Relation ok Bkks to Frttit Culture. 259 



])errics, and apples, pears, cherries, and all kinds of fruit 

 that can be grown here, in abundance ; and the same year 

 had six hundred and fifty stocks of bees within working 

 distance of the fruit garden." * * * * "The red 

 clover yielded surplus honey for boxes the first time for 

 twenty years, and also the largest crop of seed. Tlie mel- 

 ilot clover yielded the largest crop of seed and also of 

 honey for many years. One year I saw the white clover 

 in flower for fifteen days, but no bees were at work on it 

 dui'ing that time, and no seed was formed. A change in 

 the atmosphere gave a yield of honey, and in a few days 

 the flowerets turned down with the growth and weight of 

 seed, of which eacli pod cont 'i i -d many." Again he says, 

 "I have seen buckwheat that had been sown in the spring 

 and also such as was sown in the latter part of summer in 

 flower for tliirty days at a time and no honey gathered or 

 seed set, yet a change of atmosphere <!;ave a yield of honey 

 and grain in proportion. " I migut add that I have 

 observed similar facts myself. 



It would seem as though enough had been said upon the 

 value, I might say the necessity, of bees as agents in the 

 process of fructification, but, since writing the preceding, 

 I have received from a friend the follovtdng paragraphs 

 from a French author, which he lias kindly translated for 

 my use. They are so much to the point, tending also to 

 confirm the foregoing statements, that I will insert them 

 liere. 



He says : ■ ' Without wishing to attribute to insects more 

 power than they really exercise in the great harmonies of 

 natm-e, we must recur once more to the importance of their 



