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TEANSACTIONS OF THE CENTRAL 



precious load. By this means a greater certainty of tlie fertilization of the blossoms is seciirecl, and 

 a delicious luxury laid up for the use of man. But, unfortunately, the cold, raw winds which are 

 generally prevalent during the blossoming of fruit trees, prevent the bees visiting the blossoms, so 

 that, practically, this is of but little account. I shall, in this essay, take up the practical instead of 

 the theoretical, and first name, in the order of blooming, the fruit and shade trees which are visited 

 by the honey-bee. The different kinds of willow furnish the first honey and pollen; the Comewell 

 is a particular favorite, and fairly swarms with them when, in blossom ; the Silver-leaf Maple soon 

 follows, then the Sugar Maple, while the GooseberiT, Currant, and Raspberry, are fairly alive with 

 bees. The latter is a particular favorite, and furnishes a very delicious honey. The Peach, Plum, 

 and Cherrj^, soon followed by the Pear and Apple, furnish the bees, in favorable seasons, with large 

 quantities of honey. Strawberry blossoms are generally but little noticed by the bees. The Black- 

 berry finishes up the list of fruit blossoms for the season. Among siiade trees, the Tulip, or Poplar, 

 is a great honey-producing tree. The Linden, or Bass wood, yields an abundance of honey of a 

 delicious flavor. I have often wondered why this tree is not planted more extensively as a shade 

 tree, it is certainly deserving of it, Lastlj', the common Locust, when in blossom, is a great 

 favorite with the bees. Thus it will be seen that our fruit trees and shrubs furnish two important 

 products— honey and fruit; teaching us that to make the most of what a kind Providence has given 

 us, we should "gather up the fragments " through the agency of the industrious bee. And here I 

 would suggest that if in the choice of trees for shade and timber belts, those were selected whose 

 blossoms are rich in honey, an imiDortant and delicious product might be secured, in addition to 

 protection and shade. 



CAEE AXD ATTENTION NECESSAET. 



With the movable comb hive (and no other should be used by the intelligent horticulturist) from 

 half a dozen to a dozen hives of bees could be kept without interfering much, if any, with his legiti- 

 mate business ; but it is necessary, to insure the best success, to studj' Langstroth, Quinby, or some 

 other good works on the honey bee, and go at it intelligently. Where wliite clover is not abundant, 

 it would be a good plan to seed down orchards to the Alsike or Swedish clover, as this variety is a 

 particular favorite with the bees, and where they have an abundance of this will scarcely notice the 

 common white clover. 



AEE BEES INJURIOUS TO FECTT? 



Bees have been complained of as being very injurious to the grape crop. It is possible thatin some 

 localities they are, but having never known them to trouble our own grapes, and from the fact that 

 one of our most successful grape growers, Mr. Geo. B. Worthen, of Warsaw, has been keeping bees 

 for several years, and stiU keeps from fifty to a hundred hives, the injury done by tliem must be 

 slight. The Lawton Blackberry, when dead ripe, is frequently attacked by bees; so are apples, and, 

 perhaps, pears, after the birds and wasps have made a commencement; but this amounts to but 

 little. Peaches, ripening at the time of early frosts, are apt to be injured by the honey-bee. 



Where large quantities of cider are made, it is doubtful whether the horticulturist would succeed 

 with bees, as cider is made late in the fall, after the honey season is over; the bees will swarm about 

 the mill, cider, and pomace, fill themselves so full of the cold juice, that thousands are imable to get 

 back to the hives, and so perish. From my own experience, and that of others, bee keeping and 

 cider making can not be successfully connected. It has always appeared to me that a farm, particu- 

 larly a fruit farm, was not complete without the Industrious bee, in neat painted hives, scattered 

 about the lawn, filling the air in spring, summer, and autumn with their busy hum, gathering their 

 luscious stores for the use of the family, teaching lessons of industry and economy to all, and leading 

 them to adore that wisdom and goodness, that not being content with giving the promise and germ 

 of the fruit in the blossom, gave also a minute quantity of the most delicious sweet in each, and gave 

 the honey-bee to collect and store it for the iise of man. 



PHYSIOLOGICAL BOTANY. BY JOHN DAVIS. 



The snbj ects of Botany are among the most interesting of created things, and the cultivation and 

 study of plants is the most ancient and honorable of human pursuits. 



Man, fresh from the hands of his Maker, must have an avocation to engage his faculties and 

 powers. The Great Father was his guardian and dii-ector. The new man in the new world must be 

 honored, and if possible, kept pure and holy. His pursuits must be improving, purifying, develop- 

 ing, and ennobling. Watch the result. 



He was not appointed a place at the head of one of the so-called learned professions, where from 

 pulpit, bar, or rostrum he might propound and discuss figmentary dogmas for the edification of the 

 coming generations. He was not placed in the forest with horn and pack and outriders, nor yet in 

 the saloon, or at the gaming table, that he might drink to the dregs tlie pleasures of his appetites and 



