THE SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 317 



in length. The shortest styles seen were those of Howell and White Doyenne 

 and were over six millimeters, or about one-fourth of an inch in length. The 

 shortest styles were about thrce-fiftlis the length of the longest. 



The strongest points for describing and chissifying apples by their liowers are, 

 found in the styles and their stipes. In pears these are their weakest points. 



The professor has progressed far enough in tiiis investigation to become con- 

 vinced that the flowers should be described in connection wit): a description of 

 every variety. 



BEES AND BLOSSOMS. 



Prof. A. J. Cook argues that the bee takes nothing essential to the flower when 

 it extracts its might of nectar, and the chances are that it may accomplish 

 some good in the fertilizing of the blossom. The following is an abridgment 

 of his article upon the subject : 



There is not the slightest evidence that the taking of the nectar in any way 

 injures the plant or diminishes the yield of fruit. On the other hand, it is 

 fully demonstrated that in case of many plants no fruit can be secured nnless 

 some insect visits the flowers and thus carries the fructifying pollen from the 

 distant or shut-up anther to the waiting stigma. And in case of those plants 

 where the position of the parts of the flowers is such that self-fertilization is 

 possible, it is found by repeated experiments that unless insects visit the plants 

 the yield of fruit will be very much lessened. Darwin proved conclusively in 

 case of squashes and other cucurbitaceous plants and our fruit trees, that to 

 prevent bees' access to the flowers was to greatly injure the crop. Professor 

 Beal has demonstrated the same truth in regard to red clover at our college. 

 Years ago the same senseless, ignorant prejudice tliat now frowns upon Fos- 

 toria prevailed in New England. The bees were denounced and the demand 

 made that they be banished. Now the fruit-growers and gardeners, wiser 

 grown, encourage the presence of bees, and often keep large numbers purposely 

 to effect the more perfect development of the seeds which it is their chief busi- 

 ness to produce. 



Of course some other nectar-loving insects may do this work as well as bees, 

 but owing to their limited numbers, especially early in the spring, they alone 

 are not suflBcient, and unless there are bees the work will be poorly done in 

 case of most plants, and, as formerly experienced about Boston, a consequent 

 loss will follow. This truth is well illustrated in case of our red clover. 

 Because of the long flower-tubes of that plant few insects other than bumble- 

 bees can reach the nectar, and so the perfect fertilization of the ovules demands 

 these bees in great numbers. But all the bumble-bees die off in winter except 

 the queens, and so early in spring they are very rare, consequently the first 

 crop of red clover, as all farmers know, bears very little seed. In August the 

 bumble-bees are counted by thousands and the second crop of clover is abun- 

 dantly fruitful. Alsike clover, on the other hand, Avhich is supposed to be a 

 hybrid between red and white, has shorter tubes and so is visited by all of our 

 bees, and the first crop is very prolific of seed. 



