28o ILLINOIS STATE HOKTICXJLTUKAL SOCIETY. 



carry pollen from the stamens of one flower to the stigma of another, 

 and in that way insure the formation of the fruit. Again he says, "I 

 have no idea that the honey, after being secreted by the plant into the 

 open flower, is ever taken up again by it, so that the plant loses nothing 

 it could use by the bees carrying away the honey." Darwin, in speaking 

 of the benefits of bees, says, "I have found that the visits of bees are 

 necessary for the purpose of perfectly fertilizing some kinds of clover. 

 Thus, for instance, twenty heads of Dutch clover yielded 2,290 seeds; 

 twenty other heads, protected from bees, produced not one. Again, a 

 hundred heads of red clover produced 2,700 seeds, but the same number 

 of protected heads produced not a single seed." Again, he says that, 

 "although some plants are capable of self-fertilization, yet cross-fertiliza- 

 tion of the flowers of one plant by the pollen of another produces more 

 seeds, larger seeds, and stronger seedlings." Many have complained 

 that the bees destroy their fruit in the fall. I do not believe this charge, 

 for I have not yet seen any direct reliable testimony. It is the firm con- 

 viction of all practical and close observing bee-keepers that bees do not 

 first puncture the fruit. It is true, if you go into your vineyard you will 

 at times find bees on your grapes, but if you look closely you will see 

 them sucking out the juice where the fruit has already been punctured or 

 burst, and this is often the case after a shower when the fruit is ripe. But 

 if it could be proved beyond all doubt that the bees at times help them- 

 selves to a little fruit, let us be willing to share with them and give them 

 credit for the good they do. I, for one, am satisfied that wherever there 

 is an abundance of bees there will not only be more and better fruit, 

 but a greater variety of new fruit. Art has done much in this direction, 

 but Nature more. 



"So work the honey-bees — 



Creatures that by a rule in nature teach 



The art of order to a peopled kingdom." 



In what has been said I have given you nothing original, but have 

 culled and thrown together a few truths and facts with the intention of 

 being more suggestive than instructive, in order to draw out discussion 

 upon the subject. (Applause.) 



Prof. Thomas. — Honey in Southern Illinois differs from that in 

 Northern Illinois; it has a more acrid taste, and is apt to produce distress 

 in the stomach soon after eating it. What is the cause of this difference? 



Mr. Thompson. — There are as many kinds of honey as there are 

 varieties of flowers, each one producing honey of a flavor peculiar to 

 itself. 



Secretary Galusha. — Mr. President, I wish to call attention to the 

 quotation in reference to cross-fertilization producing better seeds and 

 stronger seedlings than self-fertilization, and also to another analogous 

 fact, that not only does cross-fertilization produce better seeds than 

 close-fertilization, but the fruit, which is but pulp formed around the 



