APICULTURE. 343 



flower, thus performing- a very important work in nature's great 

 plan. What bee-keeper has not noticed bees coming- into their hives 

 in the season of fruit bloom with their backs so covered with pollen 

 from the flowers that they had the appearance of being- a different 

 race. Truely, there are wonderful thing-s in nature, and it seems as 

 though no individual can fail to see the ag-ency of a higher power 

 in the design of these things. Verily, all things work together for 

 good to them that love good. 



I believe the honej^ was placed in plants for the purpose of entic- 

 ing the bees for fertilization purposes. To this end, I continue, we 

 find honey or nectar secreted in such flowers as are incapable of 

 self-fertilization; while those capable of being fertilized through 

 the agency of the wind, etc., secrete no nectar to entice the bee. As 

 an example, we see that wheat, oats, barley, corn and other kinds of 

 grasses are capable of being fertilized by the rustling of their stalks 

 by the gentle breeze, and none of these secrete honey, as all of you 

 know, although there a few who claim that bees secure honej^ from 

 corn. Then there are all the clovers, all of the squash and others of 

 the vine family, and buckwheat, none of which are capable of being 

 fertilized throvigh the process applicable to the first. All of these 

 last named secrete honey for the sole purpose of enticing bees and 

 other insects for fertilization so that they may mature seed that the 

 species may be perpetuated. The same thing holds good with trees 

 of all kinds. Hence, the claim put forth by some that the bees injure 

 fruit by taking the nectar out of the blossoms is a false one. 



Not manj^ years ago, a few jealous persons in a certain township 

 in Massachusetts banished bees from the town. The result was that 

 little fruit was raised in the interior of that township, while all along 

 the boundarj^ fruit was as pleantiful as ever. After this experience 

 regardingtheir folly,they were glad to welcome the bees back again, 

 when they again had fruit as formerl}". 



In some sections where bees are numerous, fruit growers are 

 troubled at the season while packing fruit and naturally condemn 

 the bees without stopping to reflect upon the advantage to be de- 

 rived froin them in fertilizing the trees and vines from which the 

 fruit is taken. 



In England a fruit grower was surprised to find that in one corner 

 of his garden in which were placed colonies of bees, the trees were 

 heavily laden with fruit, while those more remote had set very 

 sparingl}'. Then he called to mind the circumstance of its being 

 very dark and foggy during the blooming of the trees, so that the 

 bees flew but a short distance from their hives. 



The proprietor of a cherry orchard in California found that his 

 trees did not bear remunerative crops after the fiat of the raisin 

 growers banished the bees to a distant canon. Being convinced of 

 the necessity of bees to fertilize the bloom, he procured some colonies, 

 located them in his orchard, and then realized satisfactory returns. 



Horticulturists and apiarists are like the American Union, one and 

 inseparable. 



