PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 121 



Mr. Fuller — You are describing the prairie mouse. I did not 

 know that that was found in this vicinity. 



Mr. Carpenter — I have noticed that the shape was peculiar. 

 It appears to be a distinct variety. 



The Chairman suggested that a wire placed across the trap- 

 doors, so as to allow them to open only far enough to admit the 

 bees, would cause this protector to keep the mice out. 



Mr. Carpenter inquired whether the Italian bee conld, as repre- 

 sented, extract the honey from the red clover. The common 

 humble bee is the only one that we now have that can feed upon it. 



Mr. Steele had some bees purporting to be Italian bees, but 

 they were no larger than the common bee. 



Mr. Carpenter said there were two kinds of bees called 

 Italian bees, only one of which is genuine. 



Dr. Trimble — Our ordinary honey bee cannot reach the honey 

 in the red clover, Its tongue is not long enough. If the Italian 

 bee can extract the honey from the red clover, it would enable 

 us to have many times as much honey as we now have. Besides, 

 it would enable us to have clover seed from the first crop of 

 clover, which we now seldom have. The humble bee is almost 

 the only insect that we have which can penetrate the red clover ; 

 and the humble bee does not live through the winter in numbers. 

 The new colony of bees is not raised so early in the season as 

 the red clover blossoms. There are, therefore, not bees enough 

 to fertilize the blossoms. 



Mr. Fuller did not consider bees necessary to fertilize clover. 

 They may assist in fertilizing clover, and insects may assist in 

 fertilizing strawberries; but nature has provided for their ferti- 

 lization without such aid. The native Indians of the Southern 

 Ocean discovered that if dioecious trees arc planted within ten 

 miles of each other the one would fertilize the other. 



]\[r. Burgess suggested that the bees do not visit the wheat 

 fields, and inquired how they were impregnated. 



The Chairman — Nature is not dependant upon the bees. 



Mr. Carpenter — No doubt the bees will carry the pollen; but 

 whether it is necessary, I doubt. We are indebted to the bee 

 for many hybrids that have proved valuable. 



Mr. Burgess — And for many that are not. When I wish to save 

 seed, I should be glad to have the bees kept out of my garden. 



Dr. Trimble referred to elementary works on botany to prove 

 his statement. 



