibles), fed, clothed and housed them well and never employed them in the tasks mentioned by Lang. These had been carried out by contract workers, but he excepted the cutting of the canal. He declared that many of the convicts had remained with him after the expiry of their sentences. Spurred on by Lang, the Government incorporated a large part of Berrys estate into the newly-formed Shoalhaven municipality. This would have ruined Berry, because of municipal rates, and Lang knew it, for he asked that this incubus be crushed like a misable 549 worm. Both men were masters of vituperation and Berry named Lang as this irreverend, disgowned and self-constituted clergyman, a regular butcher of the characters of his fellow men. There followed some years of litigation in which much hatred was engendered against Berry, and actually after one court case physical violence against him was threatened by the mob. He was advised to leave the court by the back door, but disdaining such prudence, he strode out through the crowd in which his temporarily victorious enemy was being carried shoulder high. Nobody touched the greedy old man. He was supported by his many friends and by the Sydney Herald. Wills letter rejoicing in his defeat of Dunmore Lang is a model of loyalty and brotherly love (and reads today as genuinely sincere), for Berry did win. It was finally ruled that the municipality had been
547

Berrys friend, business partner and subsequently his brother-in-law through marriage with Edward Woolstonecrafts sister Elizabeth, whom he married in 1827. 548 Assigned convicts 549 miserable ?

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illegally constituted and Premier Cowpers government had to pay costs. Berrys tenantry in a demonstration of loyalty and to celebrate his victory feted him at a great dinner reported in the Illawarra newspaper. The tenants knew the advantage of living on a well-run estate with the best roads in the countryside, and transport to Sydney by sea for their produce. The bitter quarrel between Berry and Lang was over and Berry had won, but he never forgot Langs attack nor forgave him. He conceded that on one point Lang was right - there was no heir. There was also a slight acknowledgment as to his being correct on another count, when he wrote to David late in 1859, It would be absurd to build villages on the land. Let the people till the soil and build their own homes. However, it would be a good idea to lay out a town at Numba, at Greenwells Point, at Bombaderry 550 - perhaps even at Broughtons Creek (todays Berry). How the land is to be disposed of is the question. Should it be sold for cash or part credit with interest? Perhaps we might sell twenty-year building leases, but as none of you has a family, and I hardly think mean to, I do not see the use of this. And again he wrote, You and Will should get wives. (pp.2628)

550

todays Bomaderry

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Part VI. Miscellany

STORES During my research Ive sometimes come across records of Bee-Hive Stores. A whole store dedicated to the sale of bee hives? No, my belief was that they sold items of great variety at budget prices, the analogy being that, as the combs in a hive constitute thousands of individual storage cells, a bee-hive store provides thousands of different items for sale. As a youth I remember visiting the big Coles store that faced King and George Streets in Sydney. Long deep counters each held tiny compartments stocked with small and inexpensive items such as erasers, thimbles, pencils, chalks, pencil sharpeners, scissors, an almost endless list. I expect the Coles equivalent in the previous century were these bee-hive stores such as the one depicted below of Francis Brothers Bee-Hive Stores as photographed in 1861 by Benjamin Pierce Batchelder (1826-1891). Not content with just naming their Bee-Hive store, they erected an oversize skep hive atop the store fascade to catch the eye and reinforce the variety of goods to be viewed within.
BEE-HIVE

Francis Brothers Bee-Hive Stores, photographed in 1861 by Benjamin Pierce Batchelder

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TANGING A SWARM The following article, catalogued within the State Library of Victoria, is a review of an address titled Finding the Queen, delivered on 5 February 1923 by T. Rayment of Queenlea Apiary, Briagolong.

Tanging a swarm of bees

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551

, from The Hive and its Wonders, 1852

Many villagers once supposed that a noise called tanging, or ringing, was useful in leading the bees to settle. And even at the present day there may sometimes be seen a family of cottagers, who have caught sight of a swarm of stray or wild bees resting near their house the mother with a tin pan and large door key, smartly knocking them together, whilst the children join in the clamour by shouting with their voices, in the hope of making the bees settle in their garden, and thus become their prize. This custom appears to have existed in Greece more than two thousand years ago; modern beekeepers, however, wholly discountenance it. (pp.81-82) See also following page 68 for a c1822 drawing by Edward Wilson of a swarm being tanged.

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Discussing a former note on the means by which swarming bees keep track of and find the queen, Mr. T. Rayment, who has long experience in the breeding of queen bees about Briagolong, is convinced that scent or instinct has little to do with it. He has noticed when handling queens, and one of them has escaped from his hand, that the hum of her wings is distinctly higher in pitch a high treble than that made by the wings of workers, while the drone flight has a sound lower than either of them. Mr. Rayment thinks that if with his hearing good for a human but poor as compared with the hearing of insects he can follow the movements of the queen by sound, how much easier must it be for the honey-gatherers, with their delicate sound-wave detectors. It has often occurred to Mr. Rayment that the old practice of beating cans or tins to make a swarm settle has some method behind it. The loud clanging possibly jams the treble note of the queen so that the other bees are unable to follow her movement. The confusion thus created causes the queen to alight, pending the reorganisation of the swarm, which almost always proceeds in regular order. The sense of scent may, Mr. Rayment thinks, be of some assistance to the swarm, though he has known instances where they could not find the queen, although she was close at hand. On the other hand he has noted that after handling queens with bare fingers worker bees have often alighted on his hand, and run about, in that curiously expectant way they have of looking for their queen, and this would, on occasions, be repeated hours after he had handled a queen. Horn (2005) references The Complete English Farmer: Or Husbandry made perfectly easy in All its Useful Branches. Containing what Every farmer Ought to Know and Practice, by George Cooke (1772). Cooke records the English peasant custom that formed part of the early American beekeeping rituals: It is general custom, when the swarm is risen, to make a noise with a pan, kettle, mortar but some reckon it an insignificant ceremony, and others deem it prejudicial. (Horn, p.58) Horn (2005) continues This old European custom known as tanging, actually began by an English kings decree, according to Roger and Kathy Hultgren: In England, the King declared by law, wherever a swarm of bees emerged, the beekeeper would drum on tin pans or ring a bell. This signaled that the bees that where in flight 289

were his and he was the only one able to claim them. 552 Gradually, as the custom was passed down through the years, it took on a new significance. People believed that the noise caused the queen to become confused and her bees to cluster around her. When English and German beekeepers immigrated to the colonies, they brought tanging with them; this tradition lasted well into the nineteenth century. (p.58) From The Penny Magazine, of the society for the diffusion of useful knowledge (no.529), June 1840, titled British Agriculture it is somewhat curious to observe that the whimsical (not to call it by the harsher terms superstitious or absurd) custom of making a tinkling noise to attract the attention and stay the flight of a newly cast off swarm, in most of the rural districts is still rigidly adhered to. In some parts of the country a brass or metal pan, struck by the kitchen tongs, is considered as producing the magical sound; in other places a pewter platter is struck by the key of the hall or house door, producing, as the old women imagine, the bee-seducing music; while elsewhere we have seen an anxious matron pursuing an unsettled family of these wayward insects, beating with all her might upon that domestic implement the frying-pan with a clumsy iron-handled ladle. Even during Virgils time this tinkling seems to have been generally practiced (p.250a,b) The penultimate word on this subject comes from one Thomas Curtis of Melbourne, Victoria, in The Argus, 30 July 1862 Avoid the oldfashioned custom whilst they swarm of sounding a band of old tin kettles and fire pans, which disturbs and annoys the bees, and very often causes them to take long flights. 553

552

Hultgren, Roger and Kathy. Old Swarming Devices, p.158. Horn also supplies the story of an 1882 tin-pan party (pp.129-130) taken from the Courier Journal, 30 July 1882, p.2, titled The remarkable conduct of some farmers boys and girls explained. 553 See also the short chapter titled Glass Hives and Bell Glasses, 1862 on page 60; also refer Volume II, the short chapter titled An English Beemaster, Sydney, 1847 wherein: In The Sydney Morning Herald for 25 February 1847 (p.3a) An English Beemaster noted the absurd custom of making a variety of noises to charm the bees from flying away. The Beemaster described such noises as ringing a bell or tinkling on a kettle or sauce pan and noted the custom in England required the owner of stray bees to follow them, noisily making known his claim.

290

A Swarm in June, 1957 (p.58)

From a 1957 childrens story A Swarm in June by Rosemary Garland, beekeeper Mr. Voice explains to seven year old Jonathan that hell be watching his bees in case a swarm issues I always keep my old gong handy. What for? asks Jonathan, surprised. Why, to bang loudly. They say it stops a swarm from flying off for miles and miles. It makes the swarm turn and settle near at hand. Its an old wives tale, really, I think. But you never know. (pp.15-16) HEBBLEWHITE & CO. Samuel Hebblewhite of George Street, Sydney, was the importer of American goods, such as ash oars and rocking chairs, from as early as 1842. One of his c1895 advertisements appears below. Note also the appended advertisement for Angus Mackays book Bee Keeping as a Business in Australia. A copy of this may be found in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.

291

292

Book Reviews
THE IMMIGRANT BEES, VOLUME II The Beekeeper, Quarterly Newsletter, The North Shore Beekeepers Association
Peter Barrett is to be congratulated on the depth of research for this book and on presenting the information in such a stimulating and accessible way. (Ian Savins, Librarian/Public Officer)

Karl Showler of Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, U.K..

Your book is giving me great pleasure I read your personal introduction but you were very discreet about your own background and what you do for a living, also how you put the books together.

Peter Abotomey, Peterborough, South Australia.

Thank you for yet another installment of your 19th Century beekeeping research. Youre like a strong, hard-working bee yourself, going through those Dixson archives like a bee through a paddock of Patersons Curse. You do it so nicely and it is so easy to read. The book is attractive and as one reads one can hear the murmuring of innumerable bees and even smell that warm honey scent. Well, that might be overstating it a bit. The midget poet in me sometimes runs away with my pen, but the gist of it is, I am impressed. And so, also, is my beekeeper daughter in Colo Vale. She loved the first installment I sent her. Thank you Peter Barrett. For me it is better than honey harvesting, for I dont get stung. I hate getting stung, whereas my daughter, when she is stung mutters sadly Poor little bugger! Now he will die.

WILLIAM CHARLES COTTON, GRAND BEE MASTER OF NZ, 1842 TO 1847 Arthur Smith, Frodsham, Cheshire, England
Its a lovely book and, of course, I am fascinated with the contents. I think you have done an excellent job in researching Cottons beekeeping exploits in such depth and I found the story of his rejection by Mary Eliza Hawkins specially interesting.

293

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JOURNALS & NEWSPAPERS

1. Ziegler K. I (1993) Leatherwood Resource Management Report
(located on the internet)

2. Adelaide Observer, 29 December 1883 (p.11e); 19 January (p.12a), 5

April (p.30d), 17 May (p.11e), 9 August (p.13b), 18 October 1884 (p.12d-e); 18 September 1886

3. Advertiser (Adelaide) 8 Nov. 1927, 2 Apr 1930, 22 Dec 1955; 4. Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W., pp.1086-1091 Do Bees Obtain
Honey from Corn (Maize) Vol. IV, Jan. Dec. 1893. p.842; 1901 (pp.213-217); July 1901, pp.842-845; April 1901

5. Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W., pp.81-85, c1896, Conservation of

Manure 6. American Bee Journal, Feb. 1993, p.124 7. Annual Report of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856

8. Argus, 27 March 1860 (p.5, col. d), 18 June 1861 (p.7c), 5 July 1861
(p.7c), 16 July 1861 (p.4g), 15 August 1861 (p.7a), 16 August 1861 (p.5, col. h or b), 24 Sept. 1861 (p.5c), 22 Oct. 1861 (p.5b), 15 Nov. 1861 (p.5a), 11 Dec. 1862 (p.4g), 30 July 1862 (p.3f), 8 Jan. 1863 (p.4g), 18 Feb. 1863 (p.5b), 19 Oct. 1864 (p.5g), 26 Feb. 1863 (p.5a), 2 April 1863 (p.5b), 20 Jan. 1864 (p.7c-d), 6 Dec. 1864 (p.5c), 7 April 1865 (p.5c), 13 April 1865 (p.6b), 12 August 1865 (p.15b)

9. Australasian Beekeeper, October, 1925; Volume 100, Number 12,

June 1999; Nov. 1957; July 1970; Jan, Aug 1971; Sept., Oct., 1975; Vol. 100, No. 12 10. Australasian, 24 December 1864

11. Australian Bee Bulletin, 23 September 1893; Sept. 1895; March 1896;
April 1897; Vol.6, 24 July 1897, pp.270-271; August 1898; April 1901; 31 Jan 1907. NSW State Ref Lib DS638.05/2. 12. Australian Zoologist 6(2), 1930

13. Australian, 27 February 1838 (p.2) 14. Bee World 72(4); 43(2) Summer 1962, pp44-49; 15. Beekeeping (1979) Queensland Department of Primary Industries 302

16. Campbell, W. S. (1919) The Parramatta River and its Vicinity, 18481861, Journal and Proceedings, Royal Historical Society, pp.250-283

17. Canberra & District Historical Soc. Newsletter, April 1972, p.132. A
Visit to Blundells Farmhouse

18. Castners Monthly and Rural Australian (1887, p.181, p.295)

Practical Papers on Bee-Keeping, No. I how to make a kerosene case hive.; 1888, pp.103, 105

19. Campbell, Keith (29 Dec. 2002) ABC Radio / Robyn Williams
Ockhams Razor broadcast

20. Catalogue of the Natural and Industrial Products of New South Wales,
1861 (as exhibited in the Sydney Hall of the Mechanics School of Arts) International Exhibition Commissioners

21. Cockerell, Prof. T. D. A. (1930) The Bees of Australia, (Australian

Zoologist 6(2), 1930)

22. Daily Alta, California, 1 July 1852, 16 December 1857, 23 February

1858

23. Daily Telegraph, 10 July 1894 24. Forbes Advertiser, 23 November 1946 25. Garden and Field, vol. 3, 1 May 1878, p.190c. In Jolly (2004) 26. Gleanings in Bee Culture, January 1969. (pp.38-40) 27. Goldsmith, C. H. (1847) The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science,
January 1847, Vol.3, No.4.

28. Goulburn Herald, Wednesday, 1 July, Friday 3 July (p.3), 1896 29. Heritage Study of the City of Penrith 30. Horticultural Journal, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman, 18
Feb., 1862; 18 March 1862; 16 June 1863

31. Horticultural Journal, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman, 18

Feb. 1862; 18 March 1862, 16 June 1863, 20 June 1865

32. Illustrated Sydney News, 22 Dec. 1877 (Vol.13, no.26, p.5) 33. Leichhardt, Dr. Lectures on the Geology, Botany, Natural History,
and capabilities of the Country between Moreton Bay and Port Essington, from The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, January 1847, Vol.3 34. Leisure Hour, A Family Journal of Instruction and Recreation,

303

Nov. 1852 35. Maitland Mercury, 3 Mar. 1843

36. Marsh J. W. (1855) Report on Birds, Bees, Insects and Worms,

Transactions Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society

37. Mrs. Loudon's Entertaining Naturalist ... (A new edition, revised and
enlarged by W. S. Dallas. London: Bell & Daldy, 1867

38. Nepean Times, 4, 11, 18 Jan. 1908; 2, 9 Jan., 1909 39. New Zealand and Australian Bee Journal, 1883, No. 1 40. Newsletter, New South Wales Apiarists Association, Sept. Oct.
1999

41. Observer (Adelaide) 19 Jan. 1884; 17 May 1884 (p.11e); 18 Oct.

1884, p.12d-e); 20 Apr. 1907 (p.38d); 12 Nov 1927 42. 43. 44. 45. Queenslander, 6 December 1873; 19 Sept 1874 Rural Australian, June 1893; 1 Nov. 1893 San Jose Tribune, 4 December 1857. South Coast Herald (c.April 1897)

46. South Australian Register, 23 Nov. 1885 (p.5a); 15 Apr. 1907 (p.5a) 47. St Pauls Emu Plains Cemetery, Methodist Section, Nepean Family
History Society

48. Sydney Gazette, Friday, 21 June 1822

49. Sydney Morning Herald, 15 Sept. 1834; 25 May 1837; 27 March 1843 (p.2); 25 May 1837; 12 May 1845; 28 July 1863; 10 Aug. 1863; 1 Jan 1909 50. Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, January 1847, Vol.3, No.4. 51. Transactions of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856 52. True Colonist, 14 February 1835 53. Roth, Walter E. (The Northern Protector of Aboriginals, Queensland) North Queensland Etmnography, Bulletin No. 3. Food: Its Search, Capture, and Preparation (Sept., 1901). Home Secretarys Department, Brisbane 54. Watkins, Lee H American Bee Journal Harbisons Second Importation of Bees to California, Vol. 107 (10), pp.378-379,

304

October 1967; Californias First Honey Bees Vol. 108 (5), pp.190191, May 1968; and Mr. Bucks Importations of Bees to California Vol. 108 (6), pp.232-233, 235, June 1968 55. Watkins, Lee H. Gleanings in Bee Culture The First Honeybees in the Sandwich Islands Vol. 96 (1), pp.48-49, January 1968

56. Watkins, Lee H. (1969), The Journal of San Diego History (vol. 15,
no. 4) John S. Harbison: Pioneer San Diego Beekeeper

57. Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 14 Sept. 1895 58. Ziegler, K. I (1993) Leatherwood Resource Management Report

DIARIES & LETTERS

1. Acclimatisation Society of Queensland, Minutes (p.91) 8 April 1875 2. Birkby, Thomas (31 May 1836) letter to his family in England.
Dixson Collection, State Library N.S.W.

3. Franklin, Lady Jane, Catalogued NLA MS6642, 4 & 6 July 1839 4. Gill, Samuel Thomas (1818-1880) The Bee Hunter, 19th Century
drawings, Dixson Collection, State Library of NSW 5. Hall, Duncan. MS5547, Australian National Library, Box 59, Folder 2 June 2002

6. Jolly, Bridget. personal communication from South Australia, 28 7. Wilson, Edward (c1856) ink and watercolour paintings, State Library
of Victoria. Indexed as PIC LTBOX/WILSON H97.136.3 and H97.136.4

305

Index
A.B.K......................................274 Editor..................................275 aborigines. .21, 22, 23, 25, 35, 43, 59, 91, 195, 207, 261, 278 Abram, Wilhelm.....206, 213, 281 1.Acclimatisation Society. 14, 27, 32, 72, 73, 75, 76, 80, 87, 88, 91, 280, 294, 301, 305 of NSW.............14, 27, 32, 294 of Qld.....................88, 91, 305 of Vic................73, 80, 87, 280 Adair, James...........................205 Adelaide....11, 12, 90, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, 100, 101, 103, 105, 106, 107, 108, 111, 112, 113, 114, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, 126, 265, 276, 277, 301, 302, 304 Adelaide........................................ Hills....................................277 Adelong...........................218, 254 Africa................................27, 234 Agincourt................................186 Agnew and Co........................272 Agriculture W.A.................12, 48 air chamber..............................150 current.................................150 Alfred Hospital Melbourne (South)................................269 Alley.......................125, 265, 278 Alley, Mr.................................125 Alligator........................................ Rivers....................................25 Alviso......................................149 America.....26, 89, 125, 126, 127, 129, 133, 137, 148, 205, 272, 297 American....................................... continent...............................27 River. 93, 95, 98, 99, 101, 107, 111 Amey, Oscar...................267, 269 Anderson, J. B.........................103 Andrews........................................ brothers.................................87 James..........270, 271, 272, 273 John Colven........................265 Mary....................................271 Susanna...............................270 Ann.........................26, 33, 56, 65 Apiarian Society...59, 76, 77, 279 Appin................................29, 155 Ararat......................................274 Archives Office, Hobart...........36 Argus...14, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 65, 69, 72, 73, 75, 76, 80, 86, 87, 88, 174, 175, 216, 290, 301, 302 Arncliffe..........................154, 156 Ashby............................................ George......................53, 54, 57 Mr.........................................53 Aspinwall................131, 149, 152 Atlantic..126, 131, 133, 139, 140, 148 Auckland. 65, 134, 135, 161, 182, 189 Augusta.....................................62 Aureliano, Antonio...................27 Australian...................................... Agricultural Company 42, 208, 294 bee, stingless.........................24 Dictionary of Biography.....33, 35, 50, 55, 56, 68, 105, 154, 159, 170, 259, 276, 277, 294, 300 Maritime Historical Assocn. ........................................100 Australian Assocn. of Maritime History............................32, 41 Avon Valley..............................64 Ayling, Rev. J.........206, 207, 209 Baines........................................14 Bairnsdale...............................271

306

Bakers Hill................................64 Ballarat............................218, 263 Bank of South Australia, Heritage Icons....................122 Barbosa, Paulo..........................27 Bartley, Nehemiah..................159 Batchelder, Benjamin Pierce..287 Batemans Bay...........................39 Bathurst...............43, 56, 199, 295 Battery Point.............................52 Bay of Islands......12, 13, 64, 134, 183, 199 bee moth (see also wax moth). 90, 144 Bee-Hive Stores......................287 Beecroft...........................206, 213 beeswax.....42, 62, 116, 117, 181, 260, 261, 262, 282 Bendigo.............................61, 224 Bennett, George........................14 Berlepsch..................94, 112, 117 Berry.............................................. Alexander53, 54, 57, 168, 198, 201, 202, 204, 282, 283, 284, 301 David...53, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 205, 207, 282, 283, 286 Mr.......................................198 Mrs Elizabeth.......55, 199, 285 (Armit), Barbara.................282 Beuhne, F. R.....................28, 294 Bianconcini, Charles.......90, 114, 124, 125, 126 Bianconcini, Mr. C.................125 Bidwill, John Carne................276 Birkby........................................... Thomas.......................155, 195 Thomas, the Gardener........186 Bishop......65, 138, 140, 142, 144, 145, 155, 161, 163, 164, 168, 184 Charles R............................138 of New Zealand.161, 163, 164, 184 Black bees.......................216, 264

Blasdall, M................................89 Blaxland..........................170, 184 Blaxland........................................ Gregory.......................170, 171 Bligh.............................................. Governor.............................159 Street, Sydney............159, 160 Blue Mountains. 12, 13, 218, 220, 222, 255, 258, 259 Blundell......................................... George........................211, 212 George Walter....................211 Bologna.....90, 97, 106, 107, 114, 124, 125, 126 Bomaderry..............................286 Bond, Edward P......................146 Bonney.......................................... Arthur Edwin....90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 105, 106, 107, 108, 110, 111, 115, 116, 121, 124, 125, 277, 281 Flat......................................277 Booth, Capt.............................260 Boston....126, 131, 133, 136, 138, 146, 147 Boswell, Annabella. 43, 158, 295, 297 Botanic Society.......................186 Botany Bay.....170, 184, 186, 204 Boucaut......................................... J 107 James Penn.........................107 Boucaut, James.........98, 101, 107 Bourke........................................... Street, Melbourne.................59 box...59, 102, 120, 150, 151, 155, 177, 178, 181, 278, 282 box................................................. hives............................102, 151 hives, common...................211 boxes.........61, 142, 151, 177, 178 Bradley.......................................... Miss.....................................216 Sophie A...............................29

307

Braidwood...46, 48, 50, 128, 157, 166, 196 Branco.......................................27 Bray, Joseph......................13, 162 Brazil...................................26, 27 Breakfast Creek........................89 Breeza Plains............................23 Briagolong......................288, 289 Brighton....................................14 Brisbane.....12, 14, 33, 35, 41, 88, 89, 90, 91, 93, 106, 107, 111, 112, 113, 114, 116, 124, 125, 148, 276, 280, 281, 282, 294, 297, 304 Brisbane........................................ Governor...................33, 34, 42 Sir. Thomas..........................33 Brisbane Water.......................282 British............................................ Government..........33, 222, 258 Library......................15, 16, 18 Brunswick.................................68 Brush Farm.............................170 Buck, William........133, 139, 145 Buick............................................. John.............................100, 101 Messrs.................................100 Mr. 91, 93, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, 107, 111, 114 William...............................100 Bulga Plateau..................217, 297 Bunker, Mrs..............................46 Bunn, George, Esq....................42 Buonaparte................................62 Burnett........................................... River.....................................23 (River), Middle.....................24 Burragorang..............................45 Busby, James.....57, 65, 134, 183, 185, 189, 190, 191, 199, 204 Bussell, Mary..............62, 63, 158 Buzacott........................................ Reverend Aaron....................67 California.......12, 13, 89, 91, 124, 131, 132, 133, 134, 139, 144, 145, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151,

152, 153, 162, 202, 203, 261, 303, 304 Californian89, 131, 133, 139, 144 Calvert, Rev. J........................255 Campbell.......159, 168, 176, 211, 212, 213 George................................165 John.....13, 158, 161, 162, 164, 166, 171, 175, 176, 190, 196, 198, 211 Merchant............160, 300, 301 Mrs Charles........................178 Robert158, 160, 161, 162, 164, 165, 167, 168, 170, 178, 184, 197, 199, 212, 297 Robert jnr...................159, 160 Robert snr...158, 162, 165, 178 W. S......................................46 & Co...................159, 165, 183 Campbell Town......................259 Campbelltown.................155, 216 Canary Islands..........................37 Canberra....11, 12, 159, 160, 184, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 222, 295, 296, 300, 301, 303 Canberra........................................ & District Historical Society ................................211, 212 Cape.............................................. Colony..................................63 Horn. .131, 133, 136, 137, 139, 140, 142, 143, 145, 147, 148 Jervis...................................102 St. Lucas.............................153 Town.....................................97 Cardiael, Father........................26 Caribbean sea..........................152 Carneiro......................................... Father Antonio Pinto............27 Carroll........................................... James.....89, 90, 106, 107, 148, 215, 216, 280, 281 Jas.........................................91 Carter, Earnest..........................60

308

case..28, 48, 51, 58, 64, 129, 136, 140, 142, 170, 194, 216, 229, 237, 242, 243, 245, 247, 250, 253, 254, 258, 270, 271, 285, 291, 303 case................................................ gin...............................215, 216 Catarack River........................195 Cataract......................................... River...................................195 Caulfield....................................59 Central America.............134, 139 Centralia..................................152 centrifugal extractor...............216 Chamber........................................ of Commerce..........92, 93, 107 of Manufactures 90, 92, 93, 95, 97, 106, 107, 111, 116, 120, 121 Chamberlain....................138, 145 Chamberlain.................................. J. E..............................136, 137 W................................137, 142 Chambers, L. T.........94, 264, 265 charcoal...................................140 Charles Dickins & Sons..........116 Chile........................................134 Church of England 161, 168, 184, 257 Circular Quay..........................160 Clarence River (Lower)..........250 Clarke, Captain.........................26 Clarson, Mr...............................60 Clayton.....34, 182, 197, 281, 283 Clifford, David.................96, 110 Clyde River...............................32 Cockerell, Prof. T. D. A.....24, 25 Cole, Mr....................................24 Coleman..............63, 99, 125, 277 Coles store...............................287 Colonial Secretary.....36, 37, 157, 158, 170 combs. .78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 112, 138, 150, 151, 152, 174, 176, 177, 178, 185, 189, 190, 191, 215, 216, 231,

236, 266, 267, 272, 273, 280, 287 Commissary.................................. General of Government Provisions.........................54 Commissioner of Crown Lands ............................................276 Committee on Horticulture.....137 Congregational........................254 Cook.............................................. cousins..................................64 family....................................64 Cooke, Mr...................87, 88, 289 Cooks River.....56, 154, 155, 157, 160, 161, 184, 196 Coolangatta. . .200, 201, 202, 203, 205, 207, 282, 283, 284 Cooradigbee............................156 Cordovil de Siqueira e Mello, Sebastiao...............................27 Corlette, James..........................42 Corowa...........218, 224, 254, 266 Cotton, William Charles.....3, 13, 17, 19, 49, 53, 57, 65, 130, 140, 142, 154, 157, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 164, 166, 168, 169, 170, 171, 176, 177, 178, 182, 183, 184, 185, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 199, 204, 284, 293, 294, 295, 298 Cowper, Premier.....................286 Crane, Dr. Eva.......26, 27, 62, 95, 117, 126, 277, 295 Creagh, Annie C.......................67 Crebert........................................... family..................................208 Peter....................................208 Creberts Folly Garden............208 Crookhaven River...........204, 284 Crows Nest.................53, 57, 198 Cudlee Creek..........................277 Cumming, Dr. John........162, 163 Daley, Mr. W............................35 Dandenong..........................59, 69 Danger Island............................66 Darling Harbour........................37

309

Darwin, Charles......246, 247, 256 Davidson, Mr............52, 196, 197 Davies, Rev. R. R...................260 Davis, Peter.............................124 Dawes Point............................160 de Thierry, Baron Charles.....133, 134, 135, 137 Deep Lead...............................275 Delly, Ned...............................275 Denison, Lieut. Gov. William Thomas...............................260 Devon........................................51 Devonshire................................67 Dickinson, Jas...........................59 Discovery Bay..........................88 Dixson Collection20, 67, 72, 195, 305 Dodds, Mr., auctioneer...........205 Dollman, Mr. H. H.........125, 126 Doolan, John...........209, 210, 211 Doyle, W.............................41, 42 Dudley Council.......................119 Duncan, John..................218, 258 Dunedin...................................134 Duneed, Mount.........................15 Duntroon........159, 165, 168, 171, 178, 180, 181, 182, 209, 210, 211, 212, 298 Dzierzon.....85, 94, 113, 114, 117 East Alligator River..................25 East Indiaman...........................40 East Indiamen.....................40, 41 eastern........................................... States of America...............144 Echidna.....................................23 Echuca...............................87, 268 Echunga Road...................99, 277 Edinburgh.........................55, 260 Edmonds, John..........................15 Egypt.......................................283 Eldridge, Tonia C......12, 94, 112, 122 Elizabeth Bay.........157, 169, 196 Elizabeth Farm.................31, 169 Ellenborough Falls..................217 Emperor Dom Pedro II.............26

Emu............................................... Bank....................................210 Heights................................255 Plains.218, 220, 225, 229, 255, 259, 304 Enfield....................104, 106, 125 England.....14, 15, 18, 27, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 49, 53, 56, 69, 72, 75, 89, 97, 111, 112, 117, 131, 140, 154, 164, 166, 167, 168, 176, 177, 179, 182, 184, 185, 186, 188, 191, 193, 195, 196, 197, 205, 219, 261, 277, 279, 289, 290, 293, 305 English.......................................... bee.31, 43, 50, 88, 89, 91, 184, 199, 205, 220, 228, 296 Beemaster...........................290 Equator..............................61, 140 Erskine Creek..........................226 Eumemmering..........................69 Europe. 15, 16, 26, 27, 40, 75, 88, 108, 114, 117, 127, 148 Exhibition of 1888, Melbourne 29 Fairfield Apiary................99, 277 Farm Cove...............................167 Fenton........................................... James....................51, 261, 262 Mrs......................................262 Fiebig............................................ August.....92, 94, 95, 106, 108, 109, 110, 113, 114, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, 124, 125, 265, 281 Ronald.................................120 Fife..........................................282 Fisher, Mr................................270 Fitzroy.........................80, 83, 270 Floral and Horticultural Society ............................................186 Flower Garden..........................17 Forbes.....................254, 255, 303 Forbes............................................ District Hospital.................254 Foulis, George.........................103

310

frames..13, 61, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 87, 94, 107, 112, 117, 128, 151, 153, 155, 229, 236, 266, 270, 273, 274, 280 Francis Brothers......................287 Bee-Hive Stores..................287 Franco-Prussian War..............224 Franklin......................................... Sir John...............................261 Street...................................265 Frankston...................................81 Fraser, T. W............163, 269, 296 Fremantle....................40, 62, 299 Frodsham.................................293 Fullwood, Charles.....90, 95, 101, 106, 107, 110, 112, 113, 114, 116, 124, 278, 281 Gale, Albert.27, 32, 35, 206, 207, 209, 221, 237, 241, 242, 243, 245, 246, 247, 248, 250, 252, 253, 296 Garden & Field Society..........116 Garret, E..................................215 Gayndah....................................23 Gee, William. .154, 155, 156, 157 George Bunn & Co...................42 George Street, Sydney......39, 291 George, Henry................222, 254 German......23, 24, 113, 121, 126, 145, 290 Gibbs, May..............................258 Gill, Samuel Thomas..........20, 72 Gippsland..........61, 269, 271, 273 Glen Innes...............218, 254, 301 Glenbrook...............................239 Glenelg......................................87 Glenorchy.......................197, 274 Goat Island................................38 Godfrey, Captain......................75 Goldsmith, C. H..............260, 261 Goodradigbee River................156 Goulburn.........................206, 303 Government House......33, 55, 56, 167, 214 Government House, Parramatta ..............................................33

Governor....................................... Arthur...........................53, 197 Bourke..........................53, 197 of Queensland.....................216 Grampian Mountains..............273 Grampians......273, 274, 275, 276 Great Britain.....28, 284, 297, 298 Great Circle, journal...........32, 41 Great Dividing Range.............217 Great Exhibition......29, 260, 262, 300 Great Exhibition........................... London, 1851......................186 Great Western.221, 258, 259, 262 Green............................................. Capt. G................................146 Captain Matthews W..........146 Griffith, Mr. fruiterer..............282 Guildford...................................64 Gunter, R...................................48 Hall................................................ Alan....................................258 Duncan........................218, 257 Ebenezer.............................248 Evelyn.................................248 George..................................51 Jeannie........................219, 255 Lincoln.........................12, 255 Machin................223, 255, 297 Rev. William Hessel. 226, 239, 254, 255, 259 Hamilton.................................265 Hannaford..................................... Ernest Hayler..............276, 277 George................................276 Hannam......................................... clan.....................................156 David..........................156, 157 Reuben.......154, 155, 156, 157 Harbison. .91, 124, 132, 139, 147, 148, 149, 152, 153, 297, 304, 305 Harbison........................................ brothers...............................139 J. S..............139, 149, 151, 152 W. C....................................148

311

W. C. & J. S.......................151 Hartley Vale............................277 Harwich.....................................66 Hawaii...131, 133, 134, 144, 145, 147 Hawaiian Agricultural Society ............................134, 136, 146 Royal...................................304 Hawkesbury.................................. Agricultural College. 207, 209, 296 Hebblewhite, Samuel..............291 Heddon....................................265 Hessel Place....................223, 255 hive....................................47, 113 hives.............................................. bark.......................................61 box. .17, 36, 45, 47, 48, 58, 59, 61, 77, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 95, 101, 113, 120, 125, 136, 140, 142, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 158, 175, 176, 177, 178, 181, 193, 209, 210, 215, 216, 230, 231, 236, 261, 262, 263, 265, 266, 268, 274, 275, 278, 282 gin case.....45, 58, 59, 84, 215, 216, 236, 250 nadir........................83, 84, 263 straw......45, 61, 154, 175, 176, 178, 185, 189, 199 top bar.....................59, 84, 280 Hobart..12, 27, 30, 32, 36, 37, 38, 46, 49, 50, 51, 52, 119, 182, 196, 197, 260, 262, 281, 283, 295, 299 Hobart........................................... Port Masters Ships Clearance Ledgers.............................36 Town.....32, 36, 46, 49, 50, 51, 182, 197, 260, 281, 295 Hocken Library.......................134 Hog Bay............95, 100, 106, 113 Holdfast Bay Yacht Club........100 Home Government...................33

Homebush.................................30 honey.........................................47 Hong Kong................................54 Honolulu132, 133, 134, 136, 138, 143, 144, 145, 147, 297, 300 Hood, Thomas Lloyd......262, 281 Hopkins, Isaac...28, 90, 101, 107, 113, 186 Hopwood, Mr............................87 Howard, John..........................278 Hulk Bay...................................38 Humphries, Mr..........................45 Hunter........................................... River.............43, 183, 208, 251 Valley.................................205 Huon River......................103, 119 hurricane deck.........................152 ice............................................140 water...................................142 Icely, Thomas...................47, 199 Illawarra....53, 55, 200, 204, 205, 207, 283, 284, 286 newspaper...........................286 India..............35, 39, 40, 158, 168 Innes.............................................. Major Archibald Clunes......43, 158 International.................................. Exhibition Commissioners..46, 303 Exhibition of London.........262 Ireland.....................266, 269, 271 Italian......................................125 Bee Farm Company............213 bees. 23, 84, 86, 89, 90, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 107, 111, 113, 114, 148, 209, 214, 220, 258 queens...................89, 216, 236 Italians.85, 86, 90, 103, 111, 117, 214, 219, 220 Italy...26, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 106, 107, 108, 110, 112, 113, 115, 118, 121, 124, 125, 126, 216, 277 James Pattison...........................62

312

Jeannie River............................91 Jervis Bay.................35, 119, 207 Jolly, Bridget.......11, 94, 99, 112, 113, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121, 264, 303, 305 Jones, H. L..............................215 Kangaroo................108, 113, 125 Farm....................................100 Island.....90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 116, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 265, 281, 301 Kangaroo Island..............108, 113 Beekeepers Association.....113 Kauai.......................................144 Keilor........................................69 Kent.............................75, 94, 117 Keri Keri.................................189 Kew.........................267, 269, 270 King Dicky................................43 King Street, Sydney................287 Kingscote..................99, 112, 124 Kirby, William........................158 Kitchen....................................269 Lake Innes...............................158 Lang, Revd. John Dunmore....284 Langstroth. 15, 94, 102, 106, 113, 114, 116, 117, 216, 264, 265, 266, 268, 296, 298 Langstroth..................................... simplicity hive....................216 51.Lapstone...218, 220, 223, 225, 249, 254, 258, 259, 297 Apiary.................218, 220, 249 Hill..............................254, 297 Launceston.....183, 260, 262, 296 Lavender....................................... Bay........................................38 George..................................38 Lawton, Captain.....133, 144, 145 lead pipes................................140 League of Nations..........222, 258

Legislative Council.......159, 168, 169, 196, 206 Leichhardt..................................... Dr298 Ludwig..................................14 Lempriere, T. J.......................260 Lennoxton estate.....................205 Ligurian..................108, 113, 125 Bee Act.................................92 Bee Company.....118, 119, 120 bees. 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, 87, 88, 91, 92, 95, 96, 97, 99, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 113, 115, 116, 120, 122, 123, 124, 125, 280 Limon Bay..............131, 139, 149 Linch.......................................269 Lindsay, Norman....................258 Little Plains.............................217 Little Wimmera (river)...........275 Little, Rev. G..........................255 Liverpool............46, 90, 112, 124 Loftus............................................ Constable............................241 Mr.......................................241 London 16, 17, 21, 26, 31, 39, 40, 46, 48, 49, 50, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 71, 75, 87, 90, 95, 96, 97, 157, 162, 163, 187, 195, 196, 199, 205, 262, 264, 265, 283, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 302, 304 London.......................................... Missionary Society..65, 66, 68, 295 Loudon.......................................... gardening guides..................17 Mr.........................................18 Mr & Mrs..............................17 Mrs.............16, 17, 18, 49, 304 Lucas.......................................240 MLean, Constable.................239 MMillan, T..................76, 79, 84 Macarthur...................................... Elizabeth.............158, 169, 182 Emmeline Maria 169, 183, 296

313

Hannibal.............169, 183, 199 John.......................................50 MacDonnell, S........................281 Mackay, Angus....13, 89, 91, 107, 116, 124, 148, 280, 281, 291 Maclean, Alexander (see Macleay).....................157, 197 Macleay......................................... Alexander..157, 168, 169, 184, 196, 198, 199 Col. Sec, Alexander...........158 Fanny (Frances Leonora)...157 Margaret.....................157, 158 Maitland....22, 55, 205, 208, 216, 299, 304 Maitland........................................ Scientific Society.................23 Mangles, Captain James R.N.. 17, 18 Mannahill................................277 Manning, Jeff............................48 Mansfield................................265 Maoris.....................................135 Marrinon, Mr............................60 Marsden......................26, 48, 168 Revd. Samuel.........26, 48, 298 Marsh, J. W.............................145 Martens, Conrad.....................167 Massachusetts.........................125 Maui........................................144 May, Messrs Coleman & May 99, 125, 277 McCann...................................240 McCue, Mr..............................251 McDonald, D..........................242 McDonnell, Mr. S...................214 McLaren, Mr.....................54, 198 McLeay, Mr............................170 McMorran...............................274 Medina....................127, 272, 300 114.Melbourne 12, 29, 39, 57, 59, 66, 68, 72, 74, 90, 97, 112, 116, 124, 174, 183, 265, 270, 271, 272, 280, 290, 295, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301 Argus Project................57, 301

Meningie.................................120 Meredith........................................ Charles................................259 Louisa.................................259 Merri Creek...............................68 Methodist...................................... Church........................254, 255 Conference.........222, 223, 256 ministry...............................254 Mexican States........................148 Middle Brighton......................265 Millbrook................................277 Miller......................53, 54, 55, 57 Commissary..............53, 54, 57 Mr...........................54, 55, 198 Mr. J.J...................................23 Street.....................................53 William.................................53 Milligan......................................... Dr................................260, 261 Dr. James............................260 J 262 Joseph.................................260 Mills, Miss..............................241 Milton........................................88 Mingoola...................................32 missionaries............................148 Mitchell Library. .41, 42, 66, 160, 164, 264, 283, 291 Molineux, Albert...104, 105, 106, 117 Molloy........................................... Captain J...............................61 Georgiana.........17, 18, 62, 297 John.......................................61 Montgomery.................................. J 134, 135 John.....................................137 Moonee Ponds...........................60 Moore, George F.......................17 Moreton Bay..14, 37, 41, 56, 183, 276, 298, 301, 303 Morgan.......................................... D. M...................273, 274, 275 D. M. Junr...........................274 D. M. Senr..................273, 276

314

David Senr..........................273 Fred.............................274, 276 J. R......................................274 Jack.............................274, 275 M. J.............................274, 276 Morris.213, 262, 263, 264, 273 Watkin........................274, 276 Watkin Morris....................275 Morpeth...................................216 Morton........................................... Charles..................................60 Moruya.......32, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48 Moruya.......................................... Heads....................................32 River.........................32, 39, 41 & District Historical Society41 Moses......................................283 Mount............................................ Barker.....98, 99, 120, 125, 277 Barker Springs..............99, 120 Crawford.............................277 Mowle........................................... Mr. S.....................................46 Mr. T. M...............................29 S.M...28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 46, 48 Stewart................................206 Stewart Marjoribanks...........29 Mudgee.....................................53 Mulgoa..............................55, 223 Mullins....................................240 Murarorabi................................25 126.Murray..71, 87, 88, 100, 118, 266, 299, 301 Bridge.........................100, 118 River...........................266, 301 Murrumbidgee................155, 156 Murrumbidgee.............................. River...................................155 Muxfeldt, Professor Hugo........27 National......................................... Beekeepers Association....206 Library of Australia 11, 53, 54, 165, 180, 181, 266, 270 Trust....92, 108, 109, 112, 122, 123 Native............................................

bee..14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 45, 228 honey bee............................195 Naveau, Herman.....................265 Neighbour..................................... A 124 Neighbour & Son..............90, 279 Nepean.......................................... River...195, 221, 225, 226, 232 New England....................42, 144 40.New South Wales...16, 18, 26, 33, 35, 37, 41, 46, 47, 53, 55, 56, 64, 68, 71, 154, 159, 183, 197, 200, 203, 205, 206, 207, 213, 216, 217, 227, 238, 241, 245, 253, 266, 278, 283, 295, 297, 298, 299, 301, 303, 304 Apiarists Association 278, 304 Corps...................................159 Government..........................37 New York 21, 131, 139, 148, 149, 151, 152, 205, 295, 296, 300 New York...................................... City.....................................148 New Zealand. 1, 3, 13, 21, 28, 33, 42, 53, 57, 64, 65, 69, 101, 113, 114, 116, 124, 130, 131, 133, 134, 135, 140, 141, 144, 154, 157, 182, 183, 184, 185, 188, 189, 193, 202, 203, 204, 262, 276, 278, 294, 295, 301, 304 New Zealand................................. British Resident..................134 Company...............................42 South Island........................134 Newcastle...........42, 89, 139, 208 Newstead.............................32, 41 Nogueira Neto, Dr. Paulo.........27 Norfolk.......................................... Island..............................37, 56 Plains..................................260 Norman......................................... Commander..........................76 Don.......................................47 Norrie, J. S................................46 North.............................................

315

Queensland...................24, 304 Ryde......................................45 Shore......54, 55, 198, 293, 301 Sydney..............11, 53, 54, 301 North American............................ east coast............133, 136, 147 Northern Protector of Aboriginals ......................................91, 304 Norton, Alf..............................215 Nottinghamshire.......................68 Nova Friburgo...........................27 Nowra...............11, 203, 282, 294 Numba.............................202, 286 ORourke....................................... Dan......................................274 family..................................274 Mr. & Mrs...........................274 Oahu........................................137 Oakleigh....................................82 Ohio........................127, 272, 300 oiled............................................... cloth....................................150 muslin.................................152 Ornithological Society..............17 Oyster Bay..............................261 Pacific....65, 66, 67, 96, 131, 133, 139, 145, 149, 295 Pacific........................................... coast....................................149 island..............................66, 67 Islands...................................65 Ocean..................................148 region..................................131 Palmer........................................... John.....................................165 Sophia (Campbell).............165 Panama. .131, 139, 147, 148, 152, 299 Panama.......................................... Bay of.........................139, 149 Isthmus.......131, 139, 148, 152 Paris.........................................260 Parliament of NSW...................29 16.Parramatta. .30, 31, 33, 34, 42, 43, 45, 71, 125, 158, 169, 170, 182, 184, 213, 214, 295, 303

River.............45, 169, 295, 303 Parry, Sir Edward.............42, 294 Paterson Church......................205 Peirce..............140, 142, 143, 147 Peirce............................................. Captain................................145 Henry A..............................138 Mr.......................................138 Penneshaw.92, 95, 108, 109, 110, 112, 118 Penrith.............................224, 303 Pentridge.............................82, 83 Perry, Helen........................11, 53 Perth............................62, 64, 300 Pitt Street, Sydney....................46 Platts Channel.........................208 Plenty............................................ Ranges..................................59 Port................................................ Adelaide...............99, 103, 118 Arthur..................................260 Essington..............14, 298, 303 Jackson...............26, 28, 37, 38 Macquarie.............43, 295, 300 Phillip.....................40, 69, 183 Sorell...................................259 Stephens................................42 Porto..........................................27 Portsmouth. 27, 32, 36, 37, 41, 62 Portugal...............................26, 27 Poyston....................................259 Prahran......................................59 Presbyterian............168, 254, 257 Presbyterians...........................284 Prince Albert...........................186 Princess Charlotte Bay.............91 Priscilla, ship (ketch).....104, 118, 119, 120 prison hulk..........................37, 38 Quambi Estate....................98, 99 Queade.......................................... Dr. Charles.........27, 33, 36, 50 Robert...................................36 Queanbeyan....................218, 254 Queenlea Apiary.....................288

316

Queensland..3, 12, 32, 44, 49, 88, 89, 90, 91, 94, 95, 97, 107, 111, 116, 119, 120, 121, 124, 215, 216, 276, 283, 284, 298, 300, 301, 302, 304 Queensland Dept. Primary Industries........89, 90, 300, 302 Quinby....................266, 268, 300 Rake, Charles. 104, 106, 125, 281 Raratonga..................................67 Rarotonga..................................67 Rayment, T...............24, 288, 289 Rhymney.................................276 Rice & Co., Mr.......................137 Richmond....12, 35, 76, 199, 209, 251, 296, 298, 305 Richmond...................................... Agricultural College...........251 Ben......................................275 River.....................................35 Rio de Janeiro...........................27 Riverina...................................222 Riversdale...............................259 Roberts, Greg..........................278 Robertson, Mr...........................83 Robinson........16, 18, 21, 49, 190, 196, 197, 200, 201, 300 Robinson....................................... James......................16, 48, 190 Rockdale.................................156 Ronald Parsons, Ronald. .12, 100, 103, 118, 119, 300 Roses Gap...............273, 274, 275 Ross, Captain John 30, 31, 32, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 48, 50 Rostron, L.................................60 Roth, Walter..............................91 Rout, W...........................260, 262 Royal............................................. Geographical Society...........17 Hawaiian Agricultural Soc. .......133, 135, 137, 302, 304 Society..........................17, 260 Ryde............................44, 45, 298 Sacramento.............139, 149, 153 San Clemente High School.....208

San Diego 12, 139, 147, 148, 162, 305 San Jose. 133, 139, 144, 145, 149, 304 SanFrancisco. 133, 134, 139, 148, 149, 151, 153 Santa Clara Valley....................91 Sayce, J...........59, 76, 80, 84, 279 Schon, Miss Sheila...................69 Scotland...34, 35, 51, 56, 62, 193, 200, 282 Scott, Thomas Alison.............282 Selwyn, Bishop.........65, 161, 184 Semon, Richard................23, 300 Shelton.......................................... Mr.......................................149 Mr. C. A.............139, 144, 149 Sherratt, Mr...............................63 Ship Inn.....................................34 ships.............................................. Alhambra......................75, 280 Chieftain...............................17 City of New York.................91 Colonial Empire.......39, 40, 41 Cuzco..................92, 96, 97, 98 Damascus........................39, 40 Dolphin, steamer..................95 Fanny....................................47 Fanny Major.......133, 144, 145 Harriett, brig.........................38 Hashemy.........................40, 41 Hawthorn, ketch......93, 94, 99, 100, 103, 104, 111 Isabella.........28, 30, 31, 49, 50 John....................36, 46, 50, 53 John Williams..........65, 66, 68 Lambton, cutter/schooner....42 Liguria...87, 97, 106, 108, 110, 265 Lusitania.............................270 Matanzas...137, 138, 140, 143, 144 Minerva.................................36 Mischief, cutter..................100 Moses Taylor, steamship....152 Orwell.................................281

317

Philosopher.....................39, 40 Phoenix. 27, 28, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 50 Pilot..........................32, 36, 39 Potosi..........................125, 126 Princess Charlotte........91, 154 R. B. Forbes................136, 138 Raduga................................146 Shamrock, schooner..........183 Shamrock, steamer............183 Shoalhaven....200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 207, 282, 283, 284, 285, 294 Shoalhaven.................................... estate...........................201, 202 municipality........................285 River..200, 202, 203, 205, 207, 282, 283, 284 shps................................................ Indianna................................38 Shumack, Samuel. .159, 209, 210, 211, 212 Simmons, Samuel...........263, 264 Singleton...................................43 Skep.........................................201 Smith............................................. brothers.................................64 family...........................64, 111 William...............................275 Smiths Bay...............................92 South............................................. Africa..........................118, 233 America..26, 96, 139, 148, 168 Atlantic.................96, 138, 295 Australia24, 91, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 112, 113, 115, 116, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 216, 276, 277, 281, 293, 295, 296, 300, 301, 302, 304, 305 Sea Islands......................65, 66 Woodburn.............................35 Yarra...................134, 135, 298 South Australian...........................

Beekeepers Association...108, 116 Dept. Primary Industries......97 Farmers and Producers Assocn............................277 South Australian Beekeepers Association93, 94, 95, 97, 108, 116, 277 Southern, Clara.........................70 Sovereign Chief of NZ...........135 Sow & Pigs reef........................37 Spain.........................................26 Spaniards.................................148 Spanish..............................26, 149 settlers.................................149 Spark............................................. A. B............................154, 155 Alexander & Frances. .57, 154, 186 Alexander Brodie....13, 54, 55, 56, 57, 154, 155, 157, 160, 170, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 195, 196, 198, 199, 294 Frances Maria......57, 185, 189, 199 Spence, William.....................158 Spithead....................................61 Sprigg, George..........................76 Springwood.....13, 183, 196, 241, 258, 259, 294 Squires..............................45, 240 St. Clair.....................................43 St. Johns, Parramatta.............164 St. Pauls cemetery, Emu Plains ............................................255 St. Peters. 57, 157, 170, 184, 185 Stanmore.........................166, 206 State Library................................. of NSW....10, 67, 72, 195, 296 of Victoria 57, 69, 72, 288, 305 of Western Australia............61 Stawell Hospital......................274 Stearnes, Capt.........138, 142, 143 Steele, Rev. Dr. Thomas. 57, 157, 170, 184, 185, 186

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Stirling, Sir James.....................62 Stock Protection Society........205 Stokes, John..............................26 strong box................................140 Sumner.......................................... Mr. T. J.................................87 Zieber.........................262, 263 Sun newspaper................216, 285 Sunnyside Apiary....................216 Surveyor General....................195 Suter, Geraldine........................57 Sutton Apiary............92, 102, 103 Swan.............................................. Hill......................................224 Port......................................259 River.................18, 61, 64, 158 River Colony......................158 Swinbourne, Robert................276 Sydney.12, 15, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 53, 54, 55, 56, 65, 67, 68, 71, 91, 96, 97, 117, 118, 124, 125, 148, 154, 155, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 174, 178, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 189, 191, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 202, 203, 204, 205, 210, 211, 213, 214, 218, 221, 224, 230, 233, 238, 241, 251, 254, 259, 265, 276, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 287, 290, 291, 294, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 303, 304 Sydney........................................... Botanic Gardens.................276 Cove......33, 38, 158, 164, 165, 167, 168, 178, 180, 198, 298 Grammar School................254 Harbour.........................36, 161 Harbour Bridge...................161 Herald.........................155, 285 University..157, 171, 186, 187, 218, 254, 294, 301

Table Bay..................................63 Tamar, HMS.............................38 Tambo........................................... Crossing..............................272 River...........................271, 272 tanging................60, 69, 288, 289 Taree.......................................217 Tasmania...12, 28, 29, 30, 37, 46, 47, 51, 53, 57, 103, 118, 119, 120, 128, 133, 154, 166, 168, 182, 184, 196, 259, 260, 261, 262, 296, 299, 301 Tasmanian Botanic Garden......52 Taylor, Revd R.........................57 Tempe......13, 54, 55, 56, 57, 154, 155, 157, 160, 170, 185, 186, 187, 188, 195, 196, 198, 294 Templeton, Mr......60, 76, 78, 80, 84, 86, 87 Tenerife...............................27, 37 Tenterfield.................................32 Thames River...............37, 38, 66 The Commodore Perry...........273 The Polynesian........................134 Tipper, E...................................29 tomahawk...............19, 20, 22, 25 Tomatin...................161, 163, 164 Toodyay....................................64 Toxana....................................209 Treaty of Waitangi..................135 Tumut District.........................251 Turner......91, 92, 93, 97, 99, 103, 107 John..............92, 102, 103, 111 Tweed Factory, Stockton........208 U.S.A.......12, 114, 125, 143, 218, 255, 278 Ulladulla..................................203 Ulster...............................266, 299 United States.....89, 95, 137, 146, 272 eastern seaboard.................131 military forces......................95 of America....................89, 272 Universal Exhibition of Industry ............................................260

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University of Western Sydney ............................................207 Upper Kensington.....90, 106, 121 Usher of the Black Rod.....29, 46, 206 Van Diemens Land....13, 16, 18, 34, 35, 37, 48, 50, 133, 135, 157, 168, 184, 198, 262, 281, 297 Van Diemens Land...................... Royal Society.....................135 Velocity...................................134 Victoria......12, 14, 15, 24, 28, 41, 57, 58, 68, 72, 74, 75, 87, 94, 97, 102, 116, 124, 134, 135, 215, 216, 218, 224, 263, 264, 265, 267, 268, 273, 274, 276, 279, 290, 294, 298, 299, 301 Victoria......................................... Apiarian Society of......59, 279 ship........................................76 Victorian....................................... Apiarists Association........273 Art Gallery............................70 Dept. Agriculture..................28 Zoological Society...............72 Vineyard House......................169 Vivonne Bay.............................91 Wales..............................275, 276 Wall, Dorothy.........................258 Wallace, Captain...28, 30, 31, 47, 49, 54, 167, 199 Wallis............................................ Captain..................................47 Captain John.........................47 family..................................217 John.....................................217 Warragamba............................256 Dam....................................256 Warrior......................................61 Washington.............................255 watertight........................129, 142 Watkins, Lee H......130, 131, 132, 133, 139, 144, 147, 304, 305 wax moth....................................... larger.....................................88

larvae..................................143 see bee moth........88, 115, 121, 126, 143, 210 Weatherhead, Trevor.90, 91, 215, 216, 301 Wee Jasper..............................156 Weetangerra............................210 Weidenhofer, J. H.. .94, 113, 117, 125, 281 Wellington......183, 274, 275, 276 Wellington, N.S.W.........274, 275 Wenham..................................125 Wentworth, D...............30, 31, 47 west coast.......131, 133, 147, 153 of America..........................153 Western Australia..18, 40, 41, 61, 64, 95, 300 Western Australian Department of Agriculture.......................64 Wharf House. 161, 164, 165, 166, 167, 170, 173, 177, 178, 181, 182, 299 White............................................. Captain Robert...............27, 37 White Hills................................60 Wide Bay district....................276 Willson.......................................... Mildred.................................92 Wilson........................................... Captain T. B., R.N.. 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 47, 51, 197, 206 Don.......................................47 Dr. Thomas Braidwood, R.N. ....................................36, 46 Edward. .10, 66, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 97, 116, 288 Jane.......................................48 Mary Braidwood..........29, 206 Mr.................................72, 273 wire..48, 128, 129, 142, 143, 146, 150, 152, 156, 215 wire................................................ cloth....................................142 Wise, Mr George......................34 Wolli Creek....................154, 156

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Wollstonecraft, Edward.201, 204, 284, 285, 301 Woodbury..................................... bar-frame hive............107, 280 T. W....................................279 Woodward, David...............93, 97 Woolloomooloo......164, 167, 175 Woolner, Thomas.....................72 Yambulla........................271, 272

Yass.........................................156 Yass Courier...........................156 York.............................................. street, Sydney.....................282 Yorke............................................. Peninsula.............................277 Young.................79, 85, 210, 255 Ziegler, K. I..............................57

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