138 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



pest, while lack of care in apportioning a poison 

 may mean the loss of an entire year's growth 

 at least, if not death to the plant so injured. 



There is one insect which I must particularly 

 say a word for, while I am on the subject, how- 

 ever; that is the bee. There are no better 

 servants in the garden than these velvet-clad 

 little pages, and their liberty to go and come 

 unharmed should always be assured. Without 

 them we should have very little fruit and few 

 vegetables, and it is a cruel mistake to sup- 

 pose that it is the bees' visits to a flower that 

 cause it to fade. The bees are attracted when 

 the pollen is ripe because they are needed then 

 to transfer it from flower to flower. As soon 

 as pollen is ripe and falls, the petals fall, for 

 then the flowers' work is done and the forma- 

 tion of fruit is assured. So it is coincident with 

 the bee's visit that the petals fall, or immedi- 

 ately following it; but the visit itself neither 

 hastens this nor affects the life of the flower in 

 the least. Do not try to drive away or destroy 

 honey bees, therefore — as I have known some 

 to advocate. 



Fertilizers 



Never use a fertilizer because it has benefited 

 someone else's garden; it may not be good for 



