STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 169 



grower can unite with the apple shippers and handlers to secure 

 better transportation rates. When the fruit reaches the city on 

 consignment, commission men, jobbers and retailers all take a 

 liberal share of the dollar paid by the consumer, leaving the 

 grower a much smaller fraction than that to which he is entitled. 

 How to eliminate these middlemen is not so apparent. In some 

 instances the grower is in position to deal directly with the re- 

 tailer or consumer, thereby securing a larger share of the dollar. 

 But usually he must let his fruit go through the ordinary chan- 

 nels of trade. If the parcel post weight limit is raised and the 

 rate decreased, this will help the grower who is in position to 

 retail some portion of his crop. 



On the whole there can be little question but that the apple 

 grower who continues to give his trees good attention through 

 both good and bad years, who produces high class fruit and who 

 grades and packs carefully will continue to find apple growing 

 profitable. If he is situated within easy reach of the large east- 

 ern city markets his chances for success will be greater. With 

 reference to nearness to market, Maine growers are particularly 

 fortunate and may be able to produce apples at a profit in those 

 years when more distant sections ship at a loss on account of 

 heavier freight charges. 



BEES INDISPENSABLE IN MODERN 

 HORTICULTURE. 



Dr. Burton N. Gates, Massachusetts Agricultural College, 



Amherst, Mass. 



Ladies and Gentlemen: — I observe that I have a varied 

 audience. Some are young folks who would know of life of 

 bees ; doubtless, too, I have some bee keepers who would hear 

 something of the technicalities of the industry ; and I know I 

 have horticulturists. I am quite accustomed to speaking to bee 

 keepers of specialized bee keeping procedures, but to a mixed 

 audience it is frequently necessary to vary the subject. I will 

 try to present three or four different themes for your considera- 

 tion. I will tell you something of the importance of bees in 

 horticulture ; something of the natural history of the bee, how it 



